Agenda and minutes

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report details the procedure rules for Scrutiny Review Panels.

The Scrutiny Review Panel is requested to note the report.

Contact Officer: Beverley Lowe Tel: 0161 474 3300 Email: Beverley.lowe@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which have been circulated) detailing the procedure rules for Scrutiny Review Panels.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report by George Gilmore (Head of Safeguarding) and Dominic Tumelty (Head of Service, Children’s Safeguarding and Prevention) giving background details for the Panel to consider.

The Panel is requested to note the report.

Contact Officers: George Gilmore Tel: 0161 474 5656 Email: George.gilmore@stockport.gov.uk and Dominic Tumelty Tel: 0161 474 6786 Email: Dominic.tumelty@stockport.gov.uk 

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which have been circulated) providing background details for the Panel to consider.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• There were 294 Looked After Children in the Borough, around 60% of which were in foster care.
• The statement of purpose for Broadfield Children’s Home would not be changed but it could be de-registered as a Children’s Home due to the nature of its provision.
• The planned rise in the minimum school leaving age to 18 would have an impact on the provision in care homes for 16-18 year olds.
• If an allegation was made against a profession working with Looked After Children, this would be investigated by the Police, Child Protection Services and the employer of that person. The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) would ensure co-ordination of these investigations.
• Children and young people in care would be given the opportunity to speak in confidence.
• The multi-agency  training provided by the Safeguarding Children Board had not been taken up by private care homes as much in recent years but this could be because a charge is now involved. However training was an Ofsted required and must be accessed from another provider.
• The Together Trust and Seashell Trust were charitable organisations, other private care homes in the borough were not.
• Children’s Homes were subject to two Ofsted inspections each year.
• It would be Ofsted’s decision to inform the Borough in which a Home was situated if it was served a ‘notice to improve’. It would be made a condition of placing a Stockport Looked After Child in a home that the Council be informed of such notices.
• Concerns were raised about the concentration of Care Homes and similar facilities in an area and the affect on crime and anti-social behaviour levels.
• The possible reasons for the amount of Care Homes in the borough were discussed. These included the size and availability of property, that some care providers had initiated in the borough and comparisons of planning policies.
• Schools were not consistently made aware if a Looked After Child gained a place there.
• Concerns were raised regarding the attitude of other Councils when their Looked After Children were placed in Care Homes outside their borough and in particular in Stockport.
• The placing authority did not always inform the Council of the placement which was required by law.
• Primary Care Trusts in Wales would charge a placing authority £250 per Looked After Child for the provision of healthcare and a similar amount was being negotiated for England and Scotland.
• A placing authority would not share its care plan with the authority the child would be placed in, however the Individual Education Plan would be shared with their school and any healthcare need would be shared with the relevant providers.
• Concerns were raised that children and young people may go missing from Care Homes for less than 24 hours and may not give an accurate explanation when asked where they had been.
• If a child were to go missing from a Care Home, a social worker from the placing authority must interview them within one day of return.
• Children and young people in Care Homes could feel that their only way to handle difficult situations was to run away.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That Ann Coffey MP be invited to give evidence to the Review Panel meeting in relation to ‘Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation and Children who go Missing’.

(3) That following the completion of the Review the Panel’s Final Report be shared with Parliament.

To consider a report of Councillor Paul Porgess (Chair) setting out potential aims and objectives for the Scrutiny Review.

The Panel is recommended to

(i) Agree the Scrutiny Review Process as outlined in 2.4 of the report.

(ii) Agree the Review Scope as outlined in section 3 of the report.

(iii) Commission the lead Corporate Policy Officer and Officer leads from Children and Young People’s to produce a project plan for the next Panel Meeting.

(iv) Commission the lead Officers from Children and Young People to produce background information for the next Panel Meeting and to ensure agreed expert witnesses are invited.  

Officer Contact: David Tomlinson Tel: 0161 474 218 1634 Email: david.tomlinson@stockport.gov.uk

The Chair submitted a report (copies of which have been circulated) proposing scoping options for the review.

RESOLVED (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Scrutiny Review Process as outlined in 2.4 of the report be approved.

(3) That the Review Scope as outlined in section 3 of the report be approved.

(4) That the lead Corporate Policy Officer and Officer leads from Children and Young People’s Services be requested to produce a project plan for the next Panel Meeting.

(5) That the lead Officers from Children and Young People’s Services be requested to produce background information in relation to ‘Multiple Services and Differing Relationships: Learning and Achievement’ for the next Panel Meeting and to ensure agreed expert witnesses are invited.

To consider appropriate dates for future meetings of the Panel

RESOLVED – That the next meetings of the Task Force be held on the following dates:-

Thursday 1 November 2012

Thursday 13 December 2012

Thursday 31 January 2012

Thursday 14 March 2012