BOROUGH OF POOLE
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
29 SEPTEMBER 2009
The Meeting commenced at 7pm and concluded at 9:20pm.
Members Present:
Councillor Mrs Lavender (Chairman)
Councillors Brooke, Burden (substituting for Councillor Mrs Bulteel), Clements (substituting for Councillor Matthews), Mrs Dion (substituting for Councillor Mrs Evans), Brown, Mrs Moore and Wilkins
Also Present:
Councillor Woodcock
Diocesan Representatives
None
Parent Governor Representatives
None
CYP14.09 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bulteel, Mrs Evans, Matthews, Montrose, Wilkins and Mr Newman, Diocesan Representative.
CYP15.09 MINUTES
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 27 July 2009 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
CYP16.09 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
The following Councillors declared personal interests:
Councillor Brooke, as LA Governor for Broadstone First School, and because his daughter was employed at Hillbourne School as a part-time teacher, and as a Member of the Management Panel of the Broadstone Youth Club.
Councillor Brown declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 8 (Serious Case Review) as a Foster Carer for the Borough of Poole.
Councillor Mrs Lavender as a Foundation Governor at St Aldhelms CE VA Combined School and LA Governor of Heatherlands First School.
Councillor Mrs Moore as LA Governor for Canford Heath First and Middle School, as a Member of the Children’s Services Governance Board and as a Member of the Management Committee of the Limelight’s and Beacon Centre.
Councillor Wilkins as LA Governor for Turlin Moor School and as a Member of the Turlin Moor Youth Club and Management Committee.
CYP17.09 FORWARD PLAN
The Review of the Forward Plan had been deferred at the last Meeting of the Committee on 27th July 2009.
The Strategic Director felt that there was insufficient time to consider issues relating to safeguarding and suggested that it may be possible to set up a cross-party sub-group to look at such issues in depth.
Members suggested the following items for the Forward Plan:-
Councillor Mrs Moore – (i) Scrutiny on Domestic Violence; (ii) Special Needs – Autism and Aspergers; (iii) Home Education; (iv) Post Laming Report and its effects on the Borough of Poole – training for Members on Child Protection issues.
Councillor Brown – (i) Children’s Service restructure and the thinking behind Children’s Social Care Teams; (ii) Briefing Services for Members on Safeguarding and Corporate Parenting.
Councillor Brooke – (i) Mental Health issues in Children and Young People; (ii) Review of Inspections in Schools (Inspection Reports needed to come earlier than later); (iii) Transition of looked after children; (iv) Bullying and the impact on mental health and emotional aspects.
The Strategic Director said that valid points had been raised. There were too many items on the Forward Plan and a serious re-think was required.
Councillor Mrs Dion, Chairman of the Scrutiny Board, stated that it was up to the Committee to establish priorities, look at key areas and dig deep for effective scrutiny. Some issues took a year to deal with effectively.
The Strategic Director stated that she and the Clerk would meet to consider the way forward.
CPY18.09 THE PROGRESS OF INTEGRATED YOUTH SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICE
A comprehensive Report of the Progress of the Integrated Youth Support and Development Service was co-presented by Vicky Wales, Head of Children and Young People’s Integrated Services, Christine White, Strategy Manager 13-19 and Carolyn Hewitt, Ansbury (Connexions).
The Report set out background information and progress, Information Advice and Guidance (IAG), Positive Activities (with progress to date), Volunteering, the Transition Support Programme (TSP), Workforce Development and the Youth Service Review. A copy of the Report is Appended hereto.
A DVD presentation was presented by Carolyn Hewitt to show images of what young people had been doing throughout the summer, i.e., Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, Shadow Board and LEAP Programme.
Members indicated that the DVD presentation had been most enjoyable and with lots of good and interesting work. They raised the following points:-
· Had the week long Jump Start programme been targeted at anyone other than the NEET Group?
In response, it was noted that this had taken place specifically for the 16-19 NEET Group. NEET and LEAP would be run together as an experiment. LEAP attracted European Social Funding outside the Connexions Budget.
· What was the total target number?
In response, it was noted that 18 young people had been invited. Of these 36 wanted to take part. Jump Start preferred to run with 10 participants to do one to one work. Therefore 4 separate programmes had been required to accommodate 36 participants.
· A Member stated that there were problems in his Ward and asked what could be done within the context of the Youth Service. The Strategy Manager 13-19 stated that the Youth Service was part of a bigger picture. She had attended a Meeting the previous day with representatives, including the Police to drill down to see what was happening. This was not only about intervention, but also after school activities, looking at various projects, music programmes and life skills etc. a mobile unit was working from the skate park and providing a whole range of activities in the area.
· A Member asked about progress on the Youth Service Review and when it would be coming back to Committee.
In response, it was noted that the Review should be completed by the end of October and reported to the November Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
With regard to the changes to the Connexions Service, a Report would come to Committee in November 2009 or January 2010.
· How would ongoing funding for the work of the LEAP Programme be found?
In response, it was noted that there would be a priority for funding 13-19s. The purpose of Youth Capital funding was for young people to determine what was funded. Young people would be the driving force for 50% of the spend.
The Strategic Director advised that certain grants would be coming to a close in 2011. The Children’s Trust would be looking at priority activities to ensure they would be funded.
· A Member asked how Employers brought to the attention of the Council the number and type of Apprenticeships available within the area.
It was noted that all Apprenticeships were listed within local areas. Information could also be found on the Website.
RESOLVED that the current progress made towards an Integrated Youth Support and Development Service be supported.
Voting: 6 For 0 Against 2 Abstentions
The presenting Officers left the Meeting.
