Agenda and minutes

To agree to apply the Council’s procedure rules for remote meetings to this meeting.

RESOLVED

THAT the Council’s guidance on remote meetings be applied to this meeting 

To Note: All

Apologies for lateness were received from Imogen Sharp, Co-opted member.  

There were none.

Announcements

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair to announce the following: ‘In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for six months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available on DVD upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.’

Any other announcements

The Chair announced the following: 

 ‘In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for six months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available on DVD upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.’

There were no deputations.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 14^th December 2020.   

RESOLVED

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 14^th December 2020 be approved as a correct record.

To Note: All

There was no urgent business.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families   

This report presents the refreshed Corporate Parenting Strategy for review and approval by Cabinet. The new strategy, included at Appendix A, outlines priorities and collective responsibilities of all elected members and defines the ambitions that Children’s Safeguarding and Social Work seek to deliver in support of Camden’s looked after children. The new set of priorities, when addressed effectively as a partnership, will ensure that all looked after children and care leavers have a sense of belonging and the support required for a safe, happy and healthy transition into adult life.

The report is coming to the Cabinet due to significant implications on Camden’s looked after children, to whom the council and all elected members, as their corporate parents, have a statutory duty of care.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families that would be presented to the Cabinet for review and approval.   

The new Corporate Parenting Strategy outlined the priorities and collective responsibilities of all elected members and defined the ambitions that Children’s Safeguarding and Social Work seek to deliver in support of Camden’s looked after children. The new set of priorities, when addressed effectively as a partnership, would ensure that all looked after children and care leavers have a sense of belonging and the support required for a safe, happy and healthy transition into adult life.

Members of the committee welcomed the report and the clearly set out strategy as a positive piece of work that included the voice and ownership of young people. This committee had raised questions of disproportional representation and were pleased to see the emphasis on the issue in the report. 

In response to points raised during consideration of the report, the committee was provided with the following information:   

·         There was a commitment to free access to leisure services for looked after children, young people and their families and it had been included  in the report. A pilot project had taken place with the Leisure Service and Councillor Kelly would be provided with a summary of the work that had taken place

Action By: Executive Director Supporting People

·         The Camden Pledge was a contract and an entitlement of looked after children and young people about our commitment to parenting them. The Director of Children’s Services had met with the government champion for care leavers and a covenant agreement with young people (like Scotland’s), that included wider local community partners, had been discussed. There was already a strong commitment for a London Covenant

·         Last summer during the Corona Virus Emergency, looked after children and young people had made a film about the emotional impact and isolation they had experienced during lock down, as well as the positive experiences from that time. Later this year the young people would be looking again at the film and reflecting on the impact of the last year. Support from the Tavistock Centre had been available and provided services during this time 

·         The Children’s Safeguarding and Social Work Service was within budget and had benefitted from effectively managing and supporting the needs of our communities. The service would continue to review and challenge how it worked, to make sure that funding was available to meet the needs of young people     

·         Camden’s model of social work was being reviewed to ensure that it was    explicitly anti-racist and with continuous cultural development Camden wanted to be the best black corporate parents it could be  

·         Trauma Informed Practice would be organised through the Education Psychology Service for a consistent approach across all schools   

·         The Cabinet Member for Young People Equalities and Cohesion reminded the committee about the Camden review of disproportionality in the youth service and the criminal justice system that took place last year. Camden was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Report of the Cabinet Adviser for a Family Friendly Camden

This report contains the findings and recommendations of Councillor Anna Wright in her role as Cabinet Adviser on creating a family friendly Camden.

Consideration was given to a report of Councillor Anna Wright in her role as Cabinet Adviser on creating a family friendly Camden. The report provided organisational context for this focus and identified some of the work already underway in meeting the long-term commitment of the Council for Camden to be a family friendly community.

The committee welcomed the report and discussed the following issues and their impact on Camden families:  

·         The increasing use of residential properties for Airbnb south of the Euston road and the loss of family accommodation to short stay use, that had resulted in the fall of resident population numbers

·         That Right to Buy policies had reduced the number of family residential units, with 50% of Right to Buy properties now owned by property companies

·         Could better use be made of commercial spaces for residential use to help reduce the pressures on the housing waiting lists and overcrowded homes

·         Making better use of open and green spaces that would encourage young people to use them

·         It was important to look at how the freedoms of young people were being eroded in favour of adults or cars. Transport planning should allow for young people to be in outside spaces without the fear of cars or traffic  

·         HS2 and the ongoing construction had caused some families to move away from Camden, to get away from the noise and disturbance, that  in turn had contributed to the issue of falling class sizes at nearby schools 

·         Were we doing enough to support the health and wellbeing of our children? 

In response, the committee was told that:

·         There was more that could be done about Airbnb and that void accommodation could be filled more quickly 

·         There was a collective responsibility across the Council to consider the impact on the lives of children when considering reports and policies being made

·         The renewal and better use of public open spaces was part of the Renewal Commission’s building back better work after Covid. An estate based pilot intergenerational project, on green space, was planned and would be led by the Housing Participation Team 

·         There were lots of work across the Council having a cumulative positive effect   

The report had also included a response from the Cabinet Members identified to support family friendly Camden and they were present at the meeting.

The Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families welcomed the good start to the work and said that it would sit alongside the Camden Education Strategy and working collectively with schools on addressing falling roll numbers. The Cabinet Member for Investing in Communities, Culture and Inclusive Economy echoed the points made by members and told the committee about the family hostel and new family homes that were being built as part of the Community Investment Project (CIP)  

RESOLVED

THAT -

i)     The report and the comments of the committee be noted

ii)    That the responses in the report from Councillor Danny Beales and Councillor Angela Mason as Cabinet Members be noted

iii)   The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

The Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee is

asked to note that the date of the next meeting will be confirmed in due course. 

It was noted that members of the committee would be advised about the next meeting date in due course.

To Note: All

There was no urgent business.