Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest made.

Agreed:- (1) That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel, held on 10th December, 2008, be approved as a correct record.

(2) That, with regard to Minute No. 11(2) – a Members’ seminar be arranged on the Educational Achievements of Looked After Children.

(3) That, with regard to Minute No. 13(3) (Work Placement and Work Opportunities), it was noted that discussions are taking place with partners and progress will be reported to a future meeting of this Scrutiny Sub-Panel.

(4) That progress reports about the following items be submitted to the next meeting of the Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel:-

(a) Minute No. 12(2) – Care Matters Update; progress of the cross-directorate task and finish group; and

(b) Minute No. 14 – Looked After Children’s Council – update and minutes.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Louise Bishop and Sue Gittins (NHS Rotherham) concerning the progress made in developing health systems to meet the health needs of looked after children and young people in Rotherham. The report provided outline information about:-

i) health services and outcomes for the period from October 2007 to October 2008;

ii) statutory health assessments, dental checks and immunisations; and

iii) teenage pregnancy in relation to looked after children.

The Scrutiny Sub-Panel’s discussion about this issue included the following salient issues:-

- the expense of looked after children being placed out-of-authority;

- the difficulty of maintaining statistics of teenage pregnancies amongst looked after young people;

- the role of the locality teams and social workers in support of looked after children and young people;

- the audit of the quality of the statutory health assessments and access to basic services, such as GP and dental services;  it has been recognised that a health team needs to be developed, similar to teams in other areas;  this audit is intended to provide data for the development of this team.

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

(2) That a progress report health about the health needs of looked after children and young people in Rotherham be submitted to a future meeting of this Scrutiny Sub-Panel, with particular reference to the completion of the audit and the development of the health team.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Manager of the Looked After Children and Adoption Support Team concerning the access to mental health services for looked after children and young people, with assistance from the Support Team.

The report stated that national research had indicated that being a looked after child on a long term basis is an important predicator of social exclusion in adulthood. There is a higher than average rate of poor mental health, drug use, anti social behaviour and poor educational attainment reduces the prospects of employment, (Social Exclusion Unit 2003). 45% of Looked After Children aged 5 – 17 years old in England have mental health difficulties, which is four times the rate of other children and is higher amongst boys, older children and children in residential homes. 

The Looked After Children and Adoption Support Team provided a short term service of support to looked after children, their carers, their workers, and adoptive families in Rotherham. The aim of this work is to enhance understanding of early life trauma, abuse and neglect upon children’s physical and emotional wellbeing, and to support and develop skills in assisting the parenting of children who have experienced such early life difficulties. The Support Team will continue to develop:-

(i) their skills and knowledge to provide a quality service to support the physical and emotional needs of looked after children;

(ii) tools to support workers, especially in respect of work around transitions and change, life story, understanding the association between feelings and behaviours, the impact of early life trauma upon children, and managing behaviour; and

(iii) group work around providing therapeutic foster care provision; the eventual aim is to provide tools and resources that will be available for use by other professionals.

The Scrutiny Sub-Panel noted that, from April 2008, all local authorities in England were required to provide information about the emotional and behavioural health of looked after children and young people between the ages of 4 – 16 years old. The screening tool used to collate this information is the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire which should be completed by the child’s main carer, typically a foster carer, or residential worker, if the child is in a residential placement.

Reference was made to:-

- the establishment of a key performance indicator for completion of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for all Looked After Children aged between 4 and 16 years;

- the many events facilitated by the Looked After Children and Adoption Support Team, during 2009;

- the funding of the Support Team by means of a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services grant;

- the difficult transition from into adulthood for looked after young people, facing issues which sometimes leads to greater demand for mental health services;

- factors for triggering reassessment;

- whether all categories of children in care are completing the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire;

- provision of DDP training.

Agreed:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Director of Targeted Services stating that Rotherham’s fostering services were inspected in May 2008 and an inadequate rating was given overall. A detailed and substantive action plan, based upon the statutory requirements and the recommendations made by the Inspectors, has been in place since that time. This submitted report included up-to-date information on the progress against that action plan, with a particular focus on the issue of the previous inappropriate use of exemptions and the consequent placement of children out-of-category with some carers.  Additionally, the Ofsted inspection team re-visited Rotherham in January, 2009 on a monitoring visit to give feed back and advice on progress made since the full inspection in May 2008. Details from the finding of that January monitoring visit were also included within the report.

