Minutes:
The Panel received a presentation from Dawn Wilson, Senior Commissioning Officer, on Regulation 44 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 (for copy of presentation see file of minutes). The Senior Commissioning Officer informed the Panel that from April 2018, independent visits will be undertaken by Commissioning Officers. The names of the Commissioning Officers will be circulated to Members with a schedule of visits. Members will be consulted on convenient dates. No Member visits will take place in April. Existing pairings with homes will be maintained for the next six months to maintain continuity. Members agreed to provide profiles to share with the homes and the Senior Partnership Officer will source member photos for inclusion. The Senior Commissioning Officer assured the Panel that the Commissioning Officers have received full training on the regulations and they have a vast experience of monitoring and inspection of Children’s Homes. A consistent approach to Regulation 44 reports will be undertaken with the new template providing guidance throughout.
Going forward, Members requested clarification on their role in the Regulation 44 visits.