Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meetings held on 18^th November, 2009 and on 24^th November, 2009, be approved as correct records.

Joyce Thacker, report author

Further to Minutes Nos. 123 and 124 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services held on 11^th February, 2009, consideration was given to a report presented by the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services concerning the proposed revised terms of reference for the Children and Young People’s Board.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the revised terms of reference for the Children and Young People’s Board, as now submitted, be approved.

(3) That the terms of reference be reviewed in the light of any legislative changes arising from the Apprenticeship, Skills, Children and Learning Bill 2009.

Julie Westwood, report author

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Director of Resources, Planning and Performance, stating that on 16th July 2009, the members of the Children’s Board attended a seminar with Directors from the Borough Council, NHS Rotherham and Rotherham Community Health Service. The seminar was facilitated by Children First and three key themes were considered:-

            [a] the vision for Rotherham Children and Young people’s Services;

            [b] the review action plan and governance arrangements; and

            [c] leadership and performance management.

The report described the key outputs from the seminar and included an action plan showing follow up activity.

Resolved:- That the report be received and its contents and the progress being made be noted.

Julie Westwood, report author

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Director of Resources, Planning and Performance, stating impending legislation, contained in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill 2009, would introduce statutory requirements for Children’s Trust Boards. The report highlighted the main implications and proposals to self-assess against these future requirements. It was noted that the Audit Commission had designed a self-assessment tool for Children’s Trusts.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the proposed self-assessment be endorsed.

(3) That the report be submitted to the meeting of the Children’s Board to be held on 9^th December, 2009.

Catherine Hall, report author

Further to Minute No. 49 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services held on 9^th September, 2009, consideration was given to a report presented by the Interim Safeguarding Children’s Board Manager on the implications of the findings of the Lord Laming report about the protection of children from harm. The multi-agency action plan, which was appended to the submitted report, had been given a ‘RAG Status’ (Red, Amber, Green) based on a further assessment of Rotherham’s continuing position. There were other attached documents containing proposed ways in which the relevant agencies might develop their services and demonstrate compliance with their statutory duties.

Resolved:- That the report and action plan be received and their contents noted.

Yvonne Weakley, report author

Consideration was given to a report presented by Yvonne Weakley, Head of Children and Young People’s Services (Rotherham Community Health Services) providing an update of progress with case work supervision following the implementation, during April 2009, of a jointly produced Case Work Supervision Procedure. The new procedure built on existing supervision arrangements for social care staff and was intended to complement existing Child Protection and Clinical Supervision Procedures used within health services. The procedure was created to support team managers working within a unified management arrangement to confidently supervise front line staff from a variety of backgrounds (ie: social care, education and health) in the management of cases of concern requiring enhanced services.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the progress with the implementation of the Case Work Supervision Procedure across Children and Young People’s Services from April 2009 be noted.

(3) That appropriate amendments to the procedure, reflecting the need to proceed with single agency case work supervision, be supported and the further work required to embed the procedure fully be noted.

Susan Gray, report author

Further to Minute No. 170 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services held on 29^th April, 2009, consideration was given to a report submitted by the Systems and Change Manager updating the progress within the Improving Information Sharing and Management (IISaM) Programme. The report stated that the IISaM Programme included the implementation of ContactPoint, electronic enablement of the Common Assessment Framework, Integrated Children’s System and Information Sharing. In addition, the programme covered the Connexions Client Caseload Information System (CCIS).

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That a further progress report be provided to a future meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services.

David Ashmore, report author

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Resources and Business Strategy Manager stating that, during July 2009, the Audit Commission had published a report, entitled ‘Valuable Lessons,’ about improving economy and efficiency in schools. Forecasts for public expenditure beyond 2010/2011 suggest tighter funding for schools. The Audit Commission proposed that local authorities have a role in three key areas of school support where the focus on economy and efficiency might be strengthened: (i) financial support; (ii) staffing and purchasing in schools; and (iii) accountability for value for money. A suggested action plan, in respect of these three areas of work, was included with the submitted report.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the action plan, as now reported, arising from the Audit Commission’s recommendations be implemented.

(3) That a further progress report be provided to a future meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services.

Paul Grimwood, report author

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Youth Offending Services Manager concerning the increased use of custody for under eighteens in Rotherham. The report sought to identify any changes in sentencing practice and, to achieve this, custodial sentences for the period April 2005 to September 2009 had been analysed by gender, number of previous disposals, seriousness of offence (gravity score) and for the past two and a half years, offence type by offence types.

The analysis of these figures had highlighted various issues and indicated that although the use of short custodial sentences is now more prevalent than it was in 2005/06, the average number of previous disposals has increased.  Although the concerns expressed in 2007 about the number of custodial sentences imposed for offences of violence and Public Order Act offences remain, a broader range of offences are currently attracting custody.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the Youth Offending Service continues to monitor and put in place measures to reduce the use of custody.

Paul Grimwood, report author

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Youth Offending Services Manager, stating that the Youth Justice component of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 came into effect on 30th November, 2009. The Act introduced a new generic community sentence for young people who offend, the Youth Rehabilitation Order (YRO) and the new threshold for custody. Replacing nine existing sentences, the YRO will combine eighteen requirements within one sentence. To support the YRO, the Youth Justice Board had developed a new model for working for youth justice. Known as the Scaled Approach, this will match the intensity of intervention to the assessed likelihood of re-offending and serious harm to others.

Resolved:- That the report be received and its contents noted.

Consideration was given to the contents of the minutes of the meeting of the Building Schools for the Future Project Board, held on 10^th November, 2009.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes be noted.