Discussion took place on the requirement to ensure that any holiday accommodation occupied for a prolonged period of time was suitable.

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

(2) That the Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel be informed of the outcome of the forthcoming Ofsted re-inspection, taking place during May 2009, of the Authority’s fostering and inspection services.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Director of Targeted Services detailing the progress of the foster carer’s recruitment campaign, previously considered by the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services. The report included the up-to-date position in terms of new and potential foster carers and analysed the resource implications arising from initial success within the campaign.  Panel members noted the length of time taken from the initial expression of interest in becoming a foster carer, through the training process and eventual approval of people as foster carers.

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

(2) That the Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel be informed of the outcome of the forthcoming Ofsted inspection, taking place during May 2009, of fostering and inspection services, with particular regard to the campaign for the recruitment of potential foster carers.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Director of Targeted Services containing a summary of the main issues and events occurring in Rotherham’s mainstream Children’s Homes between March, 2008 and March, 2009:-

: Goodwin Crescent Children’s Home, Swinton

: Young Person’s Centre, Hollowgate, Rotherham town centre

: St. Edmunds Avenue Children’s Home Thurcroft

: Silverwood (formerly Creswick Road) Children’s Home, East Herringthorpe

: Studmoor Road Children’s Home, Kimberworth Park

The report had been prepared as a consequence of the visits and reports made under Regulation 33 of the Children’s Home’s Regulations 2001 including the outcomes for Looked After Children, feedback from visits by Elected Members and also the Ofsted Inspection Reports. The statutory requirements and guidance, particularly in relation to the registration of the local authority as a provider of residential accommodation, were clarified.

The following issues were highlighted in the report:-

- the statement of purpose and function for each children’s home;

- capital investment in children’s homes;

- serious incidents, as defined by the Children’s Home’s Regulations 2001 and reported to Ofsted;

- complaints received and dealt with, relating to the children’s homes;

- the health and well-being of children and young people resident at the homes;

- children as missing persons from the homes;

- staffing and workforce development and the consultation about raising the qualifications of people working in children’s homes;

- Ofsted inspections (both planned and unannounced) of the children’s homes;

- finance and the budgets for the children’s homes.

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

Further to Minute No. 10 of the meeting of the Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel held on 10^th December, 2008, consideration was given to a report presented by Martin Smith, Manager of the Get Real Team, detailing the role of the Get Real Team in raising the attainment, achievement and aspirations of young people in care in Rotherham, mainly via short term intervention work, in addition to monitoring and supporting attendance at school across all key stages.

The report stated that by 25the February, 2009, out of 216 young people of school age looked after by this Council, 8.79% have reached 25 days or more missing from school. (19 students in total) compared to 12.06% (24 students) at the same time in 2008. Details of the type of placement for these young people were also listed in the report.

Reference was made to the preparation of personal education plans for the looked after children and young people in Rotherham.

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

(2) That a further report be submitted to the next meeting of the Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel detailing the progress being made in raising the attainment, achievement and aspirations of young people in care in Rotherham, with particular reference to the level of attendance at school.

(3) That the further report, referred to at (2) above, shall detail the progress in completing personal education plans for the looked after children and young people in Rotherham.

The Director of Targeted Services submitted a report providing the quarterly statistics and profile of the number of looked after children and young people in Rotherham. The report stated that, as at 28^th February 2009, there were 391 looked after children, 28 of whom were supported by the children’s disability team. This number was an increase from 353 children in June 2008 and 387 in December 2008.

Statistics were included in the report of the type of care received by looked after children and young people, their age range, type of care order and ethnic backgrounds.

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

Discussion took place on the items to be included in the work programme of the Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel for the 2009/2010 Municipal Year. A number of items had already been identified as a consequence of matters discussed at both this and previous meetings. It was agreed that Scrutiny Sub-Panel members should submit other suggested items for the work programme, to the Senior Scrutiny Adviser, in readiness for further discussion at the next meeting.

Agreed:- That the next meeting of the Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel take place at the Town Hall, Rotherham on Thursday, 25^th June, 2009, commencing at 10.00 a.m.