niromp regional iro network meeting · web view7/11/2020 · just completed a consultation...

niromp Regional IRO Network Meeting

NIROMP’S REGIONAL NETWORKSNIROMP has an established network of regional alliances made up of IRO managers and IROs. Our regional networks cover the nine government area regions of England.

We aim to:

help IROs achieve continuously better and more consistent practice;

be responsive to policy and practice updates, consultation exercises and research projects – keeping members up to date with developments and service issues;

ensure contributions from IROs draw on their expertise – to use this towards the effective learning, development and consistently effective delivery of IRO services at local, regional and national level;

to use the regional networks to understand local variations and challenges to practice which are driving regional priorities;

allow flexibility for local, regional and national priorities; provide leadership of task and finish groups which can be

called on for specific support by DfE, local authorities and other key stakeholders, as required.

Representation

Date: 11/06/2020 Chair: Ruth Kingdom Venue: MT Notes by: Angela Murray

Authority Name Email Phone contact Attended√

Apologies√

Rotherham Lee Durrant [email protected] 01709 334516 √North

YorkshireAngela Murray(National Rep)

[email protected] 07814016089 √

York Sarah Olorenshaw [email protected] 07812 980852 √Sheffield Janice Lightowler [email protected] 0114 2057214 √

Kirklees Tom Clift [email protected] 01484 221000 07773056897 √

Calderdale Simon Buttler [email protected] 01422 394056 √

Calderdale Kathryn Dempsey [email protected] 01422 393694 07738785315 √

Bradford Helen Cliffe (welcome) [email protected] √Bradford Imran Cheema [email protected] 01274 434530 07852347283 √

North East Lincs

Jill Alderson [email protected] 01472 325464 √

Leeds (WNW) Siobhan Brady Siobhan.brady@leeds,gov.uk 07891272801 √

Leeds ( Sarah Riddell [email protected] √

Leeds (ENE) Louise Tatchell [email protected] 07891274263 √

East Riding Yorkshire

Ruth Kingdom(National Rep)

[email protected] 01482 396999 √

Barnsley Phil Holmes [email protected] 07734117393 01226 772317 √

Hull Rachael Barker [email protected] 01482 790933 √

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mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Hull Karen Robinson [email protected] 01482 790933 √

North Lincs Joanne Wilson [email protected] √Doncaster Jo Mullard [email protected] √

Doncaster Vicky Green [email protected] √

Wakefield Paula Tennant [email protected] 01977 727035 √

1. Matters arising from last minutes

From Previous minutes 7.5.20Action: Tom will forward any further information coming out of that work on unregulated placement to the group.Imran will forward the DFE consultation document/audit to Ruth to circulate to the group (completed)Ruth to amend typo in previous minutes. (completed)From point 5 - Action: Advocacy Responses required by the 30th June 2020 –responses can be received beyond this date (carried forward)From point 6 - Actions: Jo to send out the presentation on the app if she gets permission. (completed)IRO Managers to update the activity chart for the previous reporting year and send this to Ruth and Angela who will collate a master copy which can then be updated at each meeting as a standard item. – (carried forward)From Point 7 - Actions: Ruth to send out the appointments for future regional meetings (completed for 11th June)From Point 8 - Angela to contact the regional practitioner group to discuss the possibility of strengthening the links between the two groups (carried forward) From Point 9 - Action: agreed to use the national template (completed)From Point 10 - Action: Angela to update and circulate updated draft TOR for the next meeting (completed)From Point 11 - Action: All to send data set info to Ruth by the 4th June, Ruth to collate and share at the next meeting on the 11th June (carried forward)From Point 12 - Actions: IRO Managers to send through examples from their team of good practice of working in the current environment that can be shared with NIROMP. It needs to be anonymised so that it can be widely and publicly shared on the website. To be sent through ASAP and on and on-going basis. (completed). IRO managers to remind teams of the NIROMP website for up to date information, articles and various tools and good practice guidance. (carried forward)

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DOLs -Louise has circulated the documents as agreed at the previous meetings. One of the documents is what Leeds has on Mosaic (computer system) and filled out for all children Looked After. Finding they are getting more children subject to a CIN plan becoming subject to a DOLS order. If you want anymore information contact Louise (completed)

2. Updates for IRO Regional Network

Looked After trends Child Protection Conferences trends

Authority Stats Q1 Rising Falling Stable Stats Q1 Rising Falling Stable

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3. General Update(Includes: Service/organisational stability (staffing, structures etc.); New initiatives/Examples of Good Practice; Use of advocates for children; How IROS are making sure children know what their entitlements are)

Authority Comment - regional update including question posed by NIROMP regarding family timeLeeds IRO Service hasn’t adopted any of the Covid reg flexibilities.

