Issue - meetings

·       Ian Thomas, Strategic Director, Children and Young People’s Services Directorate to report.

Councillor Hamilton welcomed Ian Thomas, Strategic Director, Children and Young People’s Services Directorate, and Michelle Whiting, Interim Looked After Children Adviser, Safeguarding Children and Families’ Services, to the meeting. 

Ian and Michelle, with reference to the submitted reports, informed Elected Members about the current situation relating to Rotherham’s residential homes.  Ian started his presentation with an apology to Elected Members for the very disappointing outcomes that had been reported.  Ian expected progress and knew that there was much more to do. 

Ian and Michelle covered the following areas in their presentation on Rotherham’s Woodview and Saint Edmund’s residential homes: -

·       Regular independent Regulation 44 Visits had been conducted.  Copies of the reports were submitted to the Assistant Director for Safeguarding Children and Families and Ofsted;

·       The material condition of the homes;

·       Practices in the homes;

·       Culture and that fact that homes were not child-centred;

·       None of the children living at the homes were being abused whilst in the Local Authority’s care, but the mechanisms in place at the homes did not show that staff were curious about the comings and goings of the young people living there;

·       The Local Authority had taken the decision to close Woodview.  The children who had lived there were moved to provision that was Ofsted judged to be Good or better;

·       Management actions following the close of Woodview would be appropriate;

·       In relation to Saint Edmund’s, an improvement plan had been issued and submitted to Ofsted;

·       Educational outcomes had been found to be good at Saint Edmund’s, although there were still areas of concern.

Ian described a future options appraisal process that would take place in relation to Rotherham’s current offer of residential homes.  The process would look at value for money and outcomes. 

The role of Regulation 44 visits was considered, along with the enhanced involvement that Rotherham’s Corporate Parenting Panel would have.  This included ensuring that there were strong protocols around the visits so that they were conducted in a controlled way that did not encroach on the young people’s homes.  It had also been agreed that elected members would act in roles as ‘Champions’ for issues relating to looked after childrens’ lives. 

Discussion followed and the following questions were raised: -

·       Councillor M. Vines described the Ofsted outcomes as embarrassing. He asked what the hold-up was in progress being seen? – Ian explained how the improvement journey would take three to five years.  Progress had been made in the developing Mash and tackling CSE.  The negative outcomes in relation to the residential homes were set-backs.  The Local Authority was committed to its looked after children and had launched the nine Promises to them setting out what they could expect and what they were entitled to from Rotherham Council; 

·       Councillor Hoddinott asked why issues at the homes had not been tackled based on the reports provided by the Independent Visitor?  It was really disappointing to learn that staff at Saint Edmund’s awareness of CSE was found to be low.  –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27