Agenda item

8.1

The Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families, submitted a report containing an annual review of the Independent Advocacy Service, Children in Care Council and Independent Visitor Service.

8.2

The report was supported by presentations from Becky Towle, Service Manager, Care Leavers, and Clare Humberstone, Children’s Involvement Team Manager, as follows:-

8.2.1

Care Leavers

(a)

Becky Towle commenced by referring to a definition of a care leaver, and reported on the various different categories of care leavers, together with the Local Authority’s responsibilities to such people.  She reported that, at the present time, there were 324 care leavers in Sheffield, 300 of whom were still in touch with the Authority.  Ms Towle referred to the issues in terms of young people leaving care, and moving to independence, and reported on the various health issues surrounding care leavers and on the transition of care leavers from Not Engaged in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) to  Engaged in Education, Employment and Training (EET).  Specific reference was made to the educational achievement of children in care, in 2015, which highlighted the fact that whilst the attainment gap between this cohort and the whole City had narrowed since 2014, it still remained a significant difference.  Ms Towle reported on the various activities and initiatives care leavers could become involved in, referring specifically to the Care Leavers Council.

(b)

In response a question from a Member of the Committee, with regard to young people who chose to remain with their foster carers after the age of 18 (“Staying Put”), Ms Towle commented that although the Council’s involvement with the carers would not be as detailed, in terms of training requirements and other issues, the Service would still provide a level of support for the foster carers.

8.2.2

Children in Care Council and Independent Advocacy Service

(a)

Clare Humberstone reported on the work undertaken by the Children’s Involvement Team, during the last year, referring specifically to the Children in Care Council.  She reported that the Council had now been running for a year, with an entirely new group, comprising eight members.  The Council had drawn up a Work Plan for the year, and the first topic had been improving their relationship with Social Workers.  The Council had arranged an event ‘Let’s Talk About Social Workers’ to showcase its work and ideas, and get sign-up from Councillors and Council officers from the City Council’s Corporate Parenting Board, to take it forward.  Reference was made to the Council’s hopes for the year ahead, which included designing and launching its own website, with Facebook and Twitter accounts, developing the work undertaken around Social Workers into training and practice, and moving on to its next two topics, which would include looking at their money and how it was spent, and foster and residential placements.

Ms Humberstone also reported on the Advocacy Service for children and young people in care and the Independent Visitor Scheme.  She stated that the Advocacy Service had been available since April 2015, and comprised issue-based advocacy, which included instructed and non-instructed advocacy.  The Team aimed to ensure that children and young people’s wishes, views and feelings were heard and considered in important decisions about their lives, and that from April 2015 to date, the Team had received 37 referrals, with 11 currently open.  Reference was made to statistical information with regard to the age of children and young people requesting an advocate, referral routes and advocacy issues.  Ms Humberstone reported on the position with regard to Independent Visitors who, after being matched with a child or young person, would visit them on a regular basis, with the aim of establishing a consistent and positive adult-child relationship.  It was reported that 16 matches had been made, and 15 young people were waiting for a match.  13 volunteers had undertaken two days of training and were part-way through the recruitment process, awaiting interview and DBS checks before they would be matched with young people. 

8.3

In response to questions from Members of the Committee, it was stated that the age range of the children the Team worked with depended on the referrals its received, although the Team did provide for children from the age of five years old.  The Children in Care Council did influence service design, with one example of this being that they had designed a booklet – to be filled in by social workers, and taken to the first meeting with the young person.  Also, a number of issues raised by the young people were being discussed by the User Voice Group chaired by the Principal Social Worker. 

8.4

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       notes the contents of the report now submitted, together with the information reported as part of the presentation and the responses to the questions raised; and

(b)       thanks Becky Towle and Clare Humberstone for attending the meeting, making the presentations and responding to the questions raised.