Agenda item

The Board will consider the Children’s Rights Team Annual Report 2021/ 2022.

Contacts:

Krissy Podgorski, Children’s Rights Team Manager
Anna Gledhill, Service Manager, Quality Assurance and Safeguarding

The Board considered the Children’s Rights Team Annual Report which was presented by Krissy Podgorski, Team Manager – Children Looked After Independent Service.

Krissy Podgorski explained that the three main functions of the CRT were Children Looked After Advocacy (Child Protection Advocacy), the Children in Care Council and the Independent Visitors Scheme. The purpose of the report was to inform the Board of the services delivered by the CRT during the period of 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022 and it was highlighted that:

·         133 young people were supported by the CRT within the reporting period and 492 separate pieces of advocacy were undertaken.

·         During the reporting period there had been an increase in requests to support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who were required to have an age assessment.

·         The most common reasons for requests for support included assistance with Children Looked After Reviews and other meetings,supporting care leavers who had children going through Care Proceedings, support at Pre-Birth Assessments and supporting young people with their Personal Education Plan Meetings.

·         There was a higher volume of advocacy provided to Children Looked After (374) as opposed to Care Leavers (118).

·         Whilst the CRT supported children and young people living within the local authority area, those who live outside of the area were also able to access the service.

·         There were 89 advocacy issues raised which were resolved informally, with restorative work with other services/professionals being facilitated by the advocate. In the reporting period, there were 9 formal complaints initiated.

·         Following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, regular face to face meetings of the Children in Care Council and the Care Leavers Forum had resumed and the membership had increased in both groups.

·         The Independent Visitors Scheme, also known as Care2Listen, was established in its current format nine years ago; and was coordinated by an Independent Service Officer.

·         A recruitment campaign was undertaken in October 2021 which resulted in 10 volunteers completing training in February 2022.

·         As of 1^st August 2022, there were 32 trained independent visitors and 29 children matched.

·         Rolling recruitment exercises were planned to increase the number of volunteers, and there was a particular requirement to recruit more males into the role.

·         The CRT were working to continually improve services to young people and there was currently a modernisation of the service taking place.

·         The review aimed to develop appropriate and enabling structures to allow young people to have a voice to shape and improve their lives.

·         Work was ongoing with the Child Protection Review unit to improve the advocacy offer within the child protection process, which included the strengthening of links with strategic groups and boards.

·         There had also been an independent review of children’s social care and the recommendations made would have implications for the advocacy service if they were progressed.

The Board complimented the work of the CRT as positive and thanked officers involved in the delivery of these services. The Children in Care Council was also highlighted as a good experience for young people, giving them the opportunity to voice opinions and be heard in the wider community.

In the discussion to follow the Board questioned how to better ensure that the voices of young people were heard by the Board, noting that the Care leavers and Children in Care Council could submit their views on the issues considered by the board via written or verbal (video) submissions as possible options.  It was also requested that Board members be invited to a future meeting of both the Children in Care Council and Care Leavers Forum.

The Board noted that an element of compromise was valuable life learning for children and requested to see further details and examples of where issues had been resolved through compromises and what those outcomes looked like. 

The Board highlighted the value of Total Respect training (training on children’s rights) and suggested that all members of the Board and the Childrens Scrutiny Panel should undertake this. The suggestion of highlighting the opportunity to all members of the Council was also put forward.

The Board suggested inviting an Independent Visitor to a future meeting of the Board to highlight the work of the service. Anna Gledhill, Service Manager Quality Assurance and Safeguarding responded to agree that an Independent Visitor would be invited to talk about their role and the value they get out of it to the Board.

In respect of recruiting more Independent Visitors (particularly more male volunteers), the Chair of the Board agreed to raise the issue during the next meeting of the Council.

The Board also highlighted that the opportunity should be advertised at pre- retirement workshops. In response, Krissy Podgorski advised that this had been actioned and would continue to be a method used to raise awareness of the Independent Visitor opportunity going forwards. The Board welcomed this update and added that it was important to consider extending the offer to schools and health partners.  It was also suggested that a similar approach should be taken to recruiting foster carers.

The Board raised concerns about the number of young people requesting food parcels through advocacy and it was requested that an update be given on work taken to address this at a future meeting of the Board.

RESOLVED: The Board noted the Children’s Rights Team Annual Report and it was agreed that:

1.    Board Members be invited to a future meeting of both the Children in Care Council and the Care Leavers Forum.

2.    Examples of where a compromised had been used to resolve an issue with young people be provided to a future meeting of the Board.

3.    All members of the Corporate Parenting Board and Children’s Scrutiny Panel be offered the opportunity to undertake training on children’s rights training (Total Respect).

4.    All members of the Council be made aware of the children’s rights training (Total Respect) as an opportunity at the next meeting of the Council.

5.    An Independent Visitor be invited to a future meeting of the Board.

6.    Increasing awareness of opportunities in Fostering and the Independent Visitors scheme at pre-retirement workshops should be introduced and rolled out to health partners and in schools.

7.    The opportunities in being an Independent Visitor and the requirement to recruit more volunteers (particularly males) be highlighted at the next meeting of the Council.