To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 18 October 2011 and to note actions taken since that meeting.

RESOLVED

that the Minutes of the meeting of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 18 October 2011 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive from Members any declarations and the nature thereof in relation to:-

(a)    personal interests in any agenda item

(b)    personal and prejudicial interests in any agenda item

(c)     any political whip in relation to any agenda item.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and any matters of communication.

The Chairman had no announcements.

To receive petitions from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

No petitions were received from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Part D2 of the Constitution.

To receive any questions, statements or deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of part A4 of the Constitution.

The Chairman confirmed that no questions, statements or deputations from members of the public had been received in accordance with Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

To consider any decision of the Executive referred to this Committee for review  in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.10 of Part D2.

The Panel was advised that no decisions of the Executive had been referred to the Panel under the Call-in Procedures set out in Appendix “A” to Rule No. S18 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

To consider any items referred to the Committee at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

No items were referred to the Committee for consideration at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

To receive a presentation regarding the Council’s adoption and fostering processes.

The Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Children’s Services delivered a presentation to the Committee, which outlined the processes involved in adoption and fostering. Specifically, the presentation covered:-

·               The role of the Adoption, Fostering and Fostering & Permanence Panels;

·               The range of information considered when recommending a plan for a child;

·               The suitability of prospective adopters or foster carers;

·               The consideration involved in placing a child with adopters or foster carers;

·               Anonymous case studies;

·               The Narey Report on Adoption;

·               The Family Justice Review; and

·               Key data relating to Central Bedfordshire.

The Committee thanked the Director for an illuminating and interesting presentation and requested that it be circulated to Members electronically after the meeting.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report be noted.

To consider a draft report regarding the delivery of Children Centres in Central Bedfordshire.

The Executive Member for Children’s Services presented the Children Centres report, which outlined proposals for the reconfiguration of Children Centres in Central Bedfordshire from April 2012.

Members of the Committee discussed the contents of the report in detail and raised a number of queries regarding the following issues, which were addressed by the Executive Member and officers in attendance:

·               How the hub and spoke model would operate in practice and what effect the preferred option would have on those Centres not designated as a hub.

The Executive Member confirmed that no Centre would close should the preferred option (Option 1) be approved and services would continue in all parts of the Authority but with a focus on areas of greatest need. The Executive Member further stated that whilst Children Centres had provided a good service, they had perhaps not reached those families in greatest need to the extent they should have and Option 1, if approved, would address this issue. The Executive Member went on to confirm that Option 1 would not reduce current funding levels but would target funds more effectively to improve outcomes;

·               The need for reassurance that Option 1 would not spread services too thinly on the ground, particularly for rural areas;

The Executive Member confirmed that in many ways the services offered currently would not change although those clusters not designated as a hub may possibly experience a reduction in operating hours or the breadth of service provided. The effective use of outreach services would however continue and new initiatives such as self help, partnered help and the use of voluntary organisations would be explored. These issues would be addressed in a quality led commissioning process, which would ensure providers supported the priorities contained within the Children and Young People’s Plan.

·               How Children Centres in Central Bedfordshire were performing currently in terms of best practice;

The Director of Children’s Services confirmed that although there had been no Ofsted inspection of Children Centres in Central Bedfordshire in the current quarterly reporting to which any external assessment could be made, she confirmed that in her opinion the current service offered a good mix of urban and rural provision, excelled at outreach services but could do better in targeting spend on priority outcomes. In this respect, she would take close interest in the Payment by Results Pilots currently operating in a number of Authorities.

·               How hubs would be enhanced under Option 1:

The Director of Children’s Services confirmed that whilst the proposed enhancement to hubs would be more specifically prescribed during the commissioning process, early aspirations included: refocusing the peripatetic team on larger Centres; allowing other, relevant, professionals (i.e. health workers) to operate from them; and using them as a possible platform for training.

There were a number of other questions raised during the debate, which the Committee felt required a written response.  The Executive Member and officers in attendance agreed to provide such as soon as possible, but in any event no later than the date of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

To receive a verbal update regarding alternative proposals for special schooling in the south of Central Bedfordshire.

The Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Children’s Services provided the Committee with a verbal update regarding the future of special schooling in the south of Central Bedfordshire and specifically confirmed the following:-

·        The recent approval by the Secretary of State to issue an Academy Order for Weatherfield Community Special School;

·        The need therefore for the Executive to revoke its previous decision concerning the merger of Hillcrest, Weatherfield and Glenwood schools (this issue being considered by the Executive at its meeting on 6 December 2011);

·        The commencement of informal consultation regarding the amalgamation of Hillcrest and Glenwood schools. In this respect the Director confirmed that had this informal consultation not begun when it did, there was a danger that the schools in question would have lost another academic year before being able to amalgamate; and

·        Following the consultation process referred to above, the Executive will consider the proposal to amalgamate Hillcrest and Glenwood schools at its 27 March 2012 meeting

RECOMMENDATION:

That the verbal report be noted.

To consider the Council’s annual report regarding Children’s Services complaints and compliments.

The Executive Member for Children’s Services presented the Customer Feedback report, which fulfilled the Council’s statutory duty to produce an annual report for Children’s Social Care covering complaints and compliments. The report provided statistics on the number of complaints received; complaint outcomes (upheld/not upheld); performance; issues complained about; and learning and improvements resulting from complaints for 2010/11.

Members of the Committee acknowledged the difficulty that many of our most vulnerable people faced in making a complaint and were therefore pleased to note the Director’s work to improve the ease at which complaints could be made and recorded.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report be noted.

The report provides Members with details of the currently drafted Committee work programme and the latest Executive Forward Plan.

The Committee considered its current Work Programme and the latest Executive Forward Plan.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Children’s Services OSC Work Programme be noted.