Agenda and minutes

29.1     RESOLVED to agree as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2018.

30.1     Apologies were received from Councillor’s Colin Swansborough and Chris Dowling. It was noted that Councillor Colin Belsey was substituting for Councillor Dowling.     

Disclosure by all members present of personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the member regards the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct.

31.1     Councillor Belsey declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in item 9 (see minute 36) on the agenda. Councillor Belsey is a trustee of the YMCA, Eastbourne and Wealden.

To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting for the next two 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.

32.1     The Panel agreed to exclude the press and public for the next three 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.

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

(a) Homefield Cottage; and

(b) Lansdowne Secure Unit.

33.2     The Panel discussed the use of sanctions and their effectiveness in changing a child’s behaviour; as well as the way in which records of restraint are documented.

33.3     The Panel welcomed the positive outcomes of the Ofsted reports and praised the hard work of the staff.

26.3     RESOLVED to:          

1) note the reports; and

2) request that the Panel are provided with the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) report of Lansdowne Secure Unit.

34.1     The Panel considered Regulation 44 Reports for the period December 2017 to February 2018 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

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

34.3     The Panel discussed the challenging behaviours faced by some of the young people in the homes and how this is dealt with through the Youth Offending Team and Police Community Support Officers. The Panel were advised that local police officers have been to the homes on occasions to give talks to the young people concerning safety and risk.

34.4     The Panel praised the hard work of the staff and RHMs within each of the homes.

34.5     RESOLVED to note the reports.

Report by the Director of Children’s Services.

35.1     The Panel considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which presented an update on the Vulnerable Young People’s Housing and Accommodation Project. This project was launched in June 2017, with an aim to improve outcomes for vulnerable young people and care leavers by moving away from the ongoing use of Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodation.

35.2     The Panel were advised that since launching the project no care leavers under 18 years old have been placed in B&B accommodation, there has also been a 95% reduction in the number of 16/17 year old homeless young people using B&Bs in 2017/18 as compared to 2016/17 and duration has also been reduced. This has been achieved through the use of ‘crash pads’, increased supported lodgings providers and supported housing options. The department is also working to establish ‘staying close’ support in the locality of Registered Children’s Homes which will focus on young people leaving residential care.

35.3     The Panel discussed the range of accommodation available to care leavers and considered how these options may be matched to an individual. Liz Rugg, Assistant Director, Early Help and Social Care advised the Panel that the Department are working with District and Borough Councils to increase the types of provision available to care leavers and homeless young people which will meet their needs and support them with living independently.

35.4     The Panel praised the hard work of the Department and noted the success of the project.

35.5     RESOLVED to note the contents of the report.

Report by the Director of Children’s Services.

36.1     The Panel received a report and presentation from Dr Susan Leather, the Designated Doctor for Looked After Children (LAC). The report identified the health needs of children and young people coming into care and the way in which these needs are managed. The Local Authority have a duty of care under section 22(3)(a) of the Children Act 1989 to safeguard and promote the welfare of LAC. This includes the physical, emotional and mental health of a young person.

36.2     The Panel were informed of the statutory guidance ‘Promoting the health and well-being of looked after children’ 2015 which sets out the major role the NHS has to ensure the effective delivery of health services to LAC. In April 2017, East Sussex Health Care Trust (ESHT) took on responsibility for providing LAC health services. In doing so, experienced Community Paediatricians have been employed to undertake initial health assessments and provide Named Doctor LAC and Designated Doctor LAC roles. The quality of reports and medical advice has been consistently good since ESHT started the contract.

36.3     The Panel discussed the launch of both a Strategic and an Operational Health of Looked After Children Forum and the benefits both of these forums bring to the service, namely improving and monitoring the health outcomes for LAC and young people. The Panel also discussed access to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) for Looked After Children and whether any priority was given to this vulnerable group of children.

36.4     RESOLVED to:           1) note the challenges with meeting statutory timescales and related requirements and the progress that is being made; and to note the increasingly collaborative work on improving pathways and communication between ESCC and ESHT Looked After Children’s medical and nursing services; and

                                                2) note the launch of a Strategic Health of Looked After Children’s Forum and the further development of an Operational Health of Looked After Children’s Forum.

Report by Director of Children's Services.

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

37.2     The Panel were informed by Liz Rugg, Assistant Director, Early Help and Social Care about the rise in the number of East Sussex LAC since the last quarter. The Department are working to identify the underlying reasons for this rise and will report back to the Panel at its next meeting on 27 July 2018.

37.3     The Panel discussed the number of young people who were remanded to custody for serious criminal offences. These young people attain LAC status by virtue of being remanded which has therefore caused part of the rise in the number of LAC in East Sussex.

37.4     RESOLVED to:           1) note the contents of the report; and

2) request that an update on the rise in LAC numbers is brought to the next meeting of the CPP.