Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2012.

The minutes (copies of which have been circulated) of the meeting held on 13 December 2012 were approved as a correct record

Councillors and Officers to declare any interest which they have in any of the times on the agenda for the meeting.

Personal

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 –

1) Debate the issues raised in the Information Notes.

2) Identify the most important challenges facing the local authority.

3) Propose recommendations to feed into the Scrutiny Review.

Contact Officers: George Gilmore Tel: 061 474 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 to consider in relation to tackling child sexual exploitation and children who go missing.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• It was suggested that Local Authorities should be encouraged to use more discretion when choosing private providers with the aim of shaping the market.
• Stockport Council would inform Placements North West of their preferred providers, however there was no system to replicate this nationally.
• Concerns were raised that privately run children’s care homes were advertising that they could accommodate children with certain issues when no extra care was in place.
• Whilst it could be argued that it was easier for Greater Manchester Police to work across local authority boundaries, each division had its own procedure for responding to suspicions of child sexual exploitation which could make a coordinated operation difficult.
• Concerns were raised that children’s homes should not be located near other institutions which may have a negative impact on the children’s behaviour.
• Police officers could share and receive information regarding concerns at neighbourhood policing team meetings.
• It was suggested that more could be done to involve placing authorities in the costs of caring for their Looked After Children. This could influence their decisions as to where to place their looked after children.
• The Terms of Reference and membership of the Looked After Children Offending Group had been revised and updated.
• Public awareness of the problem of child sexual exploitation was low and needed to be raised to help protect all children.
• Concerns were raised that access for Looked After Children from other authorities placed in Stockport was putting pressure on the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) which made it more difficult for Stockport children to access the service.

As part of the Supporting Families Pathway, two police officers support Stockport Council’s contact centre in the recording of children going missing from home.

To consider a report of the Corporate Policy Officer (David Tomlinson) providing the Panel’s Project Plan for consideration.

The Panel is requested to note the report.

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

A representative of the Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy & Democracy) submitted a report (copies of which have been circulated) providing  the Panel’s Project Plan for consideration.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.