Agenda item
Children in Care - feedback on the Brent Pledge
This is an opportunity for members of the Children In Care Council (CIA) to feedback on recent activity.
Minutes:
PE (Chair, Care In Action) updated the committee on activities since the last meeting. The committee heard that in May, Care In Action representatives had played a role in the interview process for three Children and Young People head of service posts which participants felt had been a valuable experience.
HM (Care In Action) advised that the Head of the Virtual School had visited the CIA members and given them an opportunity to comment on the PEP (Personal Education Plan) pack. CIA feedback had included requests for PEP meetings to take place outside school hours and with advance notice, the need for sensitivity over carers attending school meetings and more involvement in target setting. As a result, it had been agreed that the CIA’s views would be included in the PEP guidance which would be shared with social workers and carers. There would be a follow up in late Autumn.
PE gave an update on the Brent Pledge and Care Leave Charter training. CIA members had been trained to deliver workshops to participants which included professionals, care workers, heads of service and nurses. The workshops were based on those trialled at the previous meeting of the Corporate Parenting Committee. He outlined key points arising from the workshops which included the need to improve communication when children were moving placements and also improved communication between social workers. It was felt there should be meetings between the outgoing and a new social worker (not just reliance on case notes) and for meetings with social workers to take place in relaxed settings, for example, over lunch, ensuring the child was both listening and understanding. The LAC children had also requested earlier receipt of consultation forms and to ensure over 14 year olds were given the opportunity to comment on their Health Action Plan (part C form). The young people had also stressed that, in circumstances when there was a need to change arrangements, it was important to inform and explain to the child, the reasons why this was necessary. Regarding leaving care, the CIA had reminded that living alone could be daunting, lonely and depressing and the emphasis should be on making the change smoother. Discussion had also taken place on the qualities of a social worker and it was felt they should be fun and engaging, show love, respect, have both time and patience and be easily contactable by telephone. PE was pleased to report that the post workshop evaluation had been overwhelmingly positive, all had found the session useful, had valued the opportunity to hear the young people’s views and more would be held in future.
Committee members welcomed the opportunity to hear about the workshops and congratulated the young people on their successful delivery. PE and HM added that participants had been very open, the event had flowed well and it had been a rare and valuable opportunity to work alongside social workers in an informal setting.
In discussion, Janet Lewis (Head of Virtual School) confirmed that updated guidance on the PEP process would be circulated and directed to designated teachers within schools. She agreed to feedback the need for after school meetings. In response to members’ concern on hearing that young people were not consistently involved in target setting, Janet Lewis hoped this was rare and stated that PEP should be designed to bring about improvement and should be agreed jointly.
Chris Chalmers (Head of LAC and Permanency) added that efforts would be made to follow good practice and for advance visits to new placements to always be made.