Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director of Children and Young Peoples Services and received a presentation from J Tyler, Strategic Manager, Children and Families South and East (for copies see file of minutes) which provided update on the work which was being undertaken within the Pre-birth Intervention Team.

The Strategic Manager confirmed that since the team had been re-established in May 2018, 9 children had  returned home to live with their parents on CP/CIN plan without legal intervention, 10 children had a plan of adoption and had been made subject to Placement Orders, 8 children had been securely placed with family or friends  via Special Guardianship Orders, 2 children had been adopted having been placed in foster to adopt placement, 1 child was in a foster to adopt placement and 11 children had been removed from parental care at birth and placed with possible long-term carers within 2 months of their birth.

In response to a question from Councillor Kennedy with regards to the transfer of information to other authorities when families moved out of area, the Strategic Manager confirmed that information was shared without delay.

Councillor Hall queried the trigger for referrals and queried whether all children were being identified.  The Strategic Manager confirmed that the Midwifery Service would make the referral to First Contact following the mother booking in.  The Head of Children’s Social Care confirmed that the midwife would know from medical records if a mother had given birth to a child before and would ask a series of questions to identify where the child lived.  The programme was approximately 20 weeks so as long as the mother was seen by week 20 of her pregnancy, the team would be able to offer full support.  The unborn child would be referred to the relevant Families First team if the pregnancy was beyond 20 weeks.

Councillor Hall queried care proceedings around children who were at risk and the Head of Children’s Social Care confirmed that care proceedings could not be instigated until a child was born and this was the fundamental reason this service was so important – there needed to be a robust plan in place prior to birth.

Councillor Hall queried what would happen if a mother had not engaged with the service at all and hidden their pregnancy and the Head of Children’s Social Care confirmed that the vast majority of mothers presented to hospital to give birth and if for some reason, a pregnancy had been hidden, intervention and support would be triggered following a delivery.

Councillor Kennedy commented that the Midwifery Service were not always hitting targets for the first appointment and scans and asked if this this could have an impact on the programme.  The Head of Children’s Social Care confirmed that as soon as an agency identified a concern, they would progress the referral to First Contact. If either parent had had a previous child permanently removed through care proceedings and the pregnancy was 20 weeks or less, the referral would progress to the Pre-Birth team. Otherwise the referral would progress to the relevant Families First team.

Councillor Kennedy asked if there was any possibility of a multi-agency database and the Head of Children’s Social Care confirmed that a shared information system across all agencies would not be feasible and therefore the service had to ensure partnerships and joint working with health services were strong. 

Councillor Hall queried the work with Barnardo’s and asked if it could be incorporated into the service plan.  The Strategic Manager explained that this was commissioned and funded through Adult services. The work required mothers of multiple children who had been permanently removed or adopted, to be willing to engage with the service post birth and confirmed that an update would be provided in 12 months. There had been noted benefits of the Pause Programme and there was exploration of how this support could be embedded into the Pre-Birth Service in the future.

Resolved

That the report and presentation be noted and an update be provided in a further 12 months.