Agenda and minutes

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel held on 23 January 2024 and approve them as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Resolved: - That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 23 January 2024, were agreed as a correct record.

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.

Minute 141 (The Leaving Care Action Plan Update) and Minute 142 (The Looked After Children’s Council Update) were exempt from the press and public. The Chair moved the following resolution:- That under Section 100(A) 4 of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of such Act indicated, as now amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 (information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual/financial information).

Resolved: - That members of the press and public be excluded for these items.

This agenda item will provide a summary of performance for key performance indicators across the Children in Care (CiC) services. It will provide an overview of the services performance in comparison to the same period 2022-23. It will also provide trend data, graphical analysis, and latest benchmarking data against national and statistical neighbour averages where possible.

The Performance and Business Intelligence Manager presented a summary of the submitted report, which included a summary of performance for key indicators across the Looked After Children Services for Quarter Three 2023 to 2024. It also included a summary of Service performance in comparison to the same period in 2022 to 2023, trend data, graphical analysis and the latest benchmarking data against national and statistical neighbour averages (where possible). The following was outlined: -

·       The report provided a summary of quarter three which covered the period of October 2023 to December 2023.

·       In relation to the journey of a child, there had been 122 children entering care, this was a reduction of 25 from the previous year.

·       In relation to initial plans that were updated every three months for three cycles, 76% of these plans were up to date, within ten working days of a LAC Review.

·       In relation to placement stability measures, 63.3% of children were looked after for two years or more, this was slightly lower than the previous year.

·       In relation to three or less placement moves in a year, this remained similar to the previous year at 9.3%.

·       In house fostering numbers had reduced by 2, with 111 foster carer families registered with the local authority by the end of this quarter. There had been 15 foster carer approvals in this quarter and 15 foster carer de-registrations.

·       There were seven children in care known to the youth justice service and 13 children adopted in this quarter.

·       In relation to timeliness and the length of time that children entered care to being placed with an adoptive family, this was 343 days on average which was 200 days less than the previous year.

·       88.1% of looked after children had a regular updated health assessment, this was a 13% increase on the previous year. 68% of looked after children had up to date dental assessments, this was a 9% increase on last year.

·       89.4% of reviews were on time during this period and 91.4% of visits were up to date.

·       99.1% of children in care had an up-to-date education plan, this was 7% higher than the previous year.

·       There were 337 care leavers during this period, this was 15 more than the previous year. 72.7% of pathway plans were up to date and 95% of care leavers were in suitable accomodation. 72% of care leavers were in education, employment, or training.

·       There were 136 children discharged from care and 19.9% of those children were moved into permanence.

·       The overall picture for this period was positive. There were 497 looked after children to date, this included unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. There was a profiled budget for 545 children.

The Chair thanked the Performance and Business Intelligence Manager for the presentation and invited questions. This led to the following points being raised during discussions: -

·       There was a typing error on the performance on a page report (page 20 of the agenda pack) it should state 76.9% for initial health assessments.

·       Delays  ...  view the full minutes text for item 137.

This agenda item will provide an update on sixteen to eighteen plus accomodation.

Resolved:- That this item be deferred until the next Panel meeting.

This agenda item will provide a verbal update on an RMBC child that was a winning entry to the Quorum Voices National Art Competition.

The agenda item provided a verbal update an awards ceremony held on 17 February 2024, where a Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council child had a winning entry to the Corum Voices National Art Competition. It was advised that there was great feedback provided and the child had a great time.

Resolved:- That the update be noted.

This agenda item is for the Panel to note the revised South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency Terms of Reference.

This agenda item provided an update to Panel members on the revised South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency Terms of Reference and the following was noted: -

·       The Terms of Reference were updated retrospectively and a new a new three-year contract had been signed by the local authority.

·       The Terms of Reference were provided to the Panel for noting what the SYRAA did, why the local authority was part of the SYRAA and how the SYRAA would be run for the next three years.

·       The South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency were in the process of recruiting a new Head of Service.

·       The Terms of Reference provided the governance structure for the South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency. The Assistant Director for CYPS was on the Strategic Board. It was noted that there were Head of Service delegated decisions which would be noted by the Strategic Board. There were many sub-boards which were detailed in the Terms of Reference document.

·       It was noted that the Virtual School was working with One Adoption South Yorkshire and the SYRAA to complete a piece of work on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. This included a focus on supporting early identification, supporting parents and children, and supporting training and development in schools across the region.

Resolved:-

1)    That the update be noted.

2)    That the Panel noted thanks to the outgoing Chair of the RAA Steph Evans.

This agenda item will provide a 6-month update on the leaving care action plan. A draft leaving care action plan was presented to the Panel in December 2023, it was agreed that further updates on the action plan would be provided to the Panel every 6 months

The Chair advised that this item contained restricted information and as resolved in Minute 126, the Panel would go into private session for the consideration of this item.

A draft Leaving Care Action Plan was presented to Corporate Parenting Panel in December 2023. It was agreed that an update would be provided to Corporate Parenting Partnership Board in respect of the progress of the plan. The purpose of the Leaving Care Action Plan was to develop an outstanding Care Leavers Service, for all Care Leavers. The Looked After Children Service Manager provided a high-level update to the panel on the Leaving Care Action Plan.

Resolved:- That the next Leaving Care Action Plan Update be presented to the Corporate Parenting Partnership Board in June 2024.

This agenda item will provide an update from the Looked After Children’s Council, including a group presentation.

The Chair advised that this item contained restricted information and as resolved in Minute 126, the Panel would go into private session for the consideration of this item.

The young people on the Looked After Children’s Council (LACC) gave a presentation to the Panel on the work of Rotherham’s Looked After Children’s Council, drawing attention to the following:

·       LACC Voice’s Shaping Services, in relation to the Children’s Capital of Culture.

·       The Dare to Care Animation.

·       LACC Contributing to the Foster’s Carers Charter.

·       Make Your Mark and The UK Youth Parliament Elections 2024.

·       LACC Participation Sessions.

·       Community Engagement at Holocaust Memorial Day Events.

The Panel thanked the young people for their inspirational presentation and noted the updates provided.

This agenda item is to note the meeting dates for the Corporate Parenting Partnership Board for the new municipal year 2024-2025, agreed by Full Council on the 28 February 2024. The agreed dates are as follows:

·       11 June 2024

·       10 September 2024

·       10 December 2024

·       21 January 2025

·       25 March 2025

·       6 May 2025

Resolved:- That the future meeting dates be noted.

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

There was no urgent business to consider.

The next meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel will be held on 30 April 2024, commencing at 4:00 p.m. in Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved: - That the next meeting be held on 30 April 2024, commencing at 4.00 p.m. to be held in the Town Hall, Moorgate Street, Rotherham.