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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Kennet Room - County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, BA14 8JN. View directions

Contact: Roger Bishton 

Items
No. Item

74.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from:

 

Cllr Mary Douglas

Cllr Anna Cuthbert

Cllr Chris Hurst

Cllr Deborah Halik

Cllr David Halik

Ms Tracy Cornelius

 

Cllr Cuthbert was substituted by Cllr James Sheppard

Cllr David Halik was substituted by Cllr Stewart Dobson

75.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

To approve and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 31st October 2017.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Resolved

 

To approve and sign the minutes of the Children’s Select Committee meeting held on 31st October 2017.

76.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

 

Minutes:

None.

77.

Chairman's Announcements

Minutes:

 

a)    Cabinet items

 

It was noted that on 30th January Cabinet would consider the following item:

 

-       School Admissions Policy 2019/2020

 

b)    Welcome to Alan Stubbersfield

 

The Chairman welcomed Alan Stubbersfield as the interim Director for Education and Skills.

78.

Public Participation

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

 

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the front of the agenda for any further clarification.

 

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution.

 

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on Tuesday 12th December in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm on Thursday 14th December. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

 

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

Minutes:

None.

79.

Corporate Parenting Panel Six-Month Update

An update to the Children’s Select Committee on the progress and achievements of the Corporate Parenting Panel is included. This fulfils the requirement to provide a six-monthly update to the committee on progress made against each of the panel’s strategic priorities.

 

A full annual report will be presented to Children’s Select at the end of the financial year. Members are asked to provide any comments or questions on the update.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Cllr Mayes introduced the six-monthly update to the committee on progress made against each of the panel’s strategic priorities.

 

The panel had noted that there was more work required on the monitoring of KPI’s. At present a dataset was provided for the panel, with an accompanying commentary from Martin Davis. It was hoped that the specific priorities agreed by the panel and assigned to each meeting would provide a clearer focus and allow for a “deeper dive” into the data.

 

The panel have nominated a councillor to act as lead member for each of the seven priorities. This lead councillor will meet regularly with relevant officers, scrutinise data and plans, and where appropriate meet with young people.

 

It was explained that at meetings of the Corporate Parenting Panel, members will focus on one individual strategic priority per meeting. At the meetings, the panel’s lead member for the priority will be introduced and asked to provide an update and information.

 

Resolved:

 

To note the sixth-month update from the Corporate Parenting Panel.

 

To note the progress made by the Corporate Parenting Panel.

 

To add Cllr Chris Devine to the Children in Care Leavers Rapid Scrutiny Exercise membership.

80.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Task Group Interim Report

The interim report of the CAMHS task group following its first initial scoping meeting on 22 November 2017 is included.

 

The report recommends that Children’s Select Committee ask the CAMHS task group to:

a)    Consider the governance arrangements for the recommissioned CAHMS service;

b)    Explore and understand the new CAHMS model in comparison to the existing model and consider the evidence base for any changes. Then where appropriate, make recommendations to support its implementation and effectiveness;

c)    Look at existing data and ensure that the new model’s performance will be robustly monitored and benchmarked against this by the council, partners and by the proposed future scrutiny exercise;

d)    Consider access and referral points within the new CAHMS model and, as appropriate, make recommendations to maximise take-up by children and young people in need of support.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Chairman of the task group, Cllr Phil Alford, introduced the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) task group’s interim report.

 

The task group had received a presentation on the ‘Progress in raising standards of mental health for children and young people in Wiltshire’. This presentation detailed the current landscape of CAMHS and what the re-commissioned CAMHS model hopes to achieve.

 

The task group felt that they needed to consider the entire CAMHS model and how it was delivered. In order to do this, they felt that the remit of their work should have a focus on governance.

 

It was noted that prevention was key in the consideration of CAMHS, and that accessing CAMHS services should be considered as a last resort. The task group would be looking holistically at early intervention to understand its context and where it will sit within the strategy.

 

Clarification was given that the reference to “part two” in the report was in regard to the second load of work for the task group, rather than information to be considered in private.

