The Board will consider the Annual Report of the Children’s Rights Team for 2022-23.
Contact:
Lucy Fearnley, Team Manager for Quality Assurance and Safeguarding
Zoe Prince, Fostering Service Manager
Minutes:
The Board considered the Children’s Rights Team Annual Report presented by Lucy Fearnley, Team Manager for Quality Assurance and Safeguarding. The report set out the services delivered by the Children’s Rights Team (CRT) during the period of 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023 and it was highlighted that:
Responding to a question from the Ex-Offcio about Democracy Friendly Schools and potential for joint work with the Our Voice team, Sara Miles, Head of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance agreed to investigate the scope of this further.
Responding to a question from the Board in respect of making sure that the voices of children and young people were heard by the Corporate Parenting Board, Ophelia Rix, Head of Service for Children Looked After and Care Leavers advised that the development of the Looked After Multi-Agency Partnership was in progress which focused on the 7 Corporate Parenting Principals to drive this agenda forward working across the Council. Workstreams were identified and an update on key priorities within these would be available in due course, within these priorities would be a key focus on amplifying the voices of children and young people. This involved working closely with the CRT and the Children in Care and care leavers forums. The Board noted the response and highlighted the Boards role in instigating change.
Responding to a question from the Board in respect of the Total Respect Training, Lucy Fearnley provided reassurance that the training was held in person and provided to all new members.
Responding to a question from the Board in respect of specific plans to include children and young persons voices to the Board, Ophelia Rix advised that the approach was still in development, the first part would include the introduction of a newsletter including the feedback of children and young people. Lucy Fearnley added that this was being developed collaboratively across the wider services. In response the Board welcomed the demonstration of increased activities for Care Leavers as positive.
RESOLVED: The Board noted the Children’s Rights Team Annual Report and it was agreed that Sara Miles, Head of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance would investigate the scope of joint working around Democracy Friendly Schools and the Our Voice Team.
Supporting documents: