Issue - meetings

The Panel received the report of the Director, Legal and Governance which enabled the Panel to develop their understanding of the views of looked after children and young people aged 4-18 years in Southampton and the improvements planned following the publication of the findings.

Councillor Paffey, Cabinet Member for Aspiration, Children and Lifelong Learning; Sharon Hawkins, Interim Service Lead, Children’s Social Care; and Phil Bullingham, Service Lead, Safeguarding, Improvement, Governance and Compliance; were present and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the Panel. 

In discussions with the officers, the Panel noted the following:

• Placement stability was improving.
• The cohort that were surveyed this time included more complex cases who cannot have contact with parents which would have influenced the increase in children saying they want more contact.
• Where there was no contact with siblings, this would have been agreed through assessment and the court process, where there were siblings and plans for adoption togetherness was assessed thoroughly.
• The question of contact with family had been added to each child protection or care plan review.
• A social worker had been allocated to pick up all new court proceedings and deliver life story work with the children.
• The Children in Care Council had carried out a review of the use of language by Children’s Services and would be reporting to the Corporate Parenting Board on Language that Cares for Southampton children.
• The Mind of My Own App, that enabled looked after children to communicate with their social workers had been successfully implemented.