Minutes - Joint Community Support Overview Group and Learning Overview Group - 9 June 2005
BOROUGH OF POOLE
MINUTES
JOINT COMMUNITY SUPPORT OVERVIEW GROUP AND
LEARNING OVERVIEW GROUP
MEETING HELD THURSDAY 9 JUNE 2005
The meeting commenced at 7.00pm and concluded at 9.20pm
Members of the Community Support Overview Group present:
Councillor Bulteel (Chairman)
Councillors Ms Atkinson, Belcham (substitute for Wretham), Mrs Dion, Gillard (substitute for Mrs Hillman), Matthews, Meachin, Rampton, Smith and Wilson.
Members of the Learning Overview Group present:
Councillor Newell (Chairman)
Councillor Mrs Lavender (Vice-Chairman)
Councillors Mrs Butt, Brooke, Clements, Mrs Dion, Mrs Moore, Plummer, Rampton and Belcham (substitute for Wretham).
Parent Governor Representative on the Learning Overview Group present:
Mr Crouch.
1.ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
RESOLVED that Councillor Bulteel be elected Chairman of the Joint Overview Group meeting.
For:Unanimous
2.APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs James, Mrs Hillman (substituted by Councillor Gillard), Councillor Wretham (substituted by Councillor Belcham) and Cllr Woodcock.
Apologies for absence were also received from the Diocesan Representatives on the Learning Overview Group – Canon Rutledge and Mr Newman.
3.DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Meachin declared a personal interest in item 7 as a non-executive Director of Poole Primary Care Trust.
Councillors Ms Atkinson, Bulteel, Mrs Lavender, Mrs Moore and Rampton each declared personal interests in item 9 as members of the Corporate Parenting Working Group.
Councillor Rampton declared a personal interest in item 11 as a shared carer.
Councillor Mrs Butt declared a personal interest in item 6 as a member of the Police Authority.
4.URGENT BUSINESS
There were no matters of urgent business.
5.THE YOUTH JUSTICE PLAN 2005/6
The Youth Offending Service Manager presented the Report and the Draft Youth Justice Plan for 2005/6.
Further information was given on each main heading of the Draft Plan, which the Youth Offending Service Manager explained had been devised in response to 13 targets set by the Youth Justice Board.
She highlighted that the information contained within the Plan combined data for Bournemouth and Poole as required by the Youth Justice Board, and then proceeded to draw out those points most relevant to Poole and to list current activities particularly relating to the prevention of offending and minimising use of custody, full details of which are attached.
Specific points highlighted regarding a number of the main headings within the Plan included:
(a)Final Warnings – and Bournemouth and Poole were currently meeting targets. However new ways of approaching early intervention were proving successful and are being promoted as best practice. The YOT is researching the system being used in Essex in the hope of persuading the police and Dorset YOT that this will improve the effectiveness of Final Warnings.
(b)Education, Training and Employment – the Youth Offending Service was working closely with Connexions on this; the numbers not in education, training and employment at the end of their supervision period is generally very low and it is recognised that some young people will not disclose when they are working.
(c)Accommodation – the Youth Offending Service has a named Accommodation Officer who is assigned to each offender. The YOT is to become part of the pan-Dorset Offender Accommodation Scheme with the Probation Services, local housing authorities and local prisons. It was noted that the Youth Justice Board had very high standards concerning where young people should be housed, for example, it would not accept Bed and Breakfast accommodation as suitable, even where the support offered is considerable.
(d)Parenting – the Youth Offending Service works as part of the Children and Young People's Strategic Partnerships in both boroughs and will benefit by the Poole Partnership's decision to employ a parenting co-ordinator. The YOT is also seeking money to employ a parenting worker within the YOT to enable it to achieve the Youth Justice Board's Key Performance Indicator for Parenting.
(e)Restorative Justice – this was a very labour intensive and costly area of work. Dorset Police previously withdrew its Restorative Justice Officer post, which had led to the Youth Offending Team (YOT) revising its systems and work allocation to fill the resultant gap in service. It was noted that the YOT was seeking other ways to engage victims in restorative justice work and to support victims of young offenders.
(f)Equitable Treatment Regardless of Race – an audit on race matters indicated that, in line with the small percentage of minority ethnic groups in Poole, there was a proportionately low number of offenders recorded from ethnic minority groups.
Referring to performance measures and results since 2001, the Youth Offending Service Manager reported that there had been an increase of almost 80 offences over the last year, which YOT was currently analysing, and further details on which would follow in a report to the Overview Group in October 2005.
