Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from County Borough Councillors G Caple (Chair), P Evans and S Rees.

To receive disclosures of personal interest from Members in accordance with the Code of Conduct

Note:

1.    Members are requested to identify the item number and subject matter that their interest relates to and signify the nature of the personal interest: and

2.    Where Members withdraw from a meeting as a consequence of the disclosure of a prejudicial interest they must notify the Chairman when they leave.

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, there were no declarations made pertaining to the agenda.

To approve, as an accurate record, the minutes of the last meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board held on 30^th September 2024.

To approve as an accurate record, the minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board held on the 30^th September 2024.

To receive information about the discharge of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) functions for children looked after (CLA).

The Head of Partnerships began by explaining that the purpose of the report was to provide Corporate Parenting Board (CPB) with information about the discharge of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) functions for children looked after (CLA) for the period 30th June 23 – 30th June 24.  The Head of Partnerships took Members through the report, starting at section 3, the Reviewing Service, highlighting key points at paragraph 3.2, in respect of an FTE vacancy and paragraph 3.6, in relation to reviewing data sets. The Head of Partnerships then continued through the report, at section 4, the Performance Information, highlighting key data, at paragraph 4.1, Total Looked After Population, 4.2, Children Becoming Looked After and Ceasing to be Looked After, 4.3 Children Looked After by Gender, 4.4, Children Becoming Looked After and Ceasing to be Looked After, 4.5, Placements Profiles and 4.6, the Children Becoming Looked After and Ceasing to be Looked After. The Head of Partnerships then continued through section 5, CLA Reviews, section 6, Reasons for Cancellation and section 7, Current Themes for the Review Service, section 8, Resolutions raised by IROS before concluding with the Development Work, at section 9, and highlighting the embedded documents, within the section.

The Chair thanked the Officer for taking CPB through the report and noted that the information and data provided, was greatly valued, which allowed for  the identification and monitoring of key trends. It was pleasing to hear, from CPB’s perspective, that things were relatively stable, whilst acknowledging the difficulty seen over the last few years and, noting that Officers had identified key pressure areas.

A Member asked if the same social workers were kept, with fostering and children in care, asking if there was any impact on the child in care, if they were changed on a regular basis.

The Head of Partnerships provided a comprehensive response, acknowledging that the key messaging would be that they would always try to ensure consistency, to allow that child to build up trusting relationships with their allocated social workers, but where that was unavoidable, they would manage that in the best interest of the child.

A Member thanked the Head of Partnerships for the work being done, and the report, which was very clear, recognising the stress that children in care were under, but also staff, and it was reassuring to know the reviewing service was in place.

The Director of Children’s Services, explained, in terms of changes of social worker, they had worked really hard over the last few years on a Workforce Strategy, although acknowledged changes in social worker had been a problem for families, and undermined the excellent work that they wanted to do. She noted that the Workforce Strategy report would go to Scrutiny Committee in December, and hoped they would see a difference and that vacancy rates were reducing, although acknowledging the work remaining to do. The Director of Children’s Services brought to CPB’s attention the proposal at paragraph 3.6, which was agreed by CPB, and reflected  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

To receive an update about the recruitment and retention of foster carers, with a particular focus on adopting the Foster Carers Charter and Eliminate Profit Policy impacts.

The Head of Service Family Support & Accommodation began by explaining that the purpose of the report was to provide an update to Corporate Parenting Board (CPB) about the recruitment and retention of foster carers, with a particular focus on adopting the Foster Carers Charter and the impacts of the Eliminate Profit Policy. The Head of Service Family Support took CPB through the report starting as Section 3, the reasons for the recommendation, before moving on to Section 4, the background. With the aid of a PowerPoint Presentation, the Head of Service Family Support & Accommodation, Regional Recruitment and Retention Officer and Regional Development Manager, took CPB through the Foster Wales RCT Update, which included the following sections on Eliminate Profit Preparation, Recruitment of Foster Carers across RCT, National Campaigns, Retention of Foster Carers and Adopting the Foster Carers Charter, highlighting in particular Corporate Parenting’s Commitment. The Head of Service Family Support & Accommodation finished by taking CPB through the Conclusions, at section 9 of the report.

The Chair thanked the Officers for the work they were doing, and for taking CPB through the report and presentation, and acknowledged that a lot of information had been provided, which CPB would find useful in what was such an important area. It was recognised that if Foster Carers/Foster Families felt adequately supported, the outcomes would be all the better for the young people in their care.

A Member thanked the Officers for their presentations, and recognised they were committed members of staff and it showed in the reports. The Member sought clarification around parent and child fostering.

The Head of Service Family Support & Accommodation provided a comprehensive

response around parent and child foster placements.

A Member stated they were committed to the Charter, recognising the hard work staff were doing behind the charter. The Member acknowledged the amazing work of the parent and baby fosterers, noting that they went above and beyond. The Member asked that upcoming events be shared with the Cabinet Office, to be shared with all Councillors, who were all Corporate Parents.

Following consideration of the report, Corporate Parenting Board RESOLVED

1.     to note for information the impact on adopting the Foster Carers Charter to practise change and the improvement in Foster Carers positive experience and retention.

to consider the need to adapt and invest in our Foster service to meet the future needs of a fostering service in a not for profit market.

“That the press and public be excluded from the meeting under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972 (as amended) for the next item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 13 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Act.”

It was RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act (as amended) for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of the exempt information as defined in paragraph 14 of Part 4 of the Schedule 12A of the Act.

To receive an overview of the operation and effectiveness of the statutory Social Services complaints procedure.

The Service Improvement, Engagement & Complaints Manager provided the Corporate Parenting Board with an overview of the operation of effectiveness of the statutory Social Services complaints procedure between 1^st April 2024 – 30^th September 2024.

The report contained information on the number of complaints received, the nature of the complaints and any lessons learnt, as well as detailing Councillor, A.M and M.P enquiries and the number of complaints received.

Following consideration of the report, which contained exempt information, Corporate Parenting Board RESOLVED

1.     to note the contents of the report and the work undertaken by the Complaints Unit.

To receive an update on the Regulation 73 visits and the current position within RCT’s Residential Children’s Homes and Respite Service.

The Director of Children’s Services provided the Board with an update on the monitoring carried out under Regulation 73 of the Regulation and Inspection (Wales) Act 2016.

The report outlined the current position within children’s residential homes and residential short breaks services for disabled children.

Following consideration of the report, which contained exempt information, Corporate Parenting Board RESOLVED

1.       to note the contents of the Report.

To receive an update in relation to the Children Looked After: Residential Care Strategy 2022 – 2027.

The Director of Children’s Services provided the Corporate Parenting Board with information about children in settings known as Operating without Registration (OWR), and Children’s Services plans for supporting those children, and ending those arrangements.

Following consideration of the report, which contained exempt information, Corporate Parenting Board RESOLVED

1.     to acknowledge the information contained within the report; and

2.     to receive subsequent reports until such time as there are no OWR situations for Rhondda Cynon Taf looked after young people.