Agenda item

This report sets out the council’s progress and approach to acting as corporate parent of looked after children (LAC). The aim of the report is to evidence the progress being made towards improving the outcomes for LAC in order to narrow the gap in the outcomes of LAC and those of children in the wider population.

Vernon Bamforth (Interim Head of Care Planning) and Maggie Taylor (Head of the Virtual School) introduced the report before the committee and gave a detailed presentation on the progress achieved in improving outcomes for Looked After Children (LAC). The presentation provided a profile of Brent’s LAC and addressed a broad range of areas including outcomes relating to safeguarding, health, educational attainment and participation. Members were advised that the number of LAC in Brent had been reduced, suggesting successful targeting of preventative services, and the gap between outcomes achieved by LAC and those of their peers had been positively narrowed. It was noted that Looked After Children living in residential children’s homes were more likely to achieve poorer outcomes. Successful efforts had been made to place children with complex needs into highly supported foster placements in preference to residential units, resulting in a reduction of the latter from 90 in September 2012 to 75 in September 2013. Similarly, the council had also reduced its reliance on costly Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) placements, by increasing the proportion of LAC placed with Brent in-house foster carers.

Vernon Bamforth elucidated issues of safeguarding for LAC, including the risks relating to child sexual exploitation, gangs and children missing from education or care. A summary of the council’s protocols for identifying and addressing these risks was provided and the committee heard that Brent’s Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) was currently  reviewing the council’s policies and risk assessment tools regarding children missing from care. A multi-agency child sexual exploitation sub-group of Brent’s Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) had been established which was addressing this risk within the LAC population. Outlining developments in other areas, Vernon Bamforth explained that there had been an audit of health assessments which had evidenced substantial improvement in the quality of health provision to LAC. The importance of participation was also emphasised and members were apprised of the activities of the Brent Care in Action (CiA) group which encouraged young people to take an active part in shaping the services they used. 

Maggie Taylor explained the role of the Brent Virtual School, noting that it was  comprised of officers responsible for delivering a co-ordinated system of support to Brent’s Looked After Children to achieve improved educational attainment. In fulfilling this role, the Virtual School monitored progression, attendance, exclusion and out of school learning for all Brent LAC and ran a variety of out of school activities. At the present time, the school supported 235 children of which 60 per cent resided outside of Brent. Outlining the headline statistics for the 2012/13 academic year, Maggie Taylor advised that the level of authorised absence was high due in part to requirements to attend appointments relating to their status as LAC. However, efforts were being made to bring this figure down and a new protocol had been introduced requiring authorised absences to be agreed by a manager and the Head of the Virtual School. It was noted that each year the make up of the LAC cohort could vary considerably and this accounted for the fluctuations in attainment. The Virtual School also performed a post 16 role, currently supporting and monitoring 65 care leavers in post 16 education and a further 34 at university. Vernon Bamforth added that care leavers were also supported by the Virtual School through Brent’s LAC apprenticeship programme and other projects and providers. 

In concluding the presentation, Vernon Bamforth advised that the Corporate Parenting Strategy would increasingly focus on planning for those children who were ‘on the edge of care’ and those young people moving into adulthood and independence. The council’s ‘edge of care’ arrangements included the creation of Family Assessment and Intervention Resource (FAIR) team which would be utilised when care proceedings were under serious consideration. It was intended that the FAIR team would assist the council in responding to anticipated requirement for care proceedings to be completed within 26 weeks through early intervention and assessment. There would also be a heightened focus on those care leavers who were not in education, employment or training (NEETS) with tighter tracking via the Economic Well-being Strategy Group and Virtual School post 16 teacher.

The committee thanked the officers for their comprehensive presentation and in the subsequent discussion raised several queries. Members sought further detail on the tracking of LAC who were the victims of crime/sexual exploitation. Clarification was requested regarding the arrangements under which children were placed with friends or family. Noting the reduction of residential placements, a request was made for the financial savings to be quantified. The committee asked for further information regarding the funding prospects for the Fixed 4 Your Future project and sought assurance that the Brent apprenticeship programme would continue. Members queried whether there was any disadvantage to placement outside of the borough. It was highlighted that the Corporate Parenting Board had been restructured  in the previous year and it was queried whether all member vacancies had been filled.

In response, Vernon Bamforth advised that a record was maintained of any child that went missing from care and if a certain threshold was met a strategy meeting was held. Children would be interviewed on return but it was acknowledged that it was often difficult to evidence sexual exploitation; this was an area of development and was being headed by the LSCB sub group. It was explained that placements with family or friends could be a voluntary arrangement under a Residential Order, or could be a formalised placement under a Special Guardianship Order which was more common. At the point of taking children into care social services and the police would have to assess whether the child’s extended family could accommodate that child. There were no negative outcomes relating to being placed outside of Brent and the council undertook monitoring to ensure that this position was maintained. With regard to the reduction of placements in residential units it was confirmed that there had been savings made; however, often the services commissioned to support the fostering placements in meeting a child’s complex needs were delivered by the same providers or via CAMHS. It was confirmed that there was a commitment to continue to deliver  the Brent Apprenticeship programme and that it was under review in order to identify which area would be tasked with taking it forward. It was agreed that an update would be provided to the committee on the outcome of the review of the Brent LAC Apprenticeship programme.

Vernon Bamforth confirmed in response to a member’s query, that a detailed breakdown by ethnicity of Brent’s Black LAC population could be prepared and circulated to the committee.

Councillor Pavey (Lead Member for Children and Families) in addressing the query regarding the Corporate Parenting Board advised that he chaired the board, which included representation from all of the group leaders. Each of the three political groups represented in Brent were able to nominate an additional councillor, although these positions were currently vacant. The Board was currently under review to ensure that  it was robust and provided an effective source of challenge. Councillor Arnold suggested that the political groups should be encouraged to nominate to the vacant positions.

RESOLVED:

    (i)        that the report and presentation be noted;

  (ii)        that the committee be provided with an update on the outcome of the review of the Brent Looked After Children Apprenticeship Scheme.