Agenda item

A report from the Corporate Director for Children and Education outlining the work being undertaken to prevent children and young people from entering the care system and assisting with a return home where appropriate.

This report was requested by the Committee at its September meeting. Members are asked to note the contents of the report. If there are particular areas of interest, members may wish to refer these to the Placements for LAC Task Group, who undertake more detailed work on all issues affecting looked after children in Wiltshire.

Consideration was given to a report by Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director which outlined the work being undertaken to prevent children and young people from entering the care system and assisting with a return home where appropriate.

The Chairman reported that following the Committee’s response to the 11 to 19 Commissioning Strategy consultation, as agreed at its meeting on 22 July 2011, Cllr Mary Douglas had noticed that a point she had raised at the meeting had not been recorded in the minutes.  However, the missing point was added to the Committee’s response to the consultation which was to highlight Corporate Priority No 6 within the Strategy, which was “To reduce the number of young people who are unable to live with their families i.e. numbers of 13 to 18s in care.”

It was noted that the number of children in care had peaked at 404 in July 2011 but had since declined somewhat each month to current total of 383.   The Committee members were informed that work was regularly undertaken to understand trends and patterns and the reasons why children and young people entered care.  This work included:-

·                An audit of all children and young people who came into the care system for the six month period from December 2010 to June 2011.

·                An audit of a sample of cases where children and young people were looked after under Section 20 (voluntarily accommodated) rather than through Care Orders.

Both these audits found that there were two main groups of children and young people entering the care system, being:-

·                Under 3 year olds where there were child protection concerns.

·                Over 13 year olds where relationships within the family had broken down.

Final reports on the two audits would be presented to the Children in Care Commissioning Group in December 2011 whose recommendations would inform the final Children in Care Commissioning Strategy for 2012 to 2015.

As part of the review of the Children in Care Commissioning Strategy, work was also being undertaken on a detailed analysis of historic patterns and trends on children in care placements to ensure that any change to anticipated demand was picked up early.

During October, Wiltshire became one of 50 local authorities in the second phase of the national Community Budgets pilots focusing on families with multiple needs.  The scope of the project was being finalised but it would include a focus on increasing the number of children and young people remaining with their families.  The project would have a multi-agency focus, including links with adult services, particularly around substance misusing parents and those with mental health problems, and also have a particular focus on earlier intervention.   

During discussion, Members recognised the amount of excellent work that was being undertaken and expressed their appreciation.  

However, it was noted that there was no mention of work being undertaken with the voluntary sector.  It was explained that there was close collaboration with the Voluntary Sector Forum, including participation in Action for Children, a national charity which supported and spoke out for the UK’s most vulnerable and neglected children and young people. 

Members enquired as to the number of children and young people requiring placements as Looked After Children and also the numbers being placed outside Wiltshire.   It was noted that the Placements for Looked After Children (LAC) Task Group was currently considering the draft Children in Care Commissioning Strategy which would include numbers in care and would submit their report to this Committee in due course.

Resolved:

To note the contents of the report.