To receive apologies for absence

Apologies were received from Councillors Graham Andrews and Jim Kenyon and from Mr Sam Pratley.

Apologies were noted from Councillor Diana Toynbee, cabinet member for children and family services and Cath Knowles, interim director of children and families.

Councillor Toni Fagan and Mr Andy James were not able to attend the meeting in person. They joined the meeting by remote video link but did not vote on any resolutions of the committee.

To receive details of members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a member of the committee.

There were no named substitutes.

To receive declarations of interest in respect of Schedule 1, Schedule 2 or Other Interests from members of the committee in respect of items on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting on 5 August 2021.

The chair explained that additional comments had been received from a member of the public in relation to the minutes of 1 June. It was accepted that it was important to compare Herefordshire to its statistical neighbours and noted that Herefordshire's LAC rate was twice that of 'statistical neighbour' Cornwall, 88:10,000 and 44:10,000 respectively.

The minutes of the meeting of the 5 August would be amended as follows in relation to the discussion of the minutes of 1 June:

‘Under item 8 the minutes recorded in the first bullet point that “The number of children in care in the county was slightly higher than in statistical neighbours but there could be many different reasons for this”. This had been challenged by a member of the public who felt highlighted that the difference in figures for Herefordshire from comparator authorities statistical neighbours was significant.’

With this point noted, it was resolved that the minutes of 5 August 2021 be approved and signed by the chairperson.

It was noted that the clerk to the committee would set up a separate ‘action tracker’ to record progress on agreed committee actions over time and added in addition to the minutes from after the next meeting of the committee.

To receive any written questions from members of the public.

Deadline for receipt of questions is 5:00pm on Wednesday 1 September 2021.

Accepted questions and answers will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting. Please submit questions to: councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk. 

Further information and guidance is available at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/getinvolved

The question and response are attached as appendix 1 to the minutes.

To receive any written questions from members of the council.

Deadline for receipt of questions is 5:00pm on Wednesday 1 September 2021.

Accepted questions and answers will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting. Please submit questions to: councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk. 

There were no questions from councillors.

To update the committee on progress concerning the Children’s Services Improvement journey.

The chairperson agreed that this item be taken ahead of the other substantive items on the agenda due to the availability of presenting officers.

The committee considered the report by the interim director for children and families. The report was presented by the Interim Assistant Director for MASH CIN CP and the Interim Assistant Director Quality Assurance Safeguarding and Partnerships.

In response to concerns regarding the wellbeing of staff and avenues for support, including outside of line management arrangements, officers outlined the role of the principal social worker, the whistleblowing process and planned team away days.

The committee received an update on progress with case audits and noted the emerging themes, support and training for social workers and timescales for completion of the work.

The recommendations below were proposed and seconded and carried unanimously.

That the committee having reviewed and noted the directors update report makes the following recommendations:

a)               That progress on development with heat maps be shared with the committee by 23 November 2021;

b)               That development sessions include members of children’s services legal team as well as social workers;

c)               That the committee review all the challenges identified in the report with a view to identifying areas where scrutiny can contribute;

d)               That examples of audit documentation be shared with the committee by 23 November 2021;

e)               That a link to relevant information on the council website be provided to the committee;

f)                That the voice of the staff be captured in an appropriate form as evidence for external review and the scrutiny committee.

Mr Andy James left the meeting at the conclusion of this item.

The committee adjourned at 16:15 and resumed at 16:25.

To update the committee on the progress made on the Children’s Legal Team Improvement Plan since the last report on 20 May 2021.

The committee considered the report which was introduced by the acting deputy chief executive – solicitor to the council.

The committee queried the numbers of cases under the Human Rights Act and whether training was required.

The committee received an update on the staffing structure in and progress on recruitment to the children’s services legal team. The challenges of recruiting permanent staff were noted.

The committee reflected on the Internal Escalation Procedure for Managing

Disagreements on Case Planning for Children and Young People and queried the support available to senior officers when considering potentially very difficult decisions. It was suggested that the process be reviewed in relation to the criteria under which a second opinion should be sought.

The ability of councillors to call in decisions was noted. It was felt that training was required to give councillors the confidence to initiate the call in procedure.

In answer to the chair’s question on progress in adding a new standing co-optee to the committee as already agreed, the acting deputy chief executive advised that an advert was expected to be placed soon and that agreement to add to the standing co-optee list would be put to the full council meeting on the 8th October for formal confirmation.  

Actions arising:

·        The solicitor to the council to check and confirm if the Human Rights Act is highlighted as a workshop requirement for social workers;

·        The solicitor to the council to provide an example of an induction pack for new starters.

The recommendations below were proposed and seconded and carried unanimously.

a)               The committee notes the progress made to date and the plan to continue with improvements in the Children’s Legal Team;

b)               Further updates on the legal team improvement plan be presented to the committee bi-monthly, with evidence in the next meeting (23 November 2021) on the service level agreement, knowledge and understanding of when to access legal services by middle managers

c)               Add more clarity on the status of HRA cases and include evidence of training / workshops of areas of concern;

d)               Post court proceedings meetings be required rather than optional (Q7 in Children’s Legal Team Improvement Plan relates);

e)               A review of the escalation process be undertaken in relation to decision making by senior officers within the escalation process and support for them, including the criteria under which a second opinion is sought;

f)                Training be provided to councillors to help them be confident in instigating the call in procedure

To review the attached work programme for 2021/22 and responses to recommendations previously made by the committee.

The committee considered the recommendation tracker and work programme which were attached as appendices to the agenda paper. Potential additional items were discussed and it was noted that a work programming session would be scheduled after Council had agreed the new scrutiny structures as part of the re-thinking governance project.

Actions arising:

·        The clerk to the committee to seek an update on the schools update briefing promised on 28 July 2020.

The committee

a)               Notes the updated recommendation tracker in appendix 1; and

b)               Agrees the work programme at appendix 2 with the following amendments:

                                  i.          A report on health and wellbeing be scheduled for the December meeting, to include mental health in schools

                                 ii.          A report on holiday activities provided by schools during covid be scheduled for the December meeting, with a focus on contextual safeguarding

Tuesday 12 October 2021 at 2:30pm

The date of the next meeting was noted as Tuesday 12 October 2021 at 2:30pm.