Agenda item

The Panel considered the Performance Update report presented by Laura Malone, Strategy Team Leader for Children and Young People’s Services, which provided an overview of performance in relation to looked after children and care leavers during quarter three of 2020-21 (for copy see file of minutes).

The Strategy Team Leader highlighted the relatively stable number of children looked after, with the number of children leaving care reducing, due to delays caused by the pandemic. The figure for initial health assessments had reduced slightly during the quarter and work is being done with NHS colleagues to identify the cause for this issue.  Noting that the number of health assessments and dental checks had reduced during the period, the Strategy Team Leader pointed out that the pandemic had led to reduced access to these services.

The slightly lower number of young people in in-house foster care may also be a result of the pandemic, with foster carers exercising caution with regard to increasing their households during the lockdown periods.  The Strategy Team Leader commented that the number of children looked after reported missing represents a small proportion of the looked after population.

In response to a question from the Chair as to whether the number of missing incidents was a cause for concern, the Strategy Team Leader reassured the Panel that the number of missing incidents had remained relatively low during 2020-21, and, clarified that within the 45 missing incidents, some young people had gone missing on more than one occasion.  The Head of Children’s Social Care informed the Panel that a dedicated member of staff is now in post to provide a single point of contact to coordinate all the work on missing children and to provide young people with the opportunity to discuss their issues in respect of their return home, with an independent person.  This also assists the service to examine any emerging patterns and share intelligence with police colleagues, if necessary. 

Resolved:

That the report be noted.