1. Mrs
Whittle gave an oral update on the following issues:-
-
Ashley Serious Case
Review (a father was
convicted of manslaughter) – this
case highlighted issues around co-ordination and partnership
working, lack of follow-up and shortage of local Health
Visitors. There has been much progress
since the Ofsted inspection so these
issues have all been improved.
-
Adoption and Fostering
campaigns – websites have been
launched to compete with private sector adopters. Members are invited to visit the
websites.
-
Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Services (CAMHS) –
contracts with Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and Kent
Children’s Fund Network started on 1 September, and the two
bodies need to work together. Their performance on tackling waiting
lists will be closely monitored.
2. Mrs
Whittle and Ms MacNeil responded to
comments and questions from Members and the following points were
highlighted:-
a) Adopter
recruitment and allowances – this issue arises frequently
and concern is shared by other bodies. Means tested allowances are
available to help offset the costs of taking on children with
complex needs.
b)
Foster Recruitment - Kent has a good track record
for recruiting new Foster Carers to replace those who retire. And
exceeded the target for 2011/12; there are currently 800 Foster
Carers caring for 1,150 children. There
are some cross-border reciprocal arrangements with neighbouring
counties, which allows Kent to place a child as close to their
school and home as possible, even if not necessarily with a Kent
Foster Carer.
c)
Foster Carers’ Assessment – assessments
are very robust and include the home environment, health and safety
issues, etc, to determine a safe maximum capacity. Siblings can share a room but a foster child
should have their own room. If a foster
child and their siblings do not get on, a robust ‘speak
up’ system exists to listen to their views and resolve an
issue as soon as possible. Most things can be resolved but if not,
the foster child would be removed from the home.
3. The
Vice-Chairman placed on record her congratulations to Mrs Whittle
on how she had handled the Specialist Children’s portfolio
since taking it on. She had achieved outstanding work on huge and
complex national issues.
4. Mr
Ireland then gave an oral update on the following issues:-
-
Peer Safeguarding
Review – this will start on 24
September and last for 1 week, after which KCC will receive a
letter setting out the results of the review. He emphasised that a Peer Review is not the same
as an inspection. The review team is being led by high profile,
very experienced people. There is no cost to Kent of hosting the
review team, and staff time involved is minimal.
-
Joint protocol with Courts
on timescales – all partners
are in round- table discussions about protocols and staff training,
and early results from these discussions are expected. Good quality
preparation and reporting avoids the need for follow-up
hearings.
-
Adoption
progress – an Adoption
Improvement Board was established after the Ofsted inspection and has met twice so
far. It identified the need to speed up
placements once the adopter and the child have been approved and
are ready. An update report
on the Adoption service is made to every meeting of the Corporate
Parenting Panel, and the Vice-Chairman asked that all Cabinet
Committee Members be sent a copy of the report for the
Panel’s 20 September meeting.
- Social Worker Recruitment
campaign– the website has been updated and has new
links, egto social networking
sites, etc.