MEMORANDUM Date: May 2007

______

To:All Members of the Panel
Jane Pitman, Executive Member, Children’s Services)
John Harris, Ann Domeney,
Alan Dinning, Gill Jones,
Martin South, John Richards
Cc: All officers named for ‘actions’ / From:CountySecretary’s Department
Ask for:Neil Terry
Ext:25413
My ref:
Your ref:

CHILDREN’S SERVICES PANEL

9 MAY2007

M I N U T E S

ATTENDANCE
MEMBERS OF THE PANEL

D E Billing, R J Clarkson, P V Goggins, D W Hills, S M Holmes, S E Jones,

B J Lamb, A Lee, B Lee, J M Pitman, S Quilty (Chairman)

Non-Voting Member

D Williams

Others in Attendance

D E Lloyd

Upon consideration of the agenda for the Children’s Services Panel meeting on 9 May2007 as circulated, conclusions were reached and are recorded below:

Note: No conflicts of interest were declared by any member of the Panel in relation to the matters on which conclusions were reached at this meeting.

PART 1

ACTION
1. /

MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting held on the 22 March were agreed as an accurate record.
The Panel suggested that a meeting take place between the Chairman, Spokespersons and Lead Officer to consider the future work programme for the Children’s Services Panel. / JH
2. / EVERY IMPROVEMENT MATTERS: SUSTAINABLE IMPROVEMENT FOR CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE SERVICES
[Officer Contact:John Richards
(Tel: 01992 556943)
Ann Domeneyintroduced the Every Improvement Matters document which was produced as the CSF follow up to the APA submission and DfES letter. This has been developed to ensure that improvements in services to vulnerable children, children in need and looked after children will be realised.
Jonathan Fisher, Head of Placement and Provider Services and Alison Twynam, Head of Policy, Practice and Quality Assurance were introduced to the Panel. Jonathan and Alison explained their roles and highlighted their role in relation to Every Improvement Matters.
The Panel were informed that improvements have been achieved in critical areas.
Conclusion
The Panel requested the following additional information:
  • Monitoring information providing the number of initial and core assessments undertaken outside of prescribed timescales
  • A copy of the Quality Assurance System
  • Absence of pupils data for pupils from residential homes
The Panel endorsed Every Improvement Matters and requested quarterly updates in order to assess progress against targets. / AD
AD
AD
JH / AD
3. / REPORT OF THE CORPPORATE PARENTING GROUP
[Officer Contact: John Richards
(Tel: 01992 556943)
John Richardsdelivered a report providing details of the Annual Report of the Corporate Parenting Group (CPG).
The report considered the work of CPG and various reports submitted to, and considered by, CPG during the year 2006/07. It covered regulated services, education and health of looked after children, complaints and advocacy, the work of the Independent Review Team, care planning for children and consideration of the Green paper: Care Matters.
Conclusion
Further details were requested regarding the Education Fund.
The Panel thanked officers for the report and noted its content. / AD
4. / UPDATEONINTEGRATED LOCAL CHILDREN’S SERVICES
[Officer Contact: Alan Dinning, Deputy Director IntegratedChildren’s Services (CSF)
(Tel: 01992 588043)
Alan Dinning presented a ‘Project Plan for the Delivery of Integrated Children’s Services’ that had been to the Hertfordshire Children’s Trust Partnership Executive Group on the 29 March 2007.
Conclusion
The Panel noted the content of the report and asked officers to ensure that future reports to the HCTP Executive Group come to the Panel. / All
5. / HERTFORDSHIRE SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN BOARD BUSINESS PLAN & PROGRESS
[Officer Contact: Angela Hickin, Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board Manager
(Tel: 01992 555077)
Janis Lloyd, Independent Chair of Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board
A report was presented by Janis Lloyd updating the Panel on developments in relation to the Board and presenting the Business Plan.
The Panel were informed that Members of the HSCB should be Strategic Managers and therefore able to act on behalf of their agency.
The Board has been successful in developing:
  • a comprehensive training programme
  • improvements to Serious Case Reviews

Conclusion
The Panel noted the progress made by the Board to date.
6. / JOINT AREA INSPECTION - UPDATE
[Officer Contact: John Harris, Director of Children, Schools & Families
(Tel: 01992 555700)
Martin South, Head of Strategy Group (CSF)
(Tel: 01992 555792)
An oral update on the Joint Area Inspection was provided by John Harris and Martin South.
Conclusion
The Panel thanked officers for their update and noted its content.

Note: The next meeting of the Panel will take place onWednesday 12 July2007.

Andrew Laycock

County Secretary

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070509 Minutes