Local democracy

Agenda item

THE PARTICIPATION OF CHILDREN IN THEIR REVIEW MEETINGS

Young people at the Corporate Parenting Panel asked for assurance about whether when children did not attend their reviews their voice was accurately reflected and the review was done with someone who had knowledge of their care plan.  The Assistant Director (Children’s Social Care Improvement) will submit a report (Document “R”) which addresses the questions raised and provides assurance.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       To endorse the findings in this report and to be satisfied that      Bradford IRO’s are committed and ensuring action to maximise             child participation within reviews.

 

(2)       That the findings evidence that the children’s views presented via        PN6 code are accurate and checked.

 

(Imran Cheema – 01274 434530)

Minutes:

Young people at the Corporate Parenting Panel asked for assurance about whether when children did not attend their reviews their voice was accurately reflected and the review was done with someone who had knowledge of their care plan.  The Assistant Director (Children’s Social Care Improvement)  submitted a report (Document “R”) which addressed the questions raised and provided assurance.

 

It was reported that:

 

·         Children participated in their reviews by a variety of different methods. Children choose different methods and people to express and communicate their wishes and feelings.

·         If a child chooses not to attend a meeting and present their wishes and feelings via an advocate or professional this did not mean that they never attend their review meeting- the report showed that most children did attend some meetings

·         IRO’s (Independent Reviewing Officer) were proactive in seeking out communication and visiting children who did not attend their review meetings to ensure that they were kept informed of any changes to their care plan.

·         Key professionals such as social workers and foster carers were also instrumental in achieving the voice of the child and supporting IRO’s to communicate outcomes from review meetings.

·         Reasonable explanations had been provided in situations where there had been no communication between the child and the IRO.

·         This audit exercise had evidenced that IRO’s did not just accept how children felt or their opinions via third-party but face-to-face meeting and communication was common practice to ensure that the views presented were indeed the views of the child.

 

Members commented on a number of issues which included:

 

·         Concerned that some of the actions listed at paragraph 6 of the report should have been undertaken by a social worker rather than the IRO.

·         Some of the actions listed at paragraph 6 needed further examination as to why the actions were not being picked up by social workers.

·         Information provided to young people in the form of reports, minutes etc should be child friendly.

·         It should be mandatory that the IRO visits the child before a review meeting took place.

 

In response to the comments raised by Members it was reported that:

 

·         Some of the actions listed in paragraph 6 of the report were isolated incidents and did not indicate that key teams were not doing what they should be doing.

·         It may be that some children felt it was more appropriate to ask the IRO rather than a social worker.

·         Making reports/information child friendly would be looked into and would be undertaken in consultation with Children in Care Council.

·         IRO’s visiting a child before a review meeting took place would be looked into.

 

A Member of the Children in Care Council stated they felt a bit more reassured that the views of the child were represented accurately.

 

Resolved-

 

(1)       That consideration be given to the Independent Reviewing Officer undertaking a visit to meet the young person (Looked After) before a Review meeting took place.

 

(2)       That the Independent Reviewing Offices Service looks at models of child/family friendly presentations of Review minutes.

 

(3)       That further information be provided to Members on the points raised at Section 6 of the report in particular as to why some of the points were not raised with Social Workers.

 

Action:           Assistant Director, Children’s Social Care Improvement

 

                                                           

Supporting documents: