Issue - meetings

To receive the annual report from the Director of Children’s Services on Children in Care.

The Board received a report from the Director of Children’s Services providing an overview of the progress of the services provided by Hampshire’s Children’s Services to children in care.

The Board received an overview of the children in care population, the structure of the Children in Care Teams, the Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) received through the national dispersal scheme and placement stability.

In addition to the above members noted the progress made in relation to reunification and the modernising placements programme, alongside the efforts made to increase participation.

As a result of questions members heard that;

·         All placements, including reunification, are considered with the best interests of the child at the forefront.

·         Hampshire’s Approach is strength based and allows the family’s whole network to be explored. The assessment documents have also been looked at to ensure they meet this aim.

·         There has been an increase in the number of children in care but this trend is in line with the national average. There has been a significant increase due to the (UASC).

·         Young people are placed out of County when there is a clear need to do so and the department has started to recruit and train Social Workers outside of Hampshire to meet this need.

RESOLVED:

That the Corporate Parenting Board supports the priority areas for Children’s Services, Children in Care Teams as being:

• Improving the timeliness of all Health Assessments
• Increasing the number of children who can safely be reunified to the care of family
• Increasing the number of children who are cared for by family and friends via Special Guardianship Orders
• Having a greater understanding of the emotional and wellbeing needs of children in care and ensuring timely access to support