Minute of meeting of 1 December 2023

Perth and Kinross Council · 29 May 2024
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 29 May 2024 and its agenda

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CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES’ PARTNERSHIP 
Minute of meeting of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership held on
Friday 1 December 2023 at 10.00am in the Council Chambers, Council Building,
2 High Street, Perth. 
Present: Councillor L Barrett
Councillor M Frampton
Councillor C Shiers
S Devlin, Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services),
PKC
H Robertson, Head of Services for Children, Young People and
Families, PKC
B Atkinson, Independent Chair, Perth and Kinross Child Protection
Committee
M Hogg, PKAVS
E Cruickshank, Child Health Commissioner, NHS Tayside
Z Pullar (substituting for L Sharkey), NHS Tayside 
Apologies: T Leonard, Police Scotland 
L Sharkey, NHS Tayside 
In Attendance: R Drummond, C Mackie and D Williams (all PKC). 
S Devlin in the Chair 
1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE 
S Devlin welcomed everyone to the meeting.  Apologies were noted as above. 
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 
There were no declarations of interest in terms of the relevant Codes of
Conduct. 
3. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING 
The minute of the meeting of the Children, Young People and Families
Partnership of 15 September 2023 was submitted and noted as a correct
record, subject to the following alterations:

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• The title of Item 5 to read ‘Hearings System Working Group (HSWG)
Recommendations SCRA Partner Briefing’. 
• Under the fifth paragraph of Item 7, the word ‘committee’ to replace the
word ‘parliamentary’. 
4. MATTERS ARISING 
There were no matters arising from the minute of the previous meeting. 
5. PERTH AND KINROSS CHILD PROTECTION COMMITTEE BUSINESS
ACTIVITY REPORT SINCE 15 SEPTEMBER 2023 
There was submitted a report by the Independent Chair of the Perth and
Kinross Child Protection Committee (G/23/163) since the last meeting of the
Children, Young People and Families Partnership on 15 September 2023. 
In introducing the report, B Atkinson, Independent Chair, Perth and Kinross
Child Protection Committee, advised members that the updated National
Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland had now been completed, adding
that he was very pleased with the Guidance, advising members that this
would act as a go-to document. B Atkinson further added that a return for self-
evaluation had been submitted, and that the Reflective Practice Sessions
Survey had been completed. 
Councillor Barrett commended the work of the CPC, making specific
reference to the hard work ongoing in the background and with specific
regards to complex legislation. 
In response to a query from S Devlin regarding the Reflective Practice
Sessions Survey and the nature of the 143 multi-agency staff this had been
circulated to, B Atkinson advised that the 143 staff consisted of a range of
frontline staff, managers and senior manager. Those present were advised
that there had been 103 respondents, which was around 82% of the total
recipients. 
The Partnership noted and endorsed the update from the Child Protection
Committee. 
6. PERTH AND KINROSS CHILD PROTECTION COMMITTEE STANDARDS
AND QUALITY REPORT 2022/2023 
There was submitted a report by the Chief Social Worker (submitted to the
Council’s Scrutiny and Performance Committee on 11 December 2023 as
23/371) describing the Perth and Kinross Child Protection Committee’s
achievements, key strengths and areas for improvement. It also includes an
update on the CPC’s new Improvement Plan, confirms that the CPC
continues to focus on learning and improvement, and has in place, a
comprehensive programme of improvement work for 2023 and beyond.

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In introducing the report, B Atkinson advised that the Standards and Quality
Report had been an annual report submitted and developing over the past
decade, and added that the attached Improvement Plan would run until 2026. 
B Atkinson advised the group that this would the last Standards and Quality
Report prior to Ross Drummond’s retirement and wanted to acknowledge
Ross’s contribution the course of the past decade. 
M Hogg advised members that she felt it was important for the multi-agency
approach to continue moving forward, adding that she would be keen to bring
in the Third Sector. S Devlin advised that a widened role for the Third Sector
could be an option discussed and R Drummond advised that more use was
being made of multi-agency child’s plans, adding that the number of concern
reports should be seen as a positive as it showed faith in the system. 
Councillor Barrett praised the increased identification of young carers, and
asked what support was in place for them. H Robertson advised that
historically there had been very strong links with PKAVS, who deliver support
for young carers, and that there was also specific social work support in place
for acute cases. R Drummond further advised that there were sixty young
carers in place in schools across Perth and Kinross, with S Devlin further
advising that work was ongoing to make best use of the resources of the
Council and PKAVS. 
R Drummond advised that the Report would be submitted to the Child
Protection Committee before being submitted to the Council’s Scrutiny and
Performance Committee and to Council. 
The Partnership noted the contents of the Report. 
7.  THEMATIC APPROACH TO PERFORMANCE REPORTING 
There was submitted a report (G/23/164) by the Executive Director (Education
and Children’s Services) continuing the thematic reporting plan for
performance and outcome information focused on children, young people and
families. The report sets out a suite of information focused on contextual and
inequalities information, for consideration and scrutiny by the partnership. 
In introducing the report C Mackie advised that some of the figures regarding
child poverty required a slight caveat, due to the difficulties in taking data
during the COVID-19 Pandemic. C Mackie also advised that there does
appear to be a rise in the number of Young Carers post-pandemic. 
In response to a query from E Cruickshank as to whether the rise in young
carers was connected to the publication of the Carers Strategy, H Robertson
advised that whilst she felt the strategy had raised awareness, especially with
regards to young carers, this would require further analysis. 
With regards to the future of thematic reporting, as discussed at the
Partnership meeting of 15 September 2023, E Cruickshank advised that,

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having consulted with colleagues, the reports in their present form were
considered useful and used within NHS Tayside beyond meetings of the
Partnership. 
The Partnership:
(i) Considered and commented on the information set out in Appendix 1. 
(ii) Provided guidance to inform the future direction of thematic
performance reporting. 
8. ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS 
There was no other competent business. 
9. DATES OF MEETINGS OF THE CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND
FAMILIES PARTNERSHIP FOR 2024 
The dates for the Children, Young People and Families Partnership were
noted as follows:
1 March
14 June
13 September
29 November