Agenda and minutes

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel held on 5 January 2021, and approve them as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Resolved:-

1.    The minutes of the previous meeting held of 5 January 2021 were approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

To receive declarations of interest from Members in respect of items listed on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

Because of the likely disclosure of exempt information during the course of discussion of items 9 and 10 on the agenda pertaining to the Youth Offending Team Inspection and the Looked After Children’s Council Update, it was agreed that the press and public would be excluded from observing the discussion of these items in compliance with Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Resolved:-

          That the press and public be excluded from Items 9 and 10 on the agenda.

To receive a presentation in respect of the outcome of the recent Ofsted visit.

Consideration was given to a presentation in respect of feedback from the recent visit by Ofsted. The presentation provided a summary of the purpose of the visit, the specific items Ofsted identified as working well in relation to Looked After Children, the areas which Ofsted identified as needing improvement in relation to Looked After Children, and the current activities which are being undertaken to ensure further service development.

Resolved:-

1.    That the presentation be noted.

To receive a report in respect of the Council’s use of unregistered and unregulated placements.

Consideration was given to a report in respect of the use of unregistered and unregulated placements for looked after children and young people. The report provided an explanation of the terminology and assurance in respect of the types of accommodation used.

Resolved:-

1.    That the report be noted.

To receive an update regarding the Council’s efforts to obtain settled status for Looked After Children who are also E.U. Citizens.

Consideration was given to an update report in respect of the EU Settlement Scheme which was fully launched by the Home Office on 30th March 2019. The scheme requires EU citizens and their families to apply for either Settled Status or Pre-Settled Status to secure their rights while living in the UK. The status for which EU citizens can apply is determined by length of residency at the time of application. The purpose of this update was to provide assurance in respect of the progression of EU settlement applications in relation to eligible children who are looked after by Rotherham.

Resolved:-

1.    That the report be noted.

To receive a performance report in respect of Corporate Parenting through December 2020.

Consideration was given to a Performance Report in respect of Corporate Parenting. The report provided a summary of performance for key performance indicators across services associated with Looked After Children (LAC). It was considered in conjunction with the accompanying performance data report at Appendix A which provided trend data, graphical analysis and benchmarking data against national and statistical neighbour averages where possible.

Resolved:-

1.    That the report be noted.

To receive a report in respect of the outcome of a recent inspection of the Rotherham Youth Offending Team.

Consideration was given to a report regarding the Youth Offending Team (YOT) Inspection. This inspection followed Rotherham YOT’s receiving notification of HM Inspectorate of Probation inspection of youth justice services on Friday 7th August 2020. Rotherham YOT was subsequently inspected under the new HMIP ‘Small YOT’ inspection framework. Peterborough, Windsor Maidenhead and Rotherham were selected to be the first Youth Offending Teams to be inspected under this new framework.

Five recommendations were referenced in the report. Support from the Corporate Parenting Panel was requested in progressing actions against these recommendations, especially the recommendation to ensure the partnership understand the reasons for the significant number of Looked After Children known to the YOT, and to ensure that the partnership review the policies and practices of all agencies to minimise the possibility of children entering the criminal justice system unnecessarily.

Resolved:-

1.    That the report be noted.

To receive an update presentation in respect of the recent activities of the Looked After Children’s Council.

Consideration was given to a presentation in respect of recent activities by the Looked After Children’s Council.

Resolved:-

1.    That the presentation be noted.

To determine any item which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair confirmed there were no matters of urgent business requiring a decision at this meeting.