Cyflwynwyd gan:Cyng / Cllr Dilwyn Morgan
Decision:
To accept and
note the information in the report and to request the Directors to raise the
matter of attendance by the Police at case scenarios at the North Wales Safety
Partnership and to report back if there is no suitable solution.
Minutes:
The item
was submitted by Cllr Dilwyn Morgan
RESOLVED
To
accept and note the information in the report and to request that the Directors
raise the matter of attendance by the Police at case conferences at the North
Wales Safety Partnership and to report back if there is no suitable solution.
DISCUSSION
The report was presented and it was noted
that the Cabinet Member was satisfied with the majority of projects. It was emphasised
that a number of the performance measures showed a general increase as a result
of an increase in the number of looked-after children seen nationally.
It was noted that the Department was facing
an exciting period by forming a fresh service for the future. In the past, it
had been mandatory to spend Welsh Government grants in pockets of fields or
areas. It was expressed that the
department's new Strategy would ensure more integration and would enable the department
to give new priority and reference that would be ambitious and innovative. The
strategy would transform traditional fields of providing services that would
focus on early intervention.
It was expressed that work was ongoing to
recommission the Families First scheme. The service providers and the Council
had been meeting to discuss the purpose of the New Scheme and the tendering
process was currently being followed.
It was noted that, on the whole, when looking
at performance, the Cabinet Member was quite satisfied, and it was added that
work was being carried out to improve service, where needed. The department had
been working on creating new purposes in order to refine and ensure that
measures were measuring the correct things. It was noted that the performance
of the Child Protection Conferences had shown a decline, with various reasons
for this but, it was noted that the Police's lack of commitment to attend the
Conferences was a main reason. It was emphasised that there had been an
increase in the performance in relation to placing children, but that more
intensive care need had impacted the figures. However, it was emphasised that
this was not a unique situation for Gwynedd and that the matter had been
escalated to the Regional Commissioning Board.
Observations arising
from the discussion
- It was
asked why SOGS Assessments were now irrelevant, and it was noted that it had
been the Government's decision to drop the Measure.
-
The decline in Child Protection Conferences was
discussed. It was emphasised that the lack of commitment shown by the Police in
terms of attending conferences had led to meetings that were not quorate and
quorum was needed in order for them to be conducted. It was noted that this had
already been escalated to the Regional Safeguarding Board. Consideration was given
to how the matter could be resolved and whether there was a need to contact the
Commissioner. It was suggested that it would be an idea in the first instance
to ask the Director to raise the matter of attendance by the Police at case
conferences at the North Wales Safety Partnership and to report back if there
was no suitable solution.
-
Use of the 'Capita' information system was welcomed,
which was a system to help identify needs and to improve the arrangements when
transferring children from Nursery to Primary education. It was noted that a
tracking system had been created and the department was in discussions with the
Education Department to help develop the system.
-
In relation to the Families First tender, a member
asked how it would be possible to send a tender out without having the new
strategy in place. It was expressed that the Government's guidelines for
Families First were strict, but that the tenders were being drawn up in a way
that was likely to be consistent with the strategy and more integrated for the
department.
Awdur:Morwena Edwards
Supporting documents: