Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting held on 19^th July, 2004 be received.

Katy Hawkins, Manager of the Get Real Team, gave an update on progress and reported on the following :-

(1)  The Team

(a)  A new Social Worker joined the Team on 7^th October, 2004 and a new Admin. Worker had taken up her post and the Team was now fully staffed. 

(b) The Management Team continued to closely monitor workloads and action plans to ensure the Team’s effectiveness.

(c) During the Summer break, Tony Dewhurst and Sue Dean, DfES Regional Advisors for the Trent Region assessed the Team’s performance, action planning and overall effectiveness.  A copy of their comments had been put in writing and would be supplied to Members of this Panel.  Their only comment for improvement was the development of a Senior Management Steering Group that could make necessary decisions to support the work of the Team.  It was confirmed that this Steering Group had been established.

(d) Locality Team meeting dates were being arranged in order to meet regularly and improve liaison and offer additional support directly to Social Work Teams.

(e)  The Team will be attending a Chair of Governors meeting in November and would pursue the issue of every school having a Designated Governor for Children in Public Care.  Governing Bodies were currently undergoing the process of elected designated members, and it was hoped to have the results of this by the October term break to consider any gaps and help Governing Bodies overcome them.

(f)  A comprehensive monitoring system was being explored and developed to enable the Team to track closely all Year 6 and Year 11 pupils.  This approach would ensure regular contact, monitoring and assessment to enable the best possible results at key stage 2 and in GCSE’s.

(g)  A package of training was being developed for Foster Carers to be started in the New Year.  This training was viewed as essential and all carers would be encouraged to attend.  Extra training would be developed once the level of need had been ascertained.

(h)  The education policy for Residential Units was being revised to ensure that Units had a nominated education person who would be trained and supported.

(i)  A new way of collecting attendance figures for all Looked After Children, with support of the Education Welfare Service, had been negotiated.  Termly attendance print outs would be brought to the Team within the first week of the new term.  This allowed patterns of attendance to be examined and ensured a speedy response to issues of non-attendance.

(j)  A new system was being established to improve the school attendance of children who return home on Care Orders.   A form was being devised for parents to sign when their child was returned to their care and to inform them of their duties regarding education and the consequences of not following this up.

Resolved:- (i) That a copy of the DfES Regional Advisors’ letter be forwarded to Members of this Panel.

(ii)  That steps be taken to ensure good communication between designated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

The next meeting of the Panel will take place on Monday, 13^th December, 2004 at 9.30 am.