CYP19.09 COMPLAINTS AND REPRESENTATIONS ANNUAL REPORT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S SOCIAL CARE
The Report of the Head of Children and Young People’s Social Care was presented by Karen Mayo, Consumer Relations Officer, to inform the Committee of the consumer relations service, providing details of the complaints and representations received throughout the financial year 2008-2009. To demonstrate the extent to which standards had been met, and to inform the Committee of the development within the complaints and representations procedure.
The statutory responsibilities relating to the Children and Young People’s Social Care services complaints and representations procedure were laid down in the Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006, and its accompanying DfES guidance document ‘Getting the Best from Complaints’. Complaints were defined as ‘an expression of dissatisfaction or disquiet in relation to an individual child or young person, which required a response’.
It was a statutory responsibility to annually report to Elected Members on the operation of the complaints and representations procedure, including:-
Representations made to the local authority
The number at each stage and any that were considered by the Local Government Ombudsman
Which customer groups made the complaints
The types of complaints made
The outcome of complaints
Details about the advocacy service provided under these arrangements
Compliance with timescale, and complaints resolved within extended timescale as agreed
Learning and service improvement, including changes to services that have been implemented and details of any that have not been implemented
A summary of statistical data about the age, gender, disability, sexual orientation and ethnicity of complaints
A review of the effectiveness of the complaints procedure
The key principals of the complaints and representations procedure were that:
a. It should be clear and easy to use
b. It should ensure that the people who use the service were treated with dignity and respect, were not afraid to make a complaint, and have their concerns taken seriously
c. It should ensure, as far as is possible, even-handedness in the handling of complaints
d. It should ensure that any concerns about the protection of children are referred immediately to the relevant social services team or to the Police
e. It should make sure that as many complaints as possible were resolved swiftly and satisfactorily at the local level
f. It should ensure a fair process and adequate support for everyone involved in the complaint
g. It should ensure that the child or young person received a full response without delay
h. It should enable any local authority purchasing services in the independent sector, to exercise its continuing duty of care
i. It should secure sensible and effective links with other procedures in local government
j. It should safeguard the child or young person’s right to other means of redress, such as the Local Government Ombudsman
k. It should ensure that local authorities monitor their performance in handling complaints, deliver what they had promised, learn from complaints to improve services for everyone who uses them
Under the Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006, a person must be a ‘qualifying individual’ in order to raise their complaints:
any child or young person (or a parent of his or someone who has parental responsibility for him) who is being looked after by the local authority or is not looked after by them but is in need;
any local authority foster carer (including those caring for children placed through independent fostering agencies);
children leaving care;
Special Guardians;
a child or young person (or parent of his) to whom a Special Guardian order is in force;
any person who has applied for an assessment under section 14F(3) or (4) (in relation to Special Guardians);
any child or young person who may be adopted, their parents and guardians;
persons wishing to adopt a child;
any other person whom arrangements for the provision of adoption services extend;
adopted persons, their parents, natural parents and former guardians; and
such other person as the local authority consider has sufficient interest in the child or young person’s welfare to warrant his representations being considered by them.
There were 3 stages in the Children and Young People’s Social Care complaints and representations procedure:
Stage 1 local resolution
Stage 2 formal investigation
Stage 3 review
If complainants remained dissatisfied with the final resolution at Stage 3, they could pursue the matter with the Local Government Ombudsman who would consider the complaint on the grounds of mal-administration.
The Consumer Relations Officer, in the role of Complaints Manager was responsible for the management and overview of the complaints and representations procedure.
The Reports set out figures relating to Complaints and Compliments at Stages 1 – Local Resolutions, 2 – Formal Investigations and 3 – Review Panel Meetings. One complainant took their complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman who exercised his discretion to discontinue the investigation into the complaint.
If complaints were upheld, the Unit must inform the complainant of what changes could be made to remedy the situation. Many of these changes concerned individual circumstances, for example to a care plan. However, it may also be that procedural changes needed to be made which affected the whole or part of the Unit. During this reporting year, the following policy or procedural changes had been identified:
· Unit procedures regarding the termination of telephone calls had been revised.
· Complaint response letters at all stage included a standard paragraph informing the complainant of their right to progress their complaint.
· Where 2 workers were present at a visit, with the agreement of all parties, notes were taken to ensure that an accurate record was made.
· Staff ensured that all participants at meetings and interviews were introduced and their roles explained.
· A summary of discussions, which supported the care plan, was circulated to allow amendments to be made.
· An adoption social worker was allocated at the first planning meeting to work alongside the child’s social worker. Communication systems were in place and monitored.
· An LSCB task group was commissioning training, which included supporting victims of domestic violence, whilst also assessing risks to children.
· Policy guidelines were being reviewed regarding Data Protection issues.
Each year the number of compliments exceeded the numbers of complaints and representations received, and the numbers also increased year-on-year. This year a substantive increase of 135 compliments were received, as opposed to 98 the previous year. The recording of compliments demonstrated that the Unit took the positive as well as negative views of those using the service seriously. It also enabled managers to gain a more rounded picture of how the service was perceived.
The numbers of complaints received at Stage 1 had risen from 59 the previous year to 62, 44% of which had been received from parents. Although still the greatest percentage of any one group, it was a lower percentage than in previous years.
The majority of complaints and representations received had been regarding quality of service at 42% (26 Staff conduct/attitude accounted for 32% (20) and Assessment process/finance 26%(16)).
The number of complaints at Stage 2 were eight, although two had begun the previous year. Four complaints had been completed this year. This was a similar number to last year and a continued reduction to previous year.
One complainant had taken their complaints to Stage 3, the Review Panel Meeting. This was the same for last year.