To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Corporate Parenting Committeemeeting held on 24 October 2024.

The Minutes of the Corporate Parenting Committee held on the 24 October 2024 were approved as a correct record.

To receive additional items that the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

No items of urgent business had been received.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair congratulated officers for their recent Ofsted report and for receiving a rating of outstanding over six categories. He continued by thanking them for their continued hard work.

Thurrock Young Voices presented their report as set out in the Agenda. The

report updated members:

• A self-defence day was held in November, which was well attended and enjoyed by all. This class focused on how to defend against knife attacks.
• Four members of Thurrock Young Voices attended the young inspectors training. Following this the members are looking to inspect semi-independent placements with the Commissioning team. This would involve looking around the home placement, interviewing staff and the young people then reporting back to the Commissioning Team.
• It was observed how the young people had noticed those of them who are also parents were struggling to attend groups at the same time, due to limited childcare and their added responsibilities.
• Thurrock Young Voices had met with the Family Hubs to pitch the idea of the first Family Hubs first aid course for young parents, for them to discuss the next steps and what other courses could be run.

During questions from the committee, it was commented how it was a great idea to support young parents via the Family Hubs and enquired how the Council could further support the Family Hubs so these courses could continue. Members heard how a number of teams within the Looked After Team all worked together to ensure that young people, who were also parents received the right support for them.

It was highlighted that the young inspections had begun in early 2024, with the framework agreed and the Councils Young People receiving training in October 2024, Officers explained it was important that the views and voices of young people were taken into account during these inspections.

While summing up their report, members were informed the Thurrock Young Voices were looking forward to events throughout February and the participation of training with Officers. One of these included a workshop at Grange Waters for community safety.

Members thanked Thurrock Young Voices for their presentation and agreed

they were an inspiration to the Council.

Action – Members sought if Officers could produce communications to promote the Family Hubs and the services, they provided not just for all residents but also for our young people.

RESOLVED:

To note the update from Thurrock Young Voices.

The Head of Service for Children Looked After presented the report as set out in the agenda. Members were asked to note the following key points:

• The report focused on data for Quarter 1 which was April to June 2024, Quarter 2 July to September 2024 and the first month of October which would be Quarter 3.
• At the end of October 2024 there were 286 children looked after
• 266 young people aged 18 plus were receiving a service from the aftercare Team.
• The reduction in Children looked after numbers aligned with the success of early intervention and family support strategies which aimed to address challenges before, they became situations requiring formal care.
• Over the past 5 years the number of Children Looked After compared to the total youth Justice population has remained relatively stable and the timeliness of Social Work visits remains strong.
• There was currently has a higher proportion of Children looked after living at a distance compared to National and Regional Trends and teams were actively working to reduce these placements and bring children closer to their communities where possible.
• Strong contact had been maintained with care leavers age 19 to 21 and the Aftercare service continued to be an area of focus particularly to support young people into education employment and training.

Members noted and commented within the report it referred to 8 unaccompanied Asylum Seeker children who were no longer under the Councils Care. It was sought as to why this was. It was explained those 8 children had become care leavers and although they had left being cared for they had not left the care system and would receive support via the after care team.

It was explained when arriving in Thurrock any unaccompanied Asylum Seeker children would first have a health assessment and an age assessment depending on their age, a meeting with the Home Office may be required, however the team would assist and offer support through the whole process.

It was sought if there were any particular reasons why the Council was above the National average for Children being place over 20 miles from their family home. Officers explained, some children had complex needs and Thurrock was a small authority. Placements had to be what was best for the child or young person.

RESOLVED:

1. That members are sighted on the work undertaken in the service to ensure good and improved performance and areas for developments and challenge in CSC.

2. Members scrutinise the performance data and provide challenge to the service, relevant partners and corporately on how, as corporate parents we provide appropriate services, keep children and young people safe and promote good outcomes.

The Head Teacher for the virtual school presented the report as outlined in the agenda and the role of the service offered to Looked after Children by the Virtual School was explained.

