Agenda item
Corporate Parenting
This report will cover the role of Corporate Parenting and explain the model Brent has adopted through best practice with other boroughs. It provides information on looked after children in Brent, the arrangements for them, their outcomes, including educational outcomes, their views, their work through the 'Care in Action group' participation. Additionally the report will also cover the virtual school arrangements for Looked After Children.
Minutes:
Graham Genoni, Assistant Director Social Care Division, introduced the report which summarised the key issues relevant to Looked after Children (LAC) in Brent and set out the core principles that ensured the Corporate Parenting Group adopted a locally robust approach to ensure that LAC received at least the same standard of care as would be given by a reasonable and responsible parent. The Care Planning and Children in Care Service supported LAC and care leavers from 0-25yrs. The service comprised of four social work teams delivering a service to Looked after Children aged from 0 to 17 and Care Leavers from 18 to 21yrs (24 plus if the young person was in higher education).
It was reported that the current number of LAC in Brent was 338 compared to 410 previously, with a reduction in asylum seekers and Black Caribbean LAC. It was reported that the majority of children were housed in house foster carers which was approximately £300-£350 cheaper per week than using fostering agencies, with few children in residential children homes.
It was reported that all LAC had a personal education plan and a senior teacher working within the local authority was charged with ensuring improved educational achievements for LAC by tracking their progress. It was reported that a higher percentage of LAC were progressing into higher education as well as successful placements being achieved on the national and local apprenticeship schemes.
It was reported that the safeguarding and LAC inspection that took place in October 2011 rated the service overall as “adequate” with some good features. However, health outcomes for LAC in Brent were “inadequate”. The primary areas of concern were the timeliness and the quality of health assessments. A Health Action Plan was developed by Brent Primary Care Trust as well as monthly meetings being held by the Care Quality Commission to review and monitor the plan. Additionally, a nurse had been hired to address sexual health which had seen a successful reduction in the rate of teenage pregnancies.
Graham Genoni circulated a comparison of Corporate Parenting Groups across several boroughs and noted that they were similar to Brent in terms of constitutional makeup and the issues which they covered.
During discussion members queried that there were no actual parent representatives on the group. It was clarified that there were children and young person’s representatives and that many of the officers and Councillors would also be parents themselves. Members also queried the level of support offered to care leavers when moving into their own accommodation. It was clarified that a care leaver would be given a choice of flats which they would normally visit with their social worker. A fixed future programme will be created with training into basic skills such as changing a fuse etc to assist with the transition from childhood to adulthood. The Chair requested examples that were operating differently to Brent and details of the pros and cons of these models. Members were interested in models adopted by council’s where members had more involvement and even take on more responsibility and ownership for the child as a ‘case’. Members feel that there was a lack of personal touch with Brent’s model such as regular birthday cards not being received by a child. Councillor Pavey requested further information on the educational attainment of Corporate Parented children going to university. The figures in the report didn’t show percentages and how Brent rated in comparison to similar authorities. He requested for confirmation of how many children had attended university and how many had successfully completed their course and achieved a degree, if available The Chair requested a copy of the current care action plan and how many meetings had taken place in the last 24 months with children in attendance.
RESOLVED:-
i.
Members noted the report
ii.
That further information be provided regarding
Looked after Children and university figures
iii. That information be provided to the Chair regarding the care action plan and meetings
Supporting documents: