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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room, County Hall, Lewes. View directions

Contact: Hannah Matthews  01273 335138

Items
No. Item

11.

Minutes of the meeting held on 8 July 2016 pdf icon PDF 80 KB

Minutes:

11.1     RESOLVED to agree as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 8 July 2016.

12.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

12.1     Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Charles Clark.

13.

Exclusion of Press and Public

To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting for the next three agenda items on the grounds that if the public and press were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as specified in Category 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), namely information relating to any individual.

Minutes:

13.1     The Panel agreed to exclude the press and public for the next two agenda items on the basis that if they were present there would be disclosure to them of information considered to be exempt by virtue of Category 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), namely information relating to any individual.

14.

Ofsted Inspection reports for Hazel Lodge, Homefield Cottage, Lansdowne Secure Unit and The Bungalow, Sorrel Drive

Minutes:

14.1     The Panel considered interim reports received from Ofsted on the following services:

(a)  Hazel Lodge

(b)  Homefield Cottage

(c) Lansdowne Secure Unit

(d)  The Bungalow, Sorrel Drive

 

14.2     The Panel discussed the positive outcomes of the Ofsted reports.

 

14.3     RESOLVED to note the report.

 

15.

Children's Home Regulations 2015, Regulation 44: Inspection reports for May - August 2016

Additional documents:

Minutes:

15.1     The Panel considered Regulation 44 Reports for the period May to August 2016 for the following Children’s Homes:

 

(a) Acorns at Dorset Road

(b) Brodrick House

(c) Hazel Lodge

(d) Homefield Cottage

(e) Lansdowne Secure Unit

(f) The Bungalow, Sorrel Drive

 

15.2     Each Registered Homes Manager gave an oral update on activity at the home covering the period since the last Panel meeting.

 

15.3     The Panel RESOLVED to note the reports.

 

16.

Corporate Parenting Panel Terms of Reference and ways of working pdf icon PDF 39 KB

Report by the Director of Children’s Services

Minutes:

16.1     The Panel were informed about the proposed changes to the Corporate Parenting Panel’s (CPP) Terms of Reference as a result of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 which amended provisions for the inspection of Children’s Homes.

 

16.2     The Panel discussed the way in which the CPP works, focusing in particular on the regulation 44 reports. The Panel agreed that by receiving these reports on a monthly basis it would enable Members to read through thoroughly the reports and prepare questions ahead of the meeting. It was also agreed that, unless urgent, answers would then be provided at the meeting.

 

16.3     The Panel also discussed residential homes visits and agreed to continue with the current rota, although a level of flexibility would be applied in arranging these visits.

 

16.4     RESOLVED to note the report.

 

17.

Looked After Children Annual Report pdf icon PDF 309 KB

Report by Director of Children’s Services

Additional documents:

Minutes:

17.1     The Panel considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which provided an update on the annual performance of the Looked After Children’s service for 2015-16. It was explained that the national figures for 2016 had not yet been published and further comparison would be given at the next meeting of the CPP. Sally Carnie, Joint Head of LAC Services, highlighted in particular the LAC trend data and the number of children entering and leaving care for the period 2015-16; placement capacity within East Sussex and the South East as a whole; and the position of the dispersal scheme for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children.

 

17.2     The Panel discussed the use of agency residential placements; the number of approved adopters waiting to be matched; the number of LAC who have been convicted, reprimanded or issued final warnings; and the care leaver’s service.

 

17.3     RESOLVED to note the report.</AI7>

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18.

The Virtual School Annual Report including the use of Pupil Premium pdf icon PDF 464 KB

Report by Director of Children’s Services

Minutes:

18.1     The Panel considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which highlighted the work of the Virtual School for the period 2015-16 and the educational outcomes for LAC in East Sussex, and the use of Pupil Premium.

 

18.2     The Panel were informed of the work of the East Sussex Virtual School and its good practice (as recognised by the Department for Education); work experience placements and internships provided to Care Leavers by ESCC; inter-team working across the department with teams who work with, or make decisions that may impact on LAC; and the educational outcomes of ESCC LAC.

 

18.3     The Panel discussed the objectives for the 2016/17 year; and the use of Pupil Premium for those children who have been adopted.

 

18.4     RESOLVED to note the report.

 

19.

Looked After Children (LAC) Statistics pdf icon PDF 302 KB

Report by the Director of Children’s Services

Minutes:

19.1     The Panel considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which provided an update on Looked After Children (LAC) statistics.

 

19.2     The Panel were informed by Liz Rugg, Assistant Director, Early Help and Social Care that there has been a slight rise in LAC within East Sussex.  This rise includes an increase in the number of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) entering the system. The Panel were further advised that a high proportion of LAC are placed with East Sussex County Council approved foster carers, whilst the number of those in agency placements has decreased. The Assistant Director informed the Panel about the number of complaints received from East Sussex LAC during the last quarter and advised that these complaints have been investigated and dealt with appropriately.

 

19.3     RESOLVED to note the report.