Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hawkins, S Craig, Caffrey, Geddes, Thompson, McNally and Co-opted members Malcolm Brown and Sasha Ban.

The Committee is asked to approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on 3 December 2015

RESOLVED    -           The minutes of the meeting held on 3 December 2015 be

agreed as a correct record.

Report of Strategic Director, Care Wellbeing and Learning

The Committee received a presentation from the Gateshead Youth Assembly (GYA) Chair, Ewan Taws, and Secretary, Jake Guthrie.  It was noted that a weekend in November was used to plan priorities for the new year, which are;

·         Emotional wellbeing

·         Child Sexual Exploitation

·         Child poverty

·         Religious and racial harmony

·         Staying safe

In terms of emotional wellbeing, work is ongoing to reprint posters and develop myth buster factsheets.  Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) continues to be big news and will be included on the myth buster factsheets, police cadets will also be invited to deliver their CSE presentation to the GYA to inform members on the issue.  The GYA have been working with the North East Child Poverty Commission for three years and working with Gateshead Foodbank to provide Christmas presents and selection boxes to children and young people living in poverty.  Part of the GYA’s work this year will be to develop a poster around ‘what poverty looks like’, not just focused on financial poverty but also poverty of experience and opportunity, as poverty is often hidden it is important to raise awareness.  In addition, work will be held with schools to map what action they take to alleviate the effects of poverty on their students.

Speakers will be invited to address the GYA around religious and racial harmony, schools and youth clubs will be lobbied to follow suit.  In terms of the staying safe priority, a campaign will be developed around risks, personal safety and how young people can make others feel by their behaviour.

It was noted that the GYA only have limited time and money and therefore only five main priorities were identified, however a position statement was provided which shows what the GYA stands for and what it wants to achieve going forward.  It was confirmed that the group has become smaller as a lot of members have left, however the GYA continues to work on issues important to Gateshead and its young people.

It was queried why the group has lost members. It was confirmed that Valerie Ender, Youth Support Worker, now only works one day per week and the group has reduced to 24 from 62.  It was suggested that this may be due to Val being less able to engage fully with schools, therefore not as many new members are being recruited. 

It was questioned what funding avenues have been explored.  It was noted that numerous bids have been submitted and work continues to look for funding opportunities, however as this is a Gateshead charity opportunities are limited and aimed at national based organisations.

It was also questioned how young people outside of education are engaged with.  It was noted that a lot of awareness raising work is done through social media.

In terms of the position statement, clarification was sought on the rational around requesting the voting age to be lowered.  It was acknowledged that there will be a campaign for the voting age to be lowered to 16  ...  view the full minutes text for item F30

Report of Strategic Director, Care Wellbeing and Learning

The Committee took part in an evidence gathering session on the review of child protection in Gateshead.  The session was led by Yvonne Bartlett, Team Manager Referral and Assessment, and focused on one particular family, following the child and family’s journey through the system, from initial contact and referral to a (strategy discussion) and eventual section 47 Child Protection Enquiry.

If concerns about the welfare of a child are raised during a Child in Need Assessment (CiN) it would be decided whether a strategy meeting is required.  A strategy meeting will then be held within three working days, unless the case is complex.  The strategy meeting will be held between the social care, police, health and any other appropriate agencies.  The discussion will identify the level of risk and is an opportunity for agencies to share information they hold on the family.  Following this meeting, if concerns are substantiated the case will progress to a section 47 enquiry, if unsubstantiated the case will either be closed or will continue under CiN.

Sgt Andrea Hall gave a police perspective on the process.  A police officer from the Child Protection Unit will attend a strategy discussion, this will occasionally be done over the phone in emergency situations.  The role of the police officer during these discussions is to provide information on the family, including convictions, address history and will look at the information shared by other agencies present at the meeting.  The police will take the lead on an investigation if it is needed.  In some cases an urgent joint response is required.  During the strategy discussion it will be decided what not to share with the family, for example if certain information may jeopardise an investigation.

John Clark, local authority Solicitor, provided a legal overview of the process.  A solicitor would be called to join a strategy meeting, normally they would not have any information about the family, their role is to help assess risk and advise on the criteria for section 47 and how the case would fair if it went to court.  The strategy meeting would need to decide if the child had suffered significant harm or was likely to suffer significant harm due to the level of care provided to the child.

The Committee received information on a family where one child had suffered unexplained injuries, a decision was made that the children should be removed.  There are three routes to remove a child; through agreement with the parent (section 20), to house the child with another family member.  In this case the social worker must take care to ensure the parents are aware of what the agreement involves.  In Gateshead parents receive a proforma which spells out the issues around section 20 agreements, a mini booklet has also been developed which sets out the parent’s rights.  Alternatively, a child can also be removed through police protection under section 46 or an application can be made to court for an emergency protection order (section 44).  ...  view the full minutes text for item F31

Report of Strategic Director, Care Wellbeing and Learning

A report was presented confirming the previously agreed appointment of non-voting members to the Corporate Parenting OSC.  The Committee previously agreed to appoint representatives from various sectors; parent governor, foster carers association, third sector, The Gateshead Housing Company, a care leaver; and review the position 12 months after appointments.  It was noted that to date a care leaver has not been appointed, therefore work is ongoing to find another care leaver representative.  The Committee was asked to formally approve the current appointments for three years.

RESOLVED    -           (i)         That the Committee agreed the next steps outlined in

the report.

                                    (ii)        That the Committee agreed to a further review of these

arrangements in 12 months’ time.

Report of Strategic Director, Care Wellbeing and Learning

The Committee received a report outlining the inspections that were carried out in the autumn 2015 term.  It was noted that a new Ofsted framework has been implemented since September 2015,

During the autumn term three schools were inspected.  Ryton Junior School has now been judged as ‘good’, this school was previous rated as ‘inadequate’ and was in special measures, however the school has been supported in its improvement.  Ryton Infant School has been judges as ‘requires improvement’, this was due to the school going into the inspection with poor pupil performance data.  Sacred Heart RC Academy was previously judged as ‘requires improvement’ and has now been rated as ‘outstanding’.

It was reported that Ryton Infant and Ryton Junior Schools are currently developing a soft federation and appointing a single Headteacher from September 2016.  It was confirmed that a soft federation is the coming together of two schools who agree to work closely together under a memorandum of understanding.  This only stands for a couple of years before the schools must agree to separate or go to a hard federation, which means they will be locked together legally, this was previously known as an amalgamation.

It was noted that there are currently no inadequate schools, however two secondary schools; Thomas Hepburn Academy and Charles Thorp Academy, which have not been inspected since converting to Academy status.  Therefore, technically there are two schools without grading.

RESOLVED    -           That the Committee note the position of schools in relation to

Ofsted inspections.

The Chair confirmed that this would be the last meeting for co-opted members Malcolm Brown and Ray Tolley, as their term of office has ended.  The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, thanked them for their work on the Committee and wished them well for the future.