Agenda and minutes

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business to be transacted at this meeting.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 July 2009 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 July 2009 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions, petitions or deputations were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rules 16, 14 and 15 respectively (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Report of the Corporate Director of Children’s Services.

The Panel received an information report of the Corporate Director of Children’s Services that set out the data relating to Children Looked After (CLA) and Children with Child Protection Plans (CPP), including key performance indicators for the end of August 2009.  An officer advised that following a request at the July 2009 meeting of the Panel, the report also included a breakdown as at 31 August 2009 of the number of CLA aged between 10?15 years and a summary analysis of the Department for Children, Schools and Families Children in Need (CIN) Census from October 2008 to 31 March 2009.

The officer outlined the following key points:

·                     core assessment performance, which was one of the priority indicators in the Local Area Agreement (LAA), had fallen below target. Initial assessment performance was steadily improving, but remained below target.  To address this issue, robust management action, including early warning reports had been taken to improve the situation and ensure that officers met year end targets;

·                     the target for CLA who had missed at least 25 days of school in each academic year was exceeded for 2008?9.  Whilst finalising the position for the previous academic year, officers had identified that children with health needs and asylum seeking CLA who did not have a school place at the start of the academic year had contributed to this indicator.  A dedicated Education Welfare Officer for CLA, was in post and had been monitoring and acting on absence in the 2009?10 academic year. Every relevant CLA was being individually monitored and supported to effect transition back to education as soon as possible;

·                     a report on 10-15 year old Children Looked After, who make up 44% of the total  was presented.  A high proportion of children in this cohort were often challenging placements or had complex presenting needs;

·                     in the Children in Need census it was not possible to provide complete information about the ethnicity of children referred to the service or requiring social care.  Officers would seek to improve efforts in this area;

In response to questions raised by the Panel, officers advised that:

·                     the number of children placed out of the borough had increased significantly but most are in neighbouring boroughs. This increase was due to placement availability;

·                     Harrow had an improved performance level of CLA and CPP outcomes when compared to other London boroughs;

·                     it was often difficult to place teenagers with specific needs or challenging behaviour in foster care. If a child’s behaviour was disruptive to the foster care environment, placing a child in residential care did not necessarily change the outcome.  An increase in foster carers employed and trained by Harrow Council would provide better value for money and address the challenge of placing an older child into Local Authority care.  By using models of excellent practice from other local authorities, officers were developing a wraparound service that sought to provide adequate support to carers and the child placed in their care and avoid a move into residential care;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 92.

Participation in the Pledge and the Role of Children in Care Council

The Chairman asked for an update on the progress of the London Pledge and the Children in Care Council reported at the last Panel meeting.  An officer reported:

·                     a postal survey of Children Looked After (CLA) placed outside of the borough had been conducted and that  officers had received six responses;

·                     a consultation event commissioned by the Care Matters Partnership had been attended by a variety of children who were being or had been cared for by Harrow Council;

·                     following the launch of Participation and Voices by the Care Matters Partnership in January 2009, CLA would meet with Members in November or early December 2009 with a view to allowing Members to ascertain the needs of CLA and establish terms of reference of further meetings and to implement the London pledge.

Following comments by the Panel, officers agreed to present proposals for Care Matters at the next meeting, in addition to a report on the partnership with Coram following the National Initiative Conference.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the report be noted;

(2)  reports on the proposals for care matters, and the Council’s partnership with Coram be presented to the 12 January 2009 meeting of the Panel.