All IROs working from home for the foreseeable future. Looked After Children numbers are going up as are CP conferences taking place. IROs are keen to be back seeing children and young people.With regards to family time some parents and carers been issued with phones and 4g dongles with data packages where they haven’t gotone, to ensure there can be virtual contact. FCs are becoming more comfortable with informal contact and regular contact happening virtually.Some carers have found it difficult and have reported negative impact on children who are struggling with family conversations taking place in their home and find it unsettles the child. No direct contact taking place – exception has been where final contact is takingplace re adoption. Risk assessments have been in place for these final contacts. There is pressure from the Courts for face to face family time to take place.

N Yorks IRO Service hasn’t adopted any of the Covid reg flexibilities. IROs and most staff continuing to be based from home and will be for the foreseeable future. All meetings are still being done virtual. CP numbers are low and Looked After Children have increased. Family time has been virtual and children and families have been accepting of this as everyone is having to abide by the government guidance. There is a lot of work going on to look at restarting family time with a co-ordinated work group working on this. It’s hugely complex to safely restart but guidance is being drawn up and buildings are being risk assessed for family time to take place where this needs to be in a building. Courts have applied pressure for some family time to take place. Been some good work around being able to move children into adoptive placements safely during Covid.

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Sheffield IRO Service is finding that it has been incredibly busy through May/June. Looked After children and children subject to a child protection plan have increased. The IROs find everything takes longer by doing virtual meetings. Family time is still taking place virtually. Sheffield has provided families and FCs with the technology to have virtual family time where this has been needed. There has been rising pressure from older YP regarding why they can’t have the contact that others get as the Govt now beginning to relax the rules.

Kirklees IRO Service is incredibly busy. Looked After Children numbers are increasing and children subject to child protection plans is going down slightly. With regards to family time – courts have made sect 34 orders requiring face to face contact albeit it in a community setting. There is work being done in relation to family time and increasingly hearing more about wanting family time to increase. Work is being undertaken to look at what are we losing from virtual meetings, with a view to the future. Looking at the potential for IRO visits following a request from a child for a visit. Kirklees IRO service is not implementing the Coivd relaxation guidance.

Calderdale No update available

York No update available

Bradford Bradford has not experienced a dip in Looked After Children and the numbers remain high. IROs innovative working continues. Family time mainly taking place virtually but there have been some court cases where the courts have asked for socially distancesupervised contact.

Doncaster Had an increase in LAR and CP -previously had a big decrease. Have started some direct family time assessed on need basis.There has been creative thinking about safe moves to adoption and families /carers self –isolating to ensure this can happen safely. IROs report children engaging better in reviews through use of virtual meetings.IROs remaining working from at home at the moment.Considering using the NIROMP permanence tool. Will feedback when start to use it.

NE Lincs IROs find virtual meetings exhausting. Looked After children numbers are creeping up and caseloads for IROs are increasing.Family time has been virtual.

Barnsley Doing virtual meetings which is going well but very tiring. IROs home working and no plans yet to go back into officesChildren subject to a child protection plan are increasing however numbers of Looked After children are stable. Family time –IROs are starting to challenge informally- risk assessment for each individual child. IROs are challenging where need different ways of family time and flexibility around use of technology.

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North Lincs Very similar to other authorities. Doing all meetings virtual. Just completed a consultation exercise- results have been quite interesting – some FCs like using technology and older YP like virtual technology. Equally for Conferences some people want to sit around the table whereas others like CP meetings being virtual. Family time is virtual but moving toward physical. Numbers of Looked After Children have remained constant.

Wakefield All IROs working from home and adapted well. All meetings virtual.Discussions have started on a case by case basis re face to face family time but currently family time is mainly virtual.

