To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel held on 5 March 2012 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel held on 5 March 2012 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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

There were no announcements or matters of communication from the Chairman.

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

(a)       personal interests in any agenda item;

(b)       personal and prejudicial items in any agenda item.

a)         Personal Interests:-

            None.

b)         Personal and Prejudicial  Interests:-

            None.

To receive a presentation setting out the arrangements for the Looked After Children Awards 2012 and the Fun Day 2012.

The Panel received a presentation by two representatives of the Children in Care Council (CiCC) which set out the proposed arrangements for the Looked After Children Awards on 28 September 2012 and the Fun Day 2012.

Turning first to the Looked After Children Awards, a Member suggested that electronic nominations be allowed in addition to the use of paper cards for this purpose.  The Member also requested that consideration be given to introducing an award for those children who welcomed foster children into their homes.

In response to a Member’s query the Head of Service, Safeguarding and Children in Care explained that the awards ceremony itself would start at 6.00 p.m.  and finish by 7.00 p.m.  Then, between 7.00 p.m. and the end of the awards evening at 9.00 p.m., there would be an opportunity for activities and discussion.  She explained that the awards themselves were not age related but based on a range of different categories.

In connection with the use of the Council Chamber in Priory House as the venue for the awards evening, a Member referred to the forthcoming technical upgrades to the presentation and camera equipment in that room.

In response to a query from the Chairman on the possibility of greater publicity for the awards, the Head of Service, Safeguarding and Children in Care stated that information on the evening was currently included in the Council’s internal electronic staff newsletter ‘Be Inspired’ but the Panel could consider whether, subject to the views of the individual award winners, it would wish to see their details circulated more widely.   Members indicated their awareness of the need to respect the privacy of the young people concerned.  The Participation Officer suggested that a display featuring the views of the young people, but which did not divulge any confidential information, could be shown at Chicksands whilst the Head of Service, Safeguarding and Children in Care added that artwork and work for the awards ceremony could also be included.  The co-opted foster carer representatives referred to the Christmas tags which contained messages from Looked After Children and it was suggested that these could be typed up in either leaflet or book form for display.  The Head of Service, Safeguarding and Children in Care undertook to give further attention to these suggestions.

Consideration was given to the possible publication of the award categories.  The meeting noted that the list was quite long as the award was personal to each young person.  The Participation Officer explained that nominations were encouraged for the widest range of achievements, not just those that were academically related.  The Head of Service, Safeguarding and Children in Care explained that the publication of the award categories could be done electronically.

The meeting noted that most of the 130 nominations for the 2011 awards had been received from social workers.  The Participation Officer stated that an effort would be made this year to encourage greater input from foster carers.

The meeting noted the supervisory arrangements for the awards evening.

Turning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider a report setting out the findings of the recent Ofsted/Care Quality Commission inspection of services for Looked After Children and the actions proposed to address any issues raised.

The Panel received a report which focused on the findings arising from the Ofsted/Care Quality Commission inspection of services for Looked After Children in Central Bedfordshire with specific reference to the contribution of the Health Services to the children’s health and wellbeing. The report also set out the actions proposed to address the issues which had arisen from the inspection.

The meeting noted that the inspection had been carried out between 20 February and 2 March 2012.

The report was introduced by the Consultant in Public Health, NHS Bedfordshire who first drew Members’ attention to Ofsted’s judgement that health outcomes for Looked After Children in Central Bedfordshire were poor and that outcomes to enable Looked After Children to be healthy were inadequate.  The health outcomes had declined over the 12 months proceeding December 2011 compared to East of England and England averages.  In addition the inspection had highlighted a number of specific weaknesses including:

• Health agency awareness of their responsibilities towards Looked After Children
• Access to health information by Looked After Children
• No specific health service for care leavers or health after care service
• The content and quality of health files
• No permanent designated doctor or nurse for Looked After Children in place.

The Consultant in Public Health next drew Members’ attention to Ofsted’s conclusion that, in order to meet the health needs of Looked After Children, some issues should be addressed in the three to six month period following the inspection whilst others required longer term planning and service redesign.  Further to this conclusion the report set out the areas of improvement identified by Ofsted and the action taken in response under a two stage programme; stage 1 covering the three to six month period following the inspection and stage 2 covering the longer term service redesign.  The Consultant in Public Health worked through the actions already taken and updated the meeting on any further developments which had taken place since the report had been written, with especial reference the appointment of a Designated Doctor and Designated Nurses and the related challenges.

In response to a Member’s request regarding the presentation of stage 1 of the programme as an action plan the Consultant in Public Health explained that an action plan was being developed which would address all the issues raised by the inspection.  It had not been possible to provide a copy to the meeting because the action plan was not yet ready but it would be submitted to a future Panel meeting.   The Interim Assistant Director, Children’s Services Operations stated that the action plan would include all relevant dates so that Members could effectively monitor progress.  The Head of Service,  Safeguarding and Children in Care explained that the action plan would integrate the contributions by both health and social care.  She added that there were 8-9 work streams and working groups were in the process of identifying the remedial actions required but the first draft should be available by the end of the week.  The Head of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.