Agenda item

The Panel will consider a report providing information relating to the number and profile of children in our care, including information related to the number of children in care placed outside of the District.

Contact Officer: Ophelia Rix, Head of Service (Children in Care, Children Looked After and Care Leavers)

The Panel considered a report providing an update relating to the number and profile of children in our care, including information related to the number placed outside of the District. The report also set out comparative data with statistical neighbours and was presented by Ophelia Rix, Head of Service (Children in Care, Children Looked After and Care Leavers).

Ophelia Rix highlighted the following key issues:-

·         The number of children in care since January 2020 had decreased and was now 650 (which excluded any looked after children receiving only Section 20 short term breaks) alongside the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Work had been undertaken to allow children to remain with families and there was a high number of children successfully living with connected.

·         Special Guardianship Orders - there was a policy in place which provided financial support and practical support to family and friends and had a positive impact for connected families;

·         The largest age group for boys in care was 10-15 years with 153 children and the largest age group for girls was 10-15 years with 121 children;

·         Ethnicity changes – there had been an increase in the percentage split from June 2021 and the same point 12 months ago.

·         In June 2021 there were 5 young people who were recorded as entering care in the month at the point of data extraction all of whom were of White ethnicity;

·         There were 72 children placed more than 20 miles outside Kirklees – there had been a decline in the number placed outside Kirklees since 2017; The majority of Kirklees children and young people placed out of area were placed in foster care, the remainder were placed in children’s homes, semi-independent homes, a small number in youth custody or other specialist settings;

·         Kirklees provided 18 placements to young adults over 16 who lived in supported accommodation; 6 young adults were placed outside of the Local Authority.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding infants taken into care and how that compared with other Local Authorities, Elaine McShane, Service Director, Family Support and Child Protection advised that the information would be provided in a future meeting and that Kirklees had a 26-week decision making period which included a second review at 3 months.  The decision making would comprise either the child being returned to parents, allocated with a foster carer, or put up for adoption

In response to a question from the Panel regarding the reduced number of children taken into care in Kirklees compared with statistical neighbours, Ophelia Rix advised that the offer from other Local Authorities was around financial support and did not include early support which allowed Kirklees to plan with families and parents to allow children to remain with families.  Elaine McShane advised that work had been completed across West Yorkshire regarding Special Guardianship Orders which included financial and practical support. 

In response to a question from the panel regarding semi independent accommodation, Tom Brailsford, Service Director (Resources, Improvement and partnerships) advised that this type of accommodation was for over 16’s and if was a supportive environment where young people came for independence.  The Panel was informed that semi-independent accommodation was not regulated by Ofsted. Elaine McShane further explained that whilst in semi-independent accommodation the young person was able to work with different providers to gain support and guidance, this could be a bespoke package for an individual or could be to seek help and support on housing options.

In response to a question from the panel on ethnicity changes in looked after children and if it reflected the child population in Kirklees, Ophelia Rix advised that further work would be required and could be presented at the next scrutiny panel.

RESOLVED –

1.    That the report on Number of Children in Care be noted and the panel thanked Ophelia Rix for her contributions.

2.    That the Panel consider future information explaining the reasons for differences in numbers of children in care for Kirklees compared to statistical neighbours.

3.    That further information be submitted to the next scrutiny panel relating to ethnicity changes in Looked after Children and how it was reflected in the child population in Kirklees.

4.    That further information be submitted to a future Panel relating to children under 1 and how that compared with other Local Authorities.