COM0008
Written evidence submitted by Buckinghamshire County Council
1.1. We welcome the Commissioner’s ambition to bring the voice of children to the public debate and to encourage those who have responsibility for children to build a better understanding of their lives into decision making.
1.2. It is understood that the Commission has made a good start in this aim though setting up of Amplify, Young Amplify and the Young Expert Groups which inform and influence the Commission’s work.
1.3. We would urge the Commissioner to continue to reach out to diverse groups and to listen to and to act on the views of all children and young people including those marginalised/ feeling disenfranchised and the most vulnerable groups in society.
1.4. The digital settlement taskforce is welcomed to explore and examine children and young people’s connection to the digital world and to challenge the industry response. WE would urge the commission to highlight that alongside developments in digital media and devices, parallel developments are needed to ensure that vulnerable groups are safeguarded when using media. Work is required with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and technology developers providing hardware and software.
2.1. The aims of the Commission to build on changes in policy to enhance the lifechances for children in care are laudable. It is acknowledged that the quality and stability of provision for this group can be variable across the country and across the private, public and voluntary sector. There is clearly work to do to narrow the gap in attainment and wellbeing for children in care and those leaving care.
2.2. We would support the Commission’s aims to ensure that stability, recovery and relationships are at the heart of support for children in care and to ensure that children can influence all decisions made about them. The reforms already in place through the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Family Justice changes should support this ambition.
2.3. The Commissioner’s aims of extending support to all care leavers to age twenty five and that children will be guaranteed therapeutic care to help them recover from past trauma is likely to improve long term life chances and wellbeing for this vulnerable group. However, these aims will require additional resources, including financial input at a time when local authorities are already financially constrained.
2.4. In addition, it is necessary to define exactly what is meant by ‘therapeutic care’ – whether this is a pedagogical model or a clear therapeutic model for care, training resources will be required to ensure that this is a viable option – the realism of this ambition will require scrutiny at a time when the range and quality of care options is limited across the country.
2.5. CAFCASS and the Family Court report that the number of Public Law applications has continued to rise over the last 12 months. Sufficiency and the quality of provision including the provision of therapeutic care whether in placement or peripatetic will be exceptionally challenging.
3.1. The Commission’s aims to prevent and protect children from harm is shared. The ‘See Me, Hear Me’ approach is currently being piloted in a number of local authorities. We are open to new approaches where they improve outcomes for vulnerable children. We wait to hear the outcome of the evaluation of the 2 year pilot by the University of Sussex. However, we note that whilst this approach appears to be sufficiently flexible to meet diverse needs, it was created in response to child sexual exploitation and alternative (or complementary) approaches are likely to also be required.
3.2. The Commission’s ambition for a ‘new alignment of services and professions’ needs to be clarified – it is not evident from the paper exactly what this means and what impact this will have on safeguarding the most vulnerable of children.
3.3. It is clear that the Commission has had working with Child Sexual Exploitation as a priority and that it intends to focus further on sexual abuse in the family environment. A further focus on childhood neglect would be welcomed as countrywide data demonstrates that this is the most common category for Child Protection Plans and would also align with the Commission’s priority to reduce inequalities for children.
4.1. We support the Commission’s aims to reduce inequality across the country and the development of a national resource of information regarding children. The Commission’s advice and support service for children in care and those leaving care is welcomed and will be strengthened through a publicity campaign to ensure sufficient communication to groups that may be vulnerable.
4.2. We are interested to understand the strategies underlying the Commission’s aims to see improved outcomes for the poorest children and to understand how better early mental health help will be resourced.
5.1. This section is broadly welcomed.
October 2015