 

Task Group task group:

 

a)    Consider the governance arrangements for the recommissioned CAHMS service;

 

b)    Explore and understand the new CAHMS model in comparison to the existing model and consider the evidence base for any changes. Then where appropriate, make recommendations to support its implementation and effectiveness;

 

c)    Look at existing data and ensure that the new model’s performance will be robustly monitored and benchmarked against this by the council, partners and by the proposed future scrutiny exercise;

 

d)    Consider access and referral points within the new CAHMS model and, as appropriate, make recommendations to maximise take-up by children and young people in need of support;

 

e)    Investigate how the new CAMHS contract sits within the wider context of mental healthcare services.

 

f)     To perform a review of the performance of the recommissioned model with a focus on:

-       a reduction in hospital admissions for children and young people with mental health needs;

-       a reduction in self-harm;

-       a reduction in the prevalence of eating disorders among children and young people;

-       an improved uptake in young people accessing the service;

-       Any other indicators agreed by the task group through their work.

 

81.

Children’s Services Case Management System

A report is included which provides information on progress with the procurement and implementation of the new Children’s Services Case Management System (CMS).

 

The Children Services CMS programme of work commenced implementation in July 2017 following a 15-month procurement exercise for an integrated solution to replace up to five legacy databases. A phased approach across four phases was agreed. Phase 1 implementation has commenced with delivery planned for November 2018.

 

Members are asked to comment on the reported progress.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Cllr Laura Mayes introduced the report providing information on progress with the procurement and implementation of the new Children’s Services Case Management System (CMS).

 

The CMS Programme of work commenced implementation in July 2017 following a 15month procurement exercise for an integrated solution that would replace up to five legacy databases. Following procurement the contact was awarded to Liquidlogic to deliver a hosted solution in line with Children Services integrated working and provide a holistic view of the child and family.

 

A phased approach across four phases was agreed. Phase 1 implementation has commenced with delivery planned for November 2018.  Phase 1(a) of the implementation was currently scheduled to go live in spring 2019. The committee questioned whether the software to be used for CMS would be sufficiently futureproof. It was explained that as the CMS would be hosted by Liquidlogic it would also be maintained by them.

 

Resolved

 

To note the update provided on the Children’s Services Case Management System.

 

To receive an update on progress of the Children’s Services Case Management System in 12 months.

 

82.

DfE Changes - Update from Department for Education

A report by Terence Herbert, Corporate Director, is attached presenting an update on developments relating to children’s services arising from the Department for Education.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Alan Stubbersfield presented a report which provided an update on developments relating to children’s services arising from the Department for Education from October 2017 to December 2017 as follows:

 

·       Free early years entitlement for 2 year olds under Universal Credit

·       Eligibility for free school meals and the early years pupil premium under Universal Credit – consultation

·       Guidance on criminal record checks

·       Consultation on the regulatory framework for National Assessments

·       Elective Home Education

·       Academies Update

·       Relationships and Sex Education for the 21st Century

·       Technical education and apprenticeships: raising awareness

·       New NCS guidance for local authorities

·       Revised statutory guidance for transport to education and training for people aged 16 to 18

·       Guidance on statutory visits to children with special educational needs and disabilities or health conditions in long-term residential settings

·       Restraint and restrictive intervention: draft guidance

·       SEND – single route of redress national trial

·       Launch of the consultation on revisions to the 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' guidance and draft regulations

·       Child and family social work assessment and accreditation system

·       Safeguarding Strategy for Unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee children

·       Care of unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery

·       Reforms to National Referral Mechanism announced

·       Internet safety strategy - a consultation

·       Fostering judgement

·       Review of children and young people's mental health services: Phase one report

·       Post-custody young offender restrictions: guidance

·       ILACS frameworks published

 

Resolved

 

To note the update provided.

83.

Task Group Updates

A report by the Senior Scrutiny Officers providing an update on Task Group Activity since the last meeting is attached.

 

Also included is an update from the committee’s Education Transformation Board representative, Cllr Deborah Halik.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Resolved

 

To note the update report.

84.

Forward Work Programme

The Committee is asked to note the attached document showing the relevant items from the overview and scrutiny forward work programme plus relevant items on the current Cabinet work programme.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Resolved

 

To note the forward work programme.

85.

Date of Next Meeting

To note that the next scheduled meeting is due to be held on Tuesday 6th February at County Hall, Trowbridge, starting at 10.30am.

Minutes:

Noted as Tuesday 6th February 2018 at County Hall, Trowbridge, starting at 10.30am.

86.

Urgent Items

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

None.