Agenda and minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 6 December 2022 as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission, held on 6 December 2022 be approved as a correct record of 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.

There were no items of business on the agenda that required the exclusion of the press and public from the meeting.

To receive questions relating to items of business on the agenda from members of the public or press who are present at the meeting.

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

To receive communications from the Chair in respect of matters within the Commission’s remit and work programme.

The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People confirmed that the Looked after Children had been receiving free swimming at leisure centres since 9 January 2023.

To consider any updates from the Corporate Parenting Panel.

The Chair confirmed that leisure passes, and gym memberships were now available for the Council’s Looked after Children.

To consider the One Adoption South Yorkshire - Annual Report 2021-2022.

The Chair welcomed Councillor Cusworth, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Stephanie Evans, Head of Service for One Adoption South Yorkshire, and Monica Green, Assistant Director, Children’s Social Care to the meeting.

The Head of Service, One Adoption South Yorkshire introduced the report and presentation, making the following comments:

·       It was the first full year annual report to be presented as the regional adoption agency was created in January 2021.

·       The annual report had been written in May 2022.

·       The focus for the first year had been to identify the available resources and capacity within the four teams who were coming together.

·       It was now at the end of its second year with the service structures established and practitioners appointed to key posts.

·       There were new agency advisers, new panels, new service managers covering the three key areas of an adoption service, ensuring more balanced teams.

·       A task for the third year of operation was to establish a single set of practice standards and procedures across the service.

·       In terms of performance and outcomes, the service had a target of recruiting ninety-two adopters each year to meet the needs of the children.

·       The number of potential adopters had fallen due to financial pressures; however, South Yorkshire had more adopters than children to place.

·       It was felt that the target for placement of children of 154 each year was not right although the four authorities were regularly placing around 130 children each year.

·       There had been a drop in the number of children where adoption was the plan over the last two years.

·       One of their aims was to place children within South Yorkshire where they were able to support new families most effectively.

·       At least a third of their work was around adoption support with over one thousand adopters across South Yorkshire eligible for adoption support.

·       Adoption support was a key area however tracking was challenging. A new case management system would assist enabling a better understanding where and what support was accessed and needed.

·       There were over four hundred active individual cases across South Yorkshire.

·       The figures specifically for Rotherham showed there had been a dip in the number of people approved to adopt in 2021/22. The represented people who had started the process but not completed it for several reasons, some of which were financial.

·       Seventy-three percent of children from Rotherham were placed within South Yorkshire.

·       The key aims for year three were to speed up the time taken to find suitable adopters for children who needed families.

·       It was noted that sometimes delays in the process were due to court delays leading to lengthy waits to be placed and sometimes the plan changed away from adoption.

·       The service collaborated with the fostering teams to develop relationships with those who would like to foster or adopt.

In response to questions raised during discussions the Head of Service, One Adoption South Yorkshire, the Assistant Director, Children’s Social Care, and the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People Services,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

To consider the update on the delivery of the action in response to the findings and recommendations of the Improving Lives sub-group on post-CSE support.

The Chair welcomed Helen Sweaton, Joint Assistant Director, CYPS and Anne Charlesworth, Head of Public Health Commissioning to the meeting, noting that Councillor Cusworth, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People had remained in attendance.

The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People explained that the review had been completed with eight recommendations, all of which had been completed.

The Joint Assistant Director, CYPS and the Head of Public Health Commissioning introduced the report and made the following points:

·      Work was being conducted to understand the providers and explain how the pathway would work.

·      Contracts with providers would be reviewed during the year.

·      It was understood that the trauma and resilience pathway worked in a separate way to others therefore a roadmap had been created to ensure support could be accessed as and when needed.

In response to questions raised during discussions the Joint Assistant Director, CYPS and the Head of Public Health Commissioning, and the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People Services, made the following responses:

·       Elective Home Education was monitored to ensure it was only selected when it was the right option to be used.

·       It was confirmed that support was available for all genders.

·       A lot of work was undertaken within the community and not all the information provided was Council branded however that did not prevent people from accessing services.

·       In terms of understanding those who had disengaged with the service, the trauma and resilience service would take ownership of this.

The Chair thanked those in attendance and praised the content of the report.  She also clarified that this would remain on the Commissions work programme.

Resolved:

That the Improving Lives Select Commission:

1.    Noted the completed actions.

2.    Agreed to add an update from the Trauma Resilience Service on Post-Abuse support to the forward plan, to be considered at the same time as the CCE Annual Update.

To consider and approve the Commission’s Work Programme.

The Committee considered its Work Programme.  The Chair highlighted that the work programme was under review to ensure topics were being considered at the most suitable time.

Resolved: That the Work Programme for 2022/23 be approved.

For the Chair/project group leads to provide an update on the activity regarding sub and project groups of the he Improving Lives Select Commission.

The Chair provided a progress report on sub and project group activity.

Resolved: That the update be noted.

To consider any item(s) the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There was no urgent business.

The next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission take place on 7 March 2023 commencing at 10am in Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved: That the next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission would take place on Tuesday, 7 March 2023, commencing at 10am at Rotherham Town Hall.