During questions and discussions, the following points were raised:

• It was commented even if looked after children were placed outside of the borough their education was still observed by the Virtual School, although this could sometimes be slightly more challenging as there were sometimes conflicts over who the responsible local authority was should funding being required to support these children.
• The Committee were advise that the role of the virtual school was the advisory and the challenge, along with providing liaison and guidance with sometimes very practical help to ensure the need of the children attending the Virtual School were met. 
• Members heard how every term the young people attending the virtual school would share views and these were used to see how well they were working or if additional support was needed. It was highlighted the importance of including young people and their views within their education. It was important to include all feedback even if it could be negative.
• It was explained the virtual school head became a Statutory Duty in 2014 and the Department for Education had gradually over a number of years increased the role, meaning previously support was just for school age pupils it was now ages 3 to 18 years.

The Head Teacher for the virtual school was thanked for her report and the support her team gave Thurrock’s Looked after Children.

RESOLVED:

The Committee approves the Annual Report of the Virtual School Headteacher for the academic year 2023-2024 and uses this information to evaluate, scrutinise and, if appropriate, challenge the services that are provided.

The report was introduced by the Service Manager for Safeguarding and Reviewing during which the following was commented:

• This was the Annual IRO report for the period 1st of April 2023 to the 31st of March 2024 and met the statute requirements of the IRO handbook for the IRO manager to produce the report for scrutiny by the  corporate parenting committee
• The independent reviewing service or the IRO service has maintained stability throughout the reporting period and has been really fortunate there has been no personnel changes, which was believed to be the reason consistency had contributed to how the service operates.
• During the reporting period there was a 7.2% increase in the number of the reviews when compared to last year and despite this rise 98. 8% of the reviews were conducted within agreed time scales.
• This achievement really underscores a dedicated commitment and the efforts of the IRO who work alongside Social Workers Foster careers and young people to ensure that reviews happen within time scales 

During discussions the importance of the IROs was commented upon and their independence to the Childrens Team. This enabled young people within the Councils care to be able to speak freely and should improvements or changes be required the IRO had the powers to make these happen.

It was last sought as to how the RIO meetings would be held. Members heard the majority of these interviews would be held face-to-face however they would be young person lead as to how they would like to meet, should this be a virtual meeting, then that would be arranged. It was commented that the RIO would much rather have meetings attended to speak with the young people than to not to meet with them at all.

RESOLVED:

For the Corporate Parenting Committee to review and comment on the IRO Annual report 2023 - 2024 and the recommendations in the report.

The Head of YOS and Prevention introduced the report, during the following key points were raised:

• This report provided an overview of the safeguarding processes in place in relation to Children looked after when they were reported missing from their placements
• It detailed Children looked after who go missing and the nature of missing episodes along with the action taken by children's social care to safeguard children. Along with the aim to reduce the likelihood of further missing episodes
• The report also looked at the evolving way in which officers were listening and working with our young people with the return home interview team and this has evolved to reflect improved practice in our responses to young people going missing and receiving the return home interview
• It also highlighted breakdown of how effective officer responses had become by examining the data and how in turn this was supporting the gathering of information and sharing with relevant professionals

The Chair enquired as to how many looked after children had agreed to be part of the tag buddy scheme. It was confirmed no looked after children were part of this scheme. The committee were advised this was not a council run scheme but one by Essex police. 

Through questions from Members it was explained that a young person could be away from their placement or miss a curfew they were not deemed as missing or at risk as their location would be known by their social worker and in some cases even their foster carer. It wasn’t that the young person was missing, it could simply be they might not be happy in a placement and could be with friends. 

RESOLVED:

1. That members note the work undertaken to safeguard CLA when they are reported as missing from care and the continued work that is implemented, to understand the context around individual missing episodes, the work to reduce these wherever possible and improve the quality of the support and intervention provided.
2. Members scrutinise the data and provide challenge to the service as required on how as corporate parents we provide appropriate services, keep children and young people safe and promote good outcomes.

The Democratic Services Officer presented the work programme. She advised Members there was one meeting remaining for the municipal year.

The work programme was noted by the Committee.

A full recording of this meeting can be found from the following link - Thurrock Council - Corporate Parenting Committee, 21 January 2025