Rotherham All reviews are virtual. There are some positives which they will keep eg will keep whatzap as this is well liked by some children. The number of Looked After children is increasing and children subject to a child protection plan is higher. Family Time is moving forward and questions are being asked about why mum and dad can’t be met in the park. There is a willingness to look at this. Prioritising family time with new born babies and children moving through to adoption.

East Riding All team working from home with additional equipment provided, benefits of using Microsoft teams and WhatsApp especially linking in with professionals, challenge is involving families for CP and CLA although C & YP enjoying communication that’s more in line with their preferred style. We are starting to push for more creative ways of contact taking place and there is a willingness to look at this. New ways of working are tiring.

Hull

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4. General discussion & any emerging themes on aboveDiscussed that a lot of time is spent on regional updates and that it may be a better use of time for everyone to send in a short regional update that can be circulated with the agenda and then to have a discussion on the emerging themes from the updates.

Action: Ruth will email Calderdale (Simon/Kathryn), Hull (Karen/Rachael) and York (Sarah) to see if they if you want to submit a regional update for inclusion in the minutes from todays meeting focussing on contact, how this is being interpreted under Covid 19, different methods being used , any case examples etc

Action: Regional updates to be sent by the 2nd July. In your update please focus on some analysis of Dispute & Challenge- how are colleagues dealing with this as a result of Covid 19, i.e. reasonable delays due to courts, home working, contact issues etc.

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5. Priorities for the regionAdvocacy arrangements for children in your care (regional to feed into National)

HI Everyone The national IRO Managers partnership group are looking at the role of advocates and children’s use of advocacy. To further develop the work in relation to advocacy undertaken during December and January the group would now like to progress to seeking the views of children and young people about advocacy services. We would be grateful if you could provide information in relation to the below questions through your usual participation and engagement routes, children in care council etc.

1. What do children and young people understand about advocacy?2. When do children and young people think they want/need to use an advocate?3. How do young people want us to help them have their voices heard?4. Who do children and young people want to help them have their voice heard?5. How could IROs/CP Chairs support children and young people to have their voice heard?6. Anything else children and young people would like us to know about their views on advocacy?

Please could you forward this to someone in your organisation who has a link to your children in care council/children and young people’s engagement workers to ask for some feedback in relation to the questions above.

It would be very much appreciated if you could return your information to me by 17th April – note now extended to the 30th June!!!

Please can you pass this on the most relevant person to obtain this info /feedback from YP and send your responses to Angela and Ruth.

Thankyou to everyone who has sent info through. There is still time to send info through even if this falls outside the 30th June date it will be well received.

Action: Responses required by the 30th June 2020 –info can be sent in outside of this date!

Regional Conference UpdateThe regional conference that was planned for the 30th April is rescheduled for the 7th Oct. New date has been widely circulated.

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Managers to ensure that the IROs have the new date.Ruth to update the programme for the day and recirculate to Imran and Siobhan for confirmation before circulating to the regional group.

Data SetThanks to everyone who has sent their data set return in.If you haven’t done so already please can this be sent to Ruth by the 2nd July.You do not need to complete the full data set please send in as much as you are able to complete. Some info is better than none!!!Only share/complete what you are comfortable with sharing as this will be used and circulated in the region.

Action: Outstanding data sets to be returned to Ruth by the 2nd July

6. Links to Cafcass (IRO and CAFCASS activity chart)Discussed in brief the links IRO Services have to CAFCASS and the request from the National Group to capture this on an on-going basis.Agreed to update the IRO activity chart retrospectively for the previous reporting year and then to capture any updates at each meeting by keeping this as a standing item.The regional cafcass reps need updating on the template and this will be sent out for everyone to add their info to.

Action: Ruth/Angela to update the CAFCASS regional links on the CAFCASS/IRO activity template and then ruth to circulate for everyone to put their updates according to the CAFCASS region.

7. Frequency of meetings:Consensus that shorter more frequent meetings is good at the current time.Having a virtual meeting has made it easier for some authorities to link into the meeting.Will be useful to consider for future whether there is a mix of virtual/live meetings.Agreed Ruth will continue to set up and administer the regional meetings. Ruth and Angela will chair /minute over the next few months to ensure closer links to the national group.

