Issue - meetings

For information and members’ questions.

Report from Cllr Richard Boyles, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

Cllr Richard Boyles, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, referred to the importance of the Virtual School in supporting children in care.  The Gloucestershire Virtual School was one of only three schools to receive a national award from Achievement for All in the Celebrating Every Child Awards 2017.  He hoped that members would make an effort to attend Virtual School events.  He asked members who had not allocated all of their Children’s Activity Fund to consider contributing the balance to the Virtual School.    

A member expressed concern that, given the Ofsted report, some members had still not signed the Corporate Parenting Pledge.

Another member believed that members should be kept better informed regarding children in care with invites being sent to events. He felt that this was more important than signing a pledge.

Cllr Boyles stated that the Corporate Parenting web pages included details of all the events due to be held over the coming year.  However, he undertook to speak to officers about how they could engage more with members and keep them better informed.

RESOLVED to note the report.

For information and members’ questions.

Report from Cllr Richard Boyles, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

Cllr Richard Boyles, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, presented the report.  He stated that there were currently 638 children in care in the county and the number was steadily rising in common with other areas.  He was anxious above all else to ensure that the right placement at the right time was provided for every child who needed a placement away from home.

In terms of the Ofsted report, he said that an improvement plan would be presented to the Cabinet on 18 September 2017.  An Improvement Board with cross party representation had held its first meeting.  Essex County Council had been appointed as the Council’s improvement partner.  Updates were being provided to members through overview and scrutiny.  He recognised that some thought needed to be given on how the Council should engage with members of the public.

Answering questions, Cllr Boyles stated that John Goldup, Chairman of the Improvement Board, was pleased with progress and he accepted that there were legacy issues to deal with in some areas before the Council could move forward.  He confirmed that there was a protocol for members to be informed of incidents in their own areas.  He said that he would ask the Director of Children’s Services to inform members.

Cllr Boyles stated that the breakdown of the children in care numbers included in the report was inaccurate.  He said that of the 249 children placed in external provision,  139 were with independent fostering agencies, 60 were in children’s residential care and a further 50 were predominantly in supported living.  He noted that 72 of the 249 children were accommodated outside the county.

In terms of the increase in the number of children in care, he explained that this was a result of a combination of factors including new working practices and a rise in the incidence of mental health illnesses.   

Referring to children’s social workers, he said that there were currently 42 vacancies and all but 17 were filled by agency staff. 

A member asked how many members had signed the Corporate Parenting Pledge.  Cllr Boyles undertook to provide the information following the meeting.

RESOLVED to note the report.

For information and members’ questions.

Oral report from the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

Cllr Richard Boyles, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, asked all members to support children in care in their divisions.  He thanked those members who had signed the Corporate Parenting pledge.

A member said that he would do all that he could to support children in care in his division but it was not always straight forward as they might not wish to be approached directly due to their personal circumstances.

Answering a question, Cllr Boyles assured members that social workers were in place to support children in care.  

For information and members’ questions.

Oral report from the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning.

Cllr Paul McLain, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning, provided an update.

He explained that it was important  that the role of Corporate Parenting was a real focus for the next Council. He outlined the Regulation 33 visits which had been undertaken and the work that was being led by ambassadors.

He was proud of the work of the virtual school and the awards ceremony that brought home to all how important it was for councillors to be corporate parents and be proud of the children’s achievements.

He emphasised the role of scrutiny in considering the performance data in order to allow the Corporate Parents Group to be ‘parents’.         

Members thanked Cllr McLain for his work as the Cabinet Member and commended the work undertaken by officers. One member noted that a vast improvement  had been made and that the Council would continue to work to improve the experience for our Children in Care.  

Members noted the need for appropriate training for new members with regards to Corporate Parenting, noting that many would be unaware of their responsibilities when first being elected.

One member commented that Central Government were making reductions in the funding required by Local Government in order to provide the services to support the most vulnerable. She asked for the Cabinet Member to comment. In response, Cllr Paul McLain explained that Gloucestershire County Council had made a commitment to the most vulnerable and additional funding had been provided in the latest budget. He explained that when resources had been tight, investment had still been made in social workers.

For information and members’ questions.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning.

Cllr Paul McLain, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning, presented the report.

Cllr McLain undertook to provide Cllr Tracy Millard with more detailed information outside the meeting regarding the figures for Section 20 agreements and legal orders.  He also agreed to provide Cllr Paul McMahon with more information on the support provided during the journey from adolescence to adulthood.

A member noted that Cllr McLain was standing down as a county councillor at the election in May 2017 and he thanked him for all his efforts in supporting children and young people across the county.

Responding to questions, Cllr McLain stated that a briefing on corporate parenting would be available for candidates ahead of the election.  He thanked members of the Corporate Parenting Group and the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee for their support over the term of the Council.

RESOLVED that the report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning be noted.

For information and members’ questions.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning.

Cllr Paul McLain, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning, presented the Corporate Parenting report.  He encouraged members to visit the display stands highlighting the Council services associated with children in care.

Responding to members, Cllr McLain stated that on some occasions it was necessary to place children in care outside the county as a result of family arrangements or specialist needs.  He undertook to provide Cllr Hay and Cllr McMahon with a more detailed briefing including information on the distances that children were placed away from their family homes. 

A member expressed concern at the reduction in children centre provision at a time when the number of children in care was rising across the county.  Cllr McLain explained that the Council was using every means possible to reduce the number of children coming into care.  This included providing advice and support to vulnerable families as early as possible. 

RESOLVED to note the report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning.

For information and members’ questions.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning.

RESOLVED that the report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning be noted.

For information and members’ questions.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning.

RESOLVED that the report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Strategic Commissioning be noted.