Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest made at this meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public or the press.

(1) The Senior Scrutiny Adviser reported on the proceedings of the ‘Eleven Million Take-over Day’ meeting, which had taken place on 7^th February, 2012, involving members of the Youth Cabinet, this Council’s Cabinet and the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board, senior Council officers, as well as invited guests from the South Yorkshire Police and the transport operators. The meeting had concentrated upon transport issues, including accessibility, communications, costs and public safety. A report about this ‘Eleven Million Take-over Day’ meeting had been submitted to the Cabinet meeting held on 13^th March, 2013. Members of the Improving Lives Select Commission will continue to be informed of progress.

(2) With regard to Minute No. 46 of the meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission held on 23^rd January, 2013, Members asked to be provided with further information about the costs of both production and officer time concerning the 2012 Lifestyle Survey of secondary school pupils.

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission, held on 23rd January, 2013, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Further to a Minute of the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Group held on 29th January, 2013, consideration was given to a report presented by the Interim Director of Safeguarding Children and Families providing an overview of corporate parenting activity and services for looked after children within the Rotherham Borough.

The report included a self-assessment, based on the joint Local Government Association / Centre for Public Scrutiny and National Children’s Bureau guide: “10 questions to ask if you’re scrutinising services for looked after children”. Members noted that this Council had been represented on the reference group which advised on the content of this guide. The aim of the guide is to provide a framework to scrutinise all services relevant to looked after children and also to assist in focussing on areas of particular interest.

The Interim Director of Safeguarding Children and Families explained the Council’s corporate parenting role and also the functions of the Corporate Parenting Group which is chaired by Councillor Lakin as Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families Services.

The Select Commission’s consideration of this item and each of the “10 Questions” included discussion of the following issues:-

: there are some four hundred looked after children in the Rotherham Borough area, many of whom are placed with foster families;

: what is the quality and effectiveness of the Council’s corporate parenting activities;

: what is impact of the corporate parenting activities and is there sufficient information available to be able to assess that impact;

: concerns about the responses provided in the report – incomplete data (eg; Key Stage 2 results); unanswered questions in the report; unclear descriptions of activity in the report (various examples were mentioned);

: the Corporate Parenting Panel regularly considers performance data which will respond to the various concerns and this data can be made available for Members of the Improving Lives Select Commission;

: both the Cabinet Member and the Members of the Corporate Parenting Group receive feedback information collated from individual looked after children, to be able to assess the individuals’ views about the care they receive;

: ensuring that the Council is prepared to take due notice of the “child’s voice” and the child’s opinion about services provided; (eg: ensuring that looked after children have the same social worker assigned to them and this arrangement continues even though the looked after child may be placed outside the Rotherham Borough area);

: looked after children reviews ensure that the “child’s voice” is properly taken into account; the use of Council premises ensures that meetings with looked after children may take place privately;

: social workers engage carefully with looked after children, for example, in preparation for adoption;

: Regulation 33 inspections of children’s residential homes take place regularly, where Elected Members are able to listen to the views of looked after children; a complaints’ system is in operation, enabling looked after children and young people to express their views about their lives in residential homes and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Early Years and Childcare Strategy Manager, stating that the coalition Government has published a document entitled “More great childcare: Raising quality and giving parents more choice”, which sets out plans for achieving a dynamic childcare market and delivering high quality early years education.  The document includes the Government’s response to the Independent Review of Early Education and Childcare Qualifications conducted by Professor Cathy Nutbrown, but has been published before the Commission on Childcare, launched last Summer by the Prime Minister to investigate how to reduce the costs of childcare and the burdens on providers, has reported (nb: the Commission was due to report in the Autumn).  The “More Great Childcare” report proposes significant changes to workforce qualifications, adult-to-child ratios, the regulatory system and the availability of childcare and early education and has a number of implications for local authorities.

The report summarised the main proposals of the consultation document. Appended to the report were both a copy of the consultation document and a copy of the Council’s response.

The consultation is on Early Education and Childcare Staff Deployment and closes on Monday, 25^th March 2013.

Members debated the following issues:-

: the draft response indicates that this Council disagrees with the coalition Government’s proposals because of concerns about the negative impact upon children’s early years experiences;

: during the past twelve months, an increasing proportion of child care providers and child care settings in Rotherham have received improved ratings from inspections by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), as a result of support provided by the Council’s Early Years and Childcare Services.

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

(2) That the consultation response, as now submitted, be endorsed by the Improving Lives Select Commission.

·         Wednesday 24^th April, 2013, to start at 1.30 pm in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission be held on Wednesday 24th April, 2013, to start at 1.30 pm in the Rotherham Town Hall.