During the ensuing discussion, Councillors gave careful consideration to the Draft Plan and sought further clarification from the Youth Offending Service Manager. The key points raised and main issues of clarification sought included:
(a)regarding the use of local hostels for accommodation, YOT could only have restricted use of the Quay Foyer, due to its strict rules on not accepting young offenders currently on bail
(b)as the Council which had a statutory responsibility to house homeless people under the age of 18, it should work with YOT to ensure that the provision of accommodation was co-ordinated and takes advantage of the Supporting People Scheme
(c)parenting initiatives were being brought into one co-ordinated strategy through Poole Children’s Services. The Policy Director (Children’s Services) explained that the National Children’s Homes had been appointed to manage the post of a Parenting Co-ordinator for Poole, which would assist the Youth Offending Service in this responsibility
(d)YOT was exploring ways in which it could work with schools to further its restorative justice approach.
(e)in referring to paragraph 3.5 of the covering Report, the Overview Groups noted that the YOT’s workload had steadily increased during 2004/2005 with an increase in young people pleading guilty to or being found guilty of offences both in Bournemouth and Poole
(f)the use of volunteers to help build capacity for restorative justice activities continues to be developed.
(g)when bringing back a report to the Overview Group in October, the statistics for Poole should be as detailed as possible.
(h)a presentation evening is to be held for all Members to receive updates on the work of the YOT in the autumn. It was suggested that, as part of that meeting there should be an interactive session where Members and officers could exchange information on particular youth offending hot spots
(i)Members were concerned that statistics and information on current offending levels and actions / initiatives being undertaken to reduce current anti-social behaviour needed to be more frequently reported to them and in a way which could be disseminated to residents
(j)the risks listed, should be encapsulated within the Delivery Plan, to show that measures were being taken to address these risks
(k)a glossary of terms should be included in the next report
In conclusion, concerns were expressed that the Overview Groups were being requested to recommend to Council a Plan that was obviously not complete, but finally resolved that the Council should be recommended to approve the Youth Justice Plan as seen by the Joint Overview Group and the relevant Portfolio Holder/s should approve amendments and additions made prior to Council.
RESOLVED that Council be recommended to approve the Youth Justice Plan as presented to the Community Support Overview Group & Learning Overview Group Meeting on the 9th June 2005, subject to the approval of amendments and additions made to the Plan prior to its submission to Council by the relevant Portfolio Holder/s.
For:Unanimous
6.CHILDREN’S SERVICES UPDATE
The Policy Director (Children’s Services) presented the Report, which appraised Members as to the progress made in implementing the Action Plan agreed by the special Joint Overview Group and Cabinet in November 2004 for the development of Children’s Services in Poole. In particular, the Policy Director highlighted that the Borough was required to lead the Partnership, set up to implement Poole Children’s Services, towards Trust status by April 2008, although expected to do so by April 2006.
He explained that the governance structure had been set up, and that the next key step, was to begin work on the ground within the pilot localities.
The Joint Overview Group noted that, in order to ensure that the new Services remained child-focused and were not constrained by unnecessary bureaucracy, implementation had begun through the co-ordination of agencies, rather than by an organisational restructure.
During the ensuing discussion, the main points raised by Members led to the following clarifications:
(a)officers were exploring the possibility of placing Children Centres in areas such in Canford Heath, Poole Old Town, Alderney and Hamworthy
(b)whilst the capital funding, secured for the setting up of Children’s Centres, was one off, officers were relying on the fact that the Government’s 10 Year Strategy for Child Care signified that additional revenue funding would be available
(c)the implementation of Children’s Services was inextricably linked with the Schools for the Future XL Project, and the Policy Director was working to ensure that these ventures worked effectively together
(d)whilst impressed by the commitment shown by the lead directors and executives of the Partnership at the last Children’s Services Governance Board Meeting, more work needed to be done to engage those at operational levels and to overcome professional boundaries
(e)Councillors maintained concerns regarding the reluctance of the Government to develop a “unique identifier”, which it was felt would assist in the recording, monitoring and tracking of children.
A key point in the Overview Group’s discussion was a view expressed that it was urgent for the Council’s Administration to appoint a lead Member for Children’s Services as required by the Children’s Act 2004. It was also suggested that, upon appointing a lead Member, the Council’s democratic structure would need to be revised. A recommendation was made that the Overview Group inform the Cabinet of the urgency that surrounded the appointment of a lead Member for Children’s Services.
Reassurance was provided by the Community Support Portfolio Holder that she and the Portfolio Holder for Learning were jointly carrying out this lead Member role and that, at the appropriate time, a single lead Member would be appointed and the democratic structure revised accordingly.
In conclusion, the Joint Overview Group agreed to note the progress in implementing the Children’s Services Action Plan, and agreed that officers should work towards the formation of a Children’s Trust for 1 April 2006. Additionally, whilst not unanimously supported, the Overview Group also requested that Cabinet be reminded of the urgency that surrounded the appointment of a lead Member for Children’s Services.