Date of next meetings: 9th July, 13th Aug 9.30 -11am using MT’s Actions: Ruth to send out the appointments for future regional meetings

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8. Links to the IRO regional practitioner groupNext meeting of IRO regional practitioner group is the 16th July. Angela will make contact with the regional practioner group to see if she can join their meeting to talk about strengthening the link to the regional manager group and NIROMP.North Yorkshire and Doncaster putting forward new reps for the regional practioner group and Angela will pass this info on.Everyone is encouraged to send a rep to the practioner group.

Action: Angela to contact the regional practitioner group to discuss the possibility of strengthening the links between the two groups and will share the details of the new IRO rep for North Yorks and Doncaster.

9. National template for recording the meetingsRuth fed back that Sharon Martin (NIROMP Chair) had found it really useful to have sight of our minutes on the template and had already able to make some good links with regards to the information that we had shared.

10. IRO regional managers groupThe updated TOR for the regional group was agreed.Felt useful particularly at the current time for the role of chair of the regional group to be shared between Ruth/Angela and that the note taking could be rotated. It would be agreed who was to do the minutes of the next meeting and that person would look for a replacement note taker if they found they were not available. Angela will chair the next meeting and Ruth will do the notes. TOR will be uploaded to the regional page on the NIROMP website.

Action: Ruth/Angela to send the TOR to Sharon Martin (Chair NIROMOP)

11. National updatesEveryone should have received the information about the updated NIROMP guidance on dispute resolution to reflect the Corona Virus Amendment reg 2020. The NIROMP site is being more widely accessed nationally and we would encourage everyone to promote the site and keep close tabs on it as it is regularly changing and posting new things.There is a new page highlighting good practice whilst working in the current environment and it is both good to see what is being posted and also really good to send any good practice examples through to Ruth /Angela that can be shared on the website.

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Actions: IRO Managers to send through examples from their team of good practice of working in the current environment that can be shared with NIROMP. It needs to be anonymised so that it can be widely and publicly shared on the website.

Action : IRO managers to continue to remind teams of the NIROMP website for up to date information, articles and various tools and good practice guidance.

12. Regional Priorities and Action Plan1. Regional IRO conference –see above 2. Regional Data Set – see above

13. Actions

Actions agreed from the meeting:

Point 3 All to circulate risk assessment documents of Family Time/Covid Compliance if you have one Point 4 Ruth will email Calderdale (Simon/Kathryn), Hull (Karen/Rachael) and York (Sarah) to see if they if you want to submit a regional update for inclusion in the minutes from todays meeting focussing on contact, how this is being interpreted under Covid 19, different methods being used , any case examples etc

Regional updates to be sent by the 2nd July. In your update please focus on some analysis of Dispute & Challenge- how are colleagues dealing with this as a result of Covid 19, i.e. reasonable delays due to courts, home working, contact issues etc.

Point 5 Advocacy responses required by the 30th June 2020 –info can be sent in outside of this date!

IRO regional Conference - Managers to ensure that the IROs have the new date 7th Oct 2020.Ruth to update the programme for the day and recirculate to Imran and Siobhan for confirmation before circulating to the regional group.

Outstanding data sets to be returned to Ruth by the 2nd July11


Point 6 Ruth/Angela to update the CAFCASS regional links on the CAFCASS/IRO activity template and then circulate for everyone to put their updates on.

Point 7 Ruth to send out the appointments for future regional meetings

Point 8 Angela to contact the regional practitioner group to discuss the possibility of strengthening the links between the two groups and will share the details of the new IRO rep for North Yorks and Doncaster.

Point 10 Ruth/Angela to send the TOR to Sharon Martin (Chair NIROMOP)

Point 11: IRO Managers to send through examples from their team of good practice of working in the current environment that can be shared with NIROMP. It needs to be anonymised so that it can be widely and publicly shared on the website. IRO managers to continue to remind teams of the NIROMP website for up to date information, articles and various tools and good practice guidance.

14. Date of Next Meeting and Agenda Date: 9th July - 9.30 to 11pm – Virtual meeting using Microsoft Teams Agenda ItemsRegional Updates – (to be sent in advance) Discussion will focus on themes emerging from regional updates Managing challenges and dispute process whilst working under CovidFeedback from the NIROMP meetingPost covid what might children and families expect and what might the IRO role/work look like?Data setLinks to the IRO regional practitioner groupIRO /CAFCASS activity chart

15. AOB- either send in on 2nd July or at start of meeting

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niromp regional iro network meeting · web view7/11/2020 · just completed a consultation...

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