Agenda and minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 April 2025, as a true and correct record of the proceedings and to be signed by the Chair.

Resolved: - That the Minutes of the meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission, held on 22 April 2025, 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.

In October 2024, the Government issued statutory guidance on ‘Kinship Care’, which included a requirement for each local authority to publish a Kinship Local Offer.

The requirement is that each local authority is expected to publish the Kinship Local Offer within two months of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools bill becoming law. The Draft Local Offer will be presented to the Commission for pre-decision scrutiny, ahead of being presented to Cabinet for approval in July 2025.

In October 2024, the Government issued statutory guidance on ‘Kinship Care’, which included a requirement for each local authority to publish a Kinship Local Offer. This update provided an overview of the Draft Kinship Local Offer for pre-decision scrutiny by the Commission, ahead of the offer being provided to Cabinet for approval in July 2025.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Councillor Cusworth, Cabinet Member for Children’s and Young Peoples Services, Monica Green, Assistant Director for Children’s and Young Peoples Services and Chris Macdonald, Service Manager for the Central Locality Teams and Family Activity Base.

The Chair invited the Cabinet Member to introduce the report, during which the following was noted:

·       The statutory guidance published in October 2024, defined kinship care as any situation where a child was raised by someone other than their parents, this could be a family member or a family friend.

·       The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill mandated local authorities to publish a Kinship Local Offer, to extend support to kinship carers and children, and to extend the role of the Virtual School Headteacher to support kinship children.

·       The Kinship Local Offer must include support groups, financial support, help with accommodation, education, family time, legal support and therapeutic support. The offer was required to be well publicised and mitigate the barriers to accessing support.

·       In relation to the support structure, a Virtual Kinship Hub would be established within the Integrated Front Door and Family Help Navigators would be the first point of contact. Targeted help would be led by a professional via a partner agency or the Family Help Team, with specialised support provided for complex emotional needs.

·       The Kinship Local Offer was required to be published within two months of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill becoming Law, the Bill was had not yet become Law. Once approved, the offer would be published online and would be regularly updated.

·       In relation to the recommendations on the report, the Commission was asked to consider the content and accessibility of the draft Kinship Local Offer and provide pre-decision scrutiny and feedback which could be incorporated within the final version.

The Chair invited the Service Manager for the Central Locality Teams and Family Activity Base to lead on the presentation, during which the following was noted:

The National Context-

·       The Department of Education’s definition of kinship care was “any situation in which a child is being raised in the care of a friend or family member who is not their parent. The arrangement may be temporary or longer term”.

·       The Department of Education’s October 2024 Kinship Care Statutory Guidance required the local authority to:

o   Nominate a senior officer to be the lead for kinship.

o   Publish and regularly review the local authorities Kinship Local Offer.

o   Offer family group decision making to all families, before care proceedings.

o   That the Virtual School nominate an officer for educational outcomes, for children in kinship care arrangements.

The Local Context and Progress-

·       The local authority had updated the Kinship Care  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To seek a representative from the Improving Lives Select Commission (ILSC) to sit as a member on the Health, Welfare and Safety Panel.

The Commission was asked to nominate one representative to sit as a member of the Health, Welfare and Safety Panel for 2025/2026.

Resolved:- That Improving Lives Select Commission appointed Councillor Brent as it’s representative on the Health, Welfare and Safety Panel for 2025/2026.

To consider the Commission’s Work Programme.

The Committee considered its Work Programme, and the following was noted:

·      The work programme for 2025-2026 was awaiting drafting.

·      There would be a separate informal meeting following the conclusion of this meeting, for members to draft and discuss the 2025-2026 work programme.

Resolved: - That the update be noted.

For the Chair/Project Group Leads to provide an update on the activity regarding sub and project groups of the Improving Lives Select Commission.

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

·       It was advised that an update on the proposed scrutiny review relating to trauma and children missing education, would be provided to members during the informal work programme meeting.

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.