The Director of Legal and Governance will report the names of alternate Members who are attending the meeting in place of appointed Members.

(Members Code of Conduct – Part 4A of the Constitution)

To receive disclosures of interests from members and co-opted members on matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

Notes:

(1)       Members must consider their interests, and act according to the following:

(2)       Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member concerned or their spouse/partner.

(3)       Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them.  A failure to comply with these requirements is a criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. 

(4)       Officers must disclose interests in accordance with Council Standing Order 44.

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2024 be signed as a correct record.

(Kav Amrez / Louis Kingdom – 07929 070228 / 07890 416570)

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic Director or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

(Kav Amrez / Louis Kingdom – 07929 070228 / 07890 416570)

Any referrals that have been made to this Committee up to and including the date of publication of this agenda will be reported at the meeting.

The Director Children Services will submit a report (Document “F”). This third report to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee continues to build upon the progress reported in June 2022 and November 2023, following the six local recommendations from the National Independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel's May 2022 report. While last year's action plan provided a structured foundation, many areas of work have progressed through the efforts of the Case Review Sub Group and Oversight and Delivery Group under the BDSCP Governance. The Multi-Agency Improvement Development (MAID) Group supports these improvements, a forum of operational problem-solving with our partners, which has facilitated multi-agency collaboration and driven some key actions forward.

Recommended –

That the Committee note the update provided in report (Document “F”)

                                         (Darren Minton - darren.minton@bradford.gov.uk)

Resolved –

That this Committee requests that a report be presented to the Committee in 12 months, which is more outcome focused and also includes:

§  An Action Plan, with RAG, (Red, Amber, Green), rating;

§  The lived experience of those receiving such services.

To be actioned by – Strategic Director Children’s Services

                                         (Darren Minton – darren.minton@bradford.gov.uk)

The Director of Nursing and Quality for Bradford Health Care Partnership will submit a report (Document “G”) This which highlights the key aims, matters of legislation, the scope of the Children in Care and Care leavers’ team and compares the numbers of Children in Care per 10,000 with Bradford’s statistical neighbours. This report also provides some information about initial health assessments and review health assessments and provides some key areas of focus for 2023/24.

Recommended –

That members consider the report as detailed in report (Document “G”).

                                                   (Dr Catherine Murray - 01274 237523)

Resolved –

(1)  That the Committee requests the report appendix be sent to members of the Committee as soon as possible, in an accessible electronic format.

(2)  That this Committee recognises the progress being made and requests that a further report be presented in 12 months, to enable this Committee to keep an overview of this important area.

To be actioned by – Director of Nursing and Quality for Bradford Health Care Partnership

                                                   (catherine.murray@bradford.nhs.uk)

The Executive Director of the Bradford Children and Families Trust (BCFT) will submit a report (Document “H”) which will provide an update on the progress of the recommendations set out in the Placement and Sufficiency Strategy 2022-25 was presented to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee in November 2023, where it was resolved that a further progress report should be presented in 12 months to reflect the comments raised by members and to also specifically include:

·       The Placement and Sufficiency Strategy 2022-25

·       Feedback from foster carers and trend data in relation to the retention of foster carers

·       An update on fostering and adoption

Recommended –

That the report be noted.

                               (Patsy Burrows - patsy.burrows@bradfordcft.org.uk)

Resolved –

(1)  The Committee thanks officers for the work undertaken and requests that a further report be brought in 12 months, which should include feedback from foster carers and again trend data regarding, “leavers and starters”, balance.

(2)  The Committee also notes that the development of the Placement and Sufficiency Strategy should include engagement with this Committee, as strategy development is a function of Overview & Scrutiny.

(3)  That this Committee requests that the next strategy report includes and Action Plan.

To be actioned by – Chief Executive Officer Bradford Children and Families Trust

                               (Patsy Burrows – patsy.burrows@bradfordcft.org.uk)

The Executive Director of the Bradford Children and Families Trust (BCFT) will submit a report (Document “I”) which will provide a summary of progress made on delivery of the Supporting Families Programme and the associated early help system. Supporting Families is a national programme with a focus is on building resilience and improving outcomes with vulnerable children and families, as well as driving change across the early help system, to join up local services. This enables early identification of families in need and provides the right support, at the right time via the Early Help Assessment, which is the consistent assessment and planning tool across the partnership.

Recommended –

That the Committee,

1.    Considers the contents of the report as detailed in report (Document “I”)

2.    Endorses and supports the efforts in the key objective of increasing the number of children and families benefitting from the Early Help Assessment and Team Around the Family approach.

3.    Recognises the implications should government funding for the programme be reduced or withdrawn.

                                       (Susan Claydon - susan.claydon@bradfordcft.org.uk)

Resolved –

(1)  This Committee requests that a report be presented in 12 months which specifically focuses on:

§  Specific case studies setting out the nature of support available and how delivered;

§  Case studies of how families have been assisted as a result of the Supporting Families Programme;

§  Demonstrable outcomes.

To be actioned by – Chief Executive Officer Bradford Children’s and Families Trust

                                                   (susan.claydon@bradfordcft.org.uk)

The Chair of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee will submit a report (Document “J”) that includes the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme for 2024/25.

Recommended –

(1)  That members consider and comment on the areas of work included in the work programme.

(2)  That members discuss key areas of work, for the committee to consider.

(3)  That members consider any detailed scrutiny reviews that they may wish to conduct.

(Mustansir Butt - (01274) 432574)

Resolved –

That the Committee agreed to consider the use of small task and finish groups, to consider topics on the work programme.

To be actioned by – Overview & Scrutiny Lead.

                                                   (Mustansir Butt – 07582 101597)