RESOLVED that:
(i) progress in implementing the Children’s Services Action Plan be noted; and
(ii)officers be requested to work towards the formation of a Children’s Trust for 1 April 2006.
For:Unanimous
(iii)Cabinet be reminded of the urgency that surrounded the appointment of a lead Member for Children’s Services.
For:Councillors Belcham, Brooke, Bulteel, Mrs Butt, Clements, Mrs Dion, Gillard, Mrs Lavender, Matthews, Meachin, Mrs Moore Plummer, Rampton, Smith and Wilson and Mr Crouch
Against: Councillor Newell
Abstention: Councillor Ms Atkinson
8.CHILDREN AND FAMILIES INSPECTION PLAN
The Head of Children and Families Services presented this Report, referring Members to their previous consideration of the Commission for Social Care Inspector’s Report on the Inspection of Children and Families (November 2004), and to the key recommendations from the Inspection as listed at paragraph 4.
During the ensuing discussion, the main points discussed related to the recommendation as listed at 4.3 in the covering report, when Members requested officers to ensure that the categories for the recording of black and minority ethnic groups clearly distinguished a category for the gypsy population in Poole, as it was felt that the needs of the children within these communities were not being met. Whilst recognising that officers were guided by the codes for ethnicity, as issued by Government, Members nonetheless felt that there should be scope for local codes to be developed, in order that the interests and welfare of children from gypsy and travellers’ communities could be catered for.
In response, the Policy Director (Social Services) agreed that these concerns would be taken on board and reported to the Managing Diversity Working Group.
A request was made that on page 8 of the Action Plan, paragraph 5.1(a) this be amended to include a parenthesis (Local Children’s Safeguarding Board) to reflect the fact that the Area Child Protection Committee would be superseded by the Local Children’s Safeguarding Board.
In conclusion, the Joint Overview Group expressed its support for the Action Plan and recommended that the Portfolio Holder for Community Support present this to Cabinet for approval on the 14th June 2005 meeting. Also, mindful of the comments made by certain Members considering whether or not a number of the items on this Agenda were Overview Group or Scrutiny items, the Overview Group requested that Community Support and Education Scrutiny Committee add to its future work programme regular monitoring of this Action Plan.
RESOLVED that
(i)Cabinet be recommended to approve the Children and Families Inspection – Action Plan;
(ii) the Community Support and Education Scrutiny Committee be recommended to regularly monitor progress against this Action Plan
For:Unanimous
9.PROGRESS REPORT OF THE CORPORATE PARENTING WORKING GROUP
The Head of Children and Families Services presented the Report, referring Members to their earlier discussions at the May 2004 Community Support Overview Group meeting, regarding their responsibility as Corporate Parents, and to the progress that had since been made by the Corporate Parenting Working Group.
The Joint Overview Group then discussed how the whole Council should be better informed of its responsibilities as a Corporate Parent, which most felt should be done in an interactive way, collaboratively with young people.
Referring to the Total Respect training, which was led by Looked After Children, officers were requested to ensure that future sessions of this training be arranged over a period of evenings, to enable increased Member involvement.
The Chairman of the Joint Overview Group, as a member of the Corporate Parenting Working Group, encouraged other Members to visit Children & Families Services and emphasised the importance of the Charter for Children & Young People Looked After, which would be presented to Council later in the year.
In conclusion, the Joint Overview Group agreed to note the Report and the list of ways in which Council would be informed about its responsibilities as a Corporate Parent.
RESOLVED that
(i) the report be noted;
(ii) that Officers arrange for presentations to be made to Council on:
(a) key messages from the five outcomes of the Children Act 2004;
(b)the role of Council as Corporate Parent;
(c)a Charter for Children & Young People Looked After
For:Unanimous
10.MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF POOLE’S ADOPTION SERVICE 2004/2005
The Head of Children and Families Services and the Principal Officer for Children and Families presented the Report, explaining that the Service was required by regulation to produce an annual Management and Performance Report.
Outlining the national context for the Adoption Service, Members noted that in response to the claim that children were not being as speedily referred for adoption as they should be, Poole’s Children and Families Services had recorded its best ever year in 2004/2005, and had achieved its Local Public Service Agreement Targets.
During the ensuing discussion, Members referred to the figures contained within the Report, particularly within paragraphs 4.4 and 4.5, and asked how the statistics related to children themselves, concerned that the data had a tendency to mask the actual significance for each child/family.
A suggestion was made that, in future reports the data should be more clearly set out and accompanied with a visual presentation providing additional information which broke down the statistics according to the age, sex, and sibling relationships of those children in care.
There was also a request that training on the understanding of the statistics and of the general procedures followed in the placement of adopted and fostered children should be made available to Members.