AGENDA ITEM: 6 Page nos. 5-9

Meeting Children Overview and Scrutiny

Committee Date

17 February 2005

Subject

Progress Report – Update on the Committee’s work programme (2004/05)

Report of

Scrutiny Manager

Summary

To report on the progress of the committee’s 2004/05 work programme.

Officer Contributors

None.

Status (public or exempt)

Public.

Wards affected

All.

Enclosures

Appendix 1: Children Overview and Scrutiny Progress Report (P7-9)

Contact for further information: Aysen Giritli, Scrutiny Team, Corporate Performance Office 0208 359 7030.

6 1. RECOMMENDATIONS

1.1 For the Committee to consider and discuss the progress report to date. 2. RELEVANT PREVIOUS DECISIONS

2.1 Children Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme (2004/05).

3. CORPORATE PRIORITIES AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS

3.1 The Corporate Plan describes its priorities and targets and how service areas deliver

them. The Children Overview & Scrutiny work programme was set with the consideration of these targets and the work programme was approved by Council in September 2004.

4. RISK MANAGEMENT ISSUES

4.1 None.

5. FINANCIAL, STAFFING, ICT AND PROPERTY IMPLICATIONS

5.1 None.

6. LEGAL ISSUES

6.1 None.

7. CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS

7.1 The role and terms of reference of all overview and scrutiny committees are contained within Part 2, Article 6 of the Constitution and the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules set out in Part 4 of the Constitution.

8. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

8.1 The committee’s work programme was approved by the Council in September 2004.

9. LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

9.1 None.

Legal: MB, SH:

7

7

Item 6, Appendix 1 - Children Overview and Scrutiny Committee Progress Schedule

Date/ Issue for

Scrutiny/Review

Scope and Purpose Timescale/Officer involved Completed / for completion (including timescale)

1. 1 September 2004 Briefings 2004/05 Scrutiny Work Programme

1. The function of Scrutiny 2. Briefing from the Head of Service on the service

remit, corporate and operational priorities, external factors affecting the service etc

3. Briefing on Development and Improvement

Statement (for further discussion at the next scheduled meeting)

4. 2004/05 Children Overview and Scrutiny Draft Work

Programme

Scrutiny Manager Head of Service Head of Service Scrutiny Manager

Completed

Completed

Completed

Completed

2. 28 September 2004 2004/05 Scrutiny Work Programme DIS

1. Spring DIS 2. Rota for the member visits to the Children’s home 3. Report on previous member visits/Standards and an

update on Children’s home

Divisional Managers Head of Service Scrutiny Manager Divisional Manager

Completed Completed –

That the Scrutiny member to contact HR regarding CRB checks and inform members before visits to the children’s homes takes place. Completed

Further action required – That at the next scheduled committee meeting a one hour member training session takes place • 1 member has had CRB check

3. 4 November 2004 Complaints Member training

1. Statutory Social Services Annual report for complaints 2. One hour training session on member visits to the Children’s homes.

Complaints team Divisional Manager for Looked After Children

• Further action required To report to the members every 6 months Completed –

That the Scrutiny member to contact HR regarding CRB checks and inform members before visits to the children’s homes takes place – • 2 members have had CRB

checks.

8

FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED 1) MI to provide each member with a copy of

the National Minimum Standards and Children’s Homes’ Regulations for each member of the committee – COMPLETED FEB 05

2) MI – to forward a list of dates for the Tuesday evening house meetings – COMPLETED FEB 05

3) AG to forward this list to the members of the committee to arrange a rota – COMPLETED FEB 05

4) AG/MI to arrange a list of dates for the visits to the children’s homes – COMPLETED FEB 05

5) AG to request the status of the CRB checks for the members of this committee and request an explanation of the delay in completing these dates and to obtain an estimate of the date of completion of the checks – COMPLETED FEB 05

6) AG to prepare a report from this committee to Cabinet on –

Its discussions at this meeting regarding the prospects for employment of looked after children moving into adulthood, both in Barnet and in the national context

The committee’s view that as the Corporate parent of looked after children, the council could implement schemes to offer them insight into work, and specifically should organise a ‘bring your child to work day’ for looked after children

That possibilities existed for the council to establish a flagship national scheme, similar to the senior managers’ GCSE mentoring scheme, that would offer assistance and even preferential treatment for the borough’s looked after children in applying for jobs and apprenticeships with the council (notwithstanding human rights, equal opportunities, employment and other legislation that might prevail); and that the cabinet should thus establish such a scheme.

9

Date/ Issue for Scrutiny/Review

Scope and Purpose Timescale/Officer involved Completed / for completion (including timescale)

4. 1 December 2004 CSCI Findings Hillingdon Ruling Member’s Item

1. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) findings 2. What impact had this had on Barnet? 3. How does the PCT intend to implement the National

Service Framework and what is the timetable?

Head of Service Head of Service PCT

Completed

Completed FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED

For the Children OSC to receive a progress report in June 2004.

5. January 2005

1. Children’s Service PMP Assistant Chief Executive Completed CRB update – 3 member have had CRB checks

5. 17 February 2005

1. Promoting the Health of Looked after Children 2. Visits to the Children’s Homes 3. Member visits – Rota 4. Children OSC – progress report

Divisional Manager for LAC Divisional Manager for LAC Scrutiny Manager Scrutiny Manager

6. 8 March 2005

1. That the Scrutiny Manager be instructed to request a report on the findings of the internal audit carried out on the Emergency, out of hours, Service

2. Housing of children and young people in Barnet

Internal Audit Housing

7. April 2005 (TBC) 1. The education of Looked After Children (as a possible cross-cutting theme), to include the number of looked after children in education and the mechanisms in place for monitoring their progress, location and educational attainment.

STANDING ITEMS DIS Service Performance. Twice a year (Autumn/Spring) Children OSC

Progress Schedule To update members on the Work Programme. Quarterly

Overview & Scrutiny Manager Performance

Management Plans (PMP)

The committee to scrutinise the PMPs for the services covered by this committee.

January/February 2005