Issue - meetings

(i)       to note the responses to members questions; and

(ii)      to otherwise endorse the recommendations for improvement as agreed by the relevant function.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Internal Auditor which presented an audit in relation to Out of Authority Placements which had been undertaken to ensure the system for commencing and reviewing out of authority placements was adequate, effective and consistently applied.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee review, discuss and comment on the issues raised within this report and the attached appendix.

In response to a question regarding the development of a Family Support Model, the Chief Officer – Integrated Children’s and Family Services advised that the Family Support Model looked at delivering early and preventative support to children and families through the establishment of four workstreams where they had identified test or change which were being presented to the Children’s Services Board and being incorporated into the revised Children’s Service Plan which would be reported to the Education and Children’s Services Committee on 21 March 2023.

In response to a question regarding the budget overspend and whether more focus was required on the actual children in placements, the Chief Officer – Integrated Children’s and Family Services advised that the number of Looked after Children had fallen over recent years and that there was close monitoring of each child in residential or day placements.  He further advised that external agencies often dictated the outcome for children therefore there would always be a vulnerability on the budget.

In response to a question regarding the breakdown of the Looked after Children information, the Chief Officer – Integrated Children’s and Family Services advised that the data was contained in the performance reports that were discussed at the Education and Children’s Services Committee.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note the responses to members questions; and

(ii)      to otherwise endorse the recommendations for improvement as agreed by the relevant function.