To consider a report on the activity of Children’s Services in relation to Looked After Children during 2015/16 and the areas of development prioritised for the coming year.

The Panel considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services on the Independent Reviewing Officers’ Annual Report for the period April 2015 to March 2016.  Members noted that the Independent Reviewing Officers’ (IRO’s) Manager had a statutory responsibility for the production of an Annual Report for consideration by members of the Corporate Parenting Panel.  To this end a copy of the Annual Report was attached at Appendix A to the Director of Children’s Services report. 

The Practice Manager Conference and Review Service introduced the Annual Report and highlighted matters of particular interest.  In response Members raised a number of wide ranging questions and comments with regard to the report and the quality of service provided to Looked After Children and young people.

In reply to various queries on accommodation provision the Head of Corporate Parenting stated that no Looked After Children were housed in temporary accommodation and only some 16-17 year olds were placed in supported accommodation.  The Assistant Director Housing Services explained that, further to a previous discussion on the introduction of ‘foyer’ style accommodation (minute CPP/15/27 refers), this type of housing was, currently, a Council goal.  Although agreement had been reached to acquire properties to form local, sustainable, hubs for supported housing the staffing arrangements for these hubs had yet to be approved.

A Member asked that his appreciation of the work undertaken by the Practice Manager, Conference and Review Service, the Head of Corporate Parenting, the Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations and other officers be recorded.  He reminded the Panel of the achievements made with regard to Looked After Children and young people when compared to the situation five years ago and, specifically, the challenges in this area which had been inherited from the former County Council.  The Member went on to refer to the current case loads undertaken by social workers coupled with an increasing level of demand.  He believed that, as a result, some of the more discrete aspects of social work with regard to Looked After Children and young people were not being undertaken.  In response the Practice Manager, Conference and Review Service assured the meeting that regular meetings were held to monitor developments and efforts made to ensure that statutory requirements and the needs of the most vulnerable were met.  However, she acknowledged that the undertaking of some less urgent work had been delayed because of work pressures.

In connection with the increasing demand on social workers the Assistant Director Children’s Services Operations referred to the significant rise in the Children in Care population, largely arising from a substantial growth in the number of unaccompanied asylum seekers within Central Bedfordshire, and the requirement to provide them all with an initial review.  This additional level of demand had impacted substantially on service provision.

In response to a Member’s query on the future of the service given increasing economic constraint the Assistant Director, Children’s Services Operations stated that all councils were now required to find more efficient ways of working and this could, possibly, lead to reduced level of service.  However, he was confident that Central Bedfordshire was well sited to continue providing a good quality Corporate Parenting service.

NOTED

1             the activity of the Conference and Review Service in relation to the reviews of Looked After Children during 2015-16 as set out within the Independent Reviewing Officers Annual Report;

2             the Panel’s concerns with regard to emerging pressures on the Corporate Parenting service.

RESOLVED

1             that the officers be thanked and commended for their efforts in improving the delivery of good outcomes for Looked After Children and young people;

2          that updates be submitted to the Panel with regard to the emerging pressures on the Corporate Parenting service.