Agenda item

Young People and Barnardos

 

To receive feedback on the work our young people have been doing including the:

 

·  Performance Report

·  Role of CPB from a young person's perspective including roles and responsibilities

 

What LINX Have Been Doing

 

LINX tabled the attached document to inform the meeting what they had been doing since the last CPB meeting.

 

With regards the Social Work training, they are informed about the Corporate Parenting Board and what they do.

 

Action:  Mia Leyland agreed to share the video that has been produced by LINX for training the Social Workers with the Board.

 

Young Inspectors Update

 

LINX presented the attached powerpoint to the Board.

 

It was noted that there is a further training session arranged for the Summer holidays to train up more young people.  The Board raised as to whether these reports are sent to the LCC Procurement Team and the Assessment and Referral Team.  It was agreed that a copy of the questions asked on the inspection visits be shared with the Board at the next meeting.

 

Actions:  i)  Amanda Hatton to ensure that future reports are sent to Heads of Service in all areas of Children's Social Care and Health partners.

 

ii)  LINX to bring a set of questions from their inspection visits to the next meeting to share with the Board.

 

Regulation 44 Visits

 

It is a requirement that an independent person visits the residential homes either in-house or private where our children are placed.  Every month somebody visits a residential home and looks at a range of things and reports back to Ofsted and the Head of Service for Residential Services.  The Director of Children's Services also receives a copy of the reports too.

 

The Board agreed that they wished to continue undertaking visits to residential homes and that if young inspectors wish to accompany them, then they would welcome that too.

 

Amanda Hatton reported that Trafford Council carry out Governance Visits for in-house and private residential and fostering placements and agreed to look into this further.

 

Actions:  i)  Amanda Hatton will research further into Governance Visits carried out by Trafford Council and see if these could work for Lancashire.

 

ii)  LINX to look at an approach as to how young inspectors and County Councillors can carry out some joint visits.

 

Feedback on Performance Report

 

The powerpoint presentation given on the CPB Performance Report is attached.

 

The key comments from young people on the report are as follows:

 

There are a number of reasons as to why there has been a big increase in the number of CLA in the last two years:

 

i)  Need to ensure that the right support is in place at the right time.

ii)  There is a new Residential Strategy to make homes smaller and look at respite to prevent young people coming into care, however look at different care/support.

iii)  Nationally there is also a big increase and this needs to be looked as to where Lancashire are a comparable.

 

There are less referrals than the previous year which is good however, the young people are concerned that there is a rise in contacts:

 

i)  More contact is good as this turns into less referrals which mean there is no social work involvement and the issues have been resolved.

 

Young people wanted an explanation on what missing meant with regards looked after children missing:

 

i)  It is not where they should be if they go out and are not back when they should be, then that would be reported as missing.

ii)  Following an episode a missing return interview will be offered to find out if there are any issues with regards why the young person has gone missing.

 

Suggestions have been made in the past with regards educational attainments and the young people wanted to know what was happening from them:

 

i)  Young people felt that some pupil premiums were still not being spent right. 

ii)  It was suggested that LINX could go and speak to LASH (Lancashire Association Secondary Headteachers) and PHiL (Primary Headteachers in Lancashire) along with Amanda Hatton about pupil premiums.

iii)  It was agreed that Audrey Swann, Headteacher for Children Looked After, should be invited to the next meeting to report on pupil premiums, part-timetables and PEPs.

iv)  County Councillor Stephen Clarke agreed to bring educational attainments to the attention of Children's Services Scrutiny also.

 

Actions:  i)  Sam Gorton to invite Audrey Swann to attend to the next meeting and present a report on pupil premiums, part-timetables and PEPs.

 

ii)  County Councillor Stephen Clarke to bring educational attainments to the attention of Children's Services Scrutiny.

 

There has been a decrease on special guardianship orders (SGO) and an increase in residence orders and young people wondered what the reasons were for this:

 

i)  There has been a change in the Law and if needed the Board can look further into SGOs and what care young people receive.

 

There is a gap between care leavers that are in education, training or employment compared to 16-24 year olds and young people wanted to know why?

 

i)  LCC have Future Horizons that offer apprenticeships and they also work closely with the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions).

ii)  It was felt that this was an area the Council could do a lot more work on, ie how do we work with services the Council buy from ie would they be willing to offer an apprenticeship?

iii)  Blackpool Council convened a meeting with local businesses and young people and they pledged to help with apprenticeships.

iv)  Take advantage on Takeover Days.

 

Action:  i)  LINX agreed to have a look further into apprenticeships and how they can link in, at one of their meetings.

 

Care Leavers Grant for Council Tax

 

An update was given following the approval by the Deputy Leader on 27 April of the Care Leavers – Support Grant.  A process is being developed and there are lots of variables.  Once the process is outlined then it will start to be rolled out.  It should be available from July.  Finance will contact District Councils and ask for invoices for the Council Tax to be send directly to LCC.

 

This was a piece of work that the previous Chair and the Board had worked to achieve on behalf of Lancashire's Care Leavers and were congratulated on this achievement.

 

What is a Good Corporate Parent Activity

 

The Board were then asked what they felt made a good corporate parent.  A few of the statements are given below:

 

Nurturing/caring

Feelings

Treat children and young people fairly and take responsibility for them

Encourage and support

Aspirations and bringing out the best in children and young people

Take ownership when mistakes are made

Have realistic options

Empowering and give choices

Good listening skills

Good communication and feedback

Firm but fair

 

It was felt that more work needed to be done around making care leavers feel that when they reach 18 they are not on their own.

 

Blackpool Council have a Friend for Life Scheme for Care Leavers and it was agreed that this is something that should possibly be adopted by Lancashire.

 

Action:  Amanda Hatton agreed to talk to Blackpool Council to see what this involves and look at doing something similar for Lancashire.