Agenda item

Covid-19 update

The Director of Children’s Services will provide a verbal update to the Board in relation to Covid-19.

Minutes:

The Chair invited the Director of Children's Service to provide am update in respect to Covid 19. The Director advised that she was updating the Corporate Parenting Board as well as the Scrutiny Panel's. This was an action that came from the Improvement plan and is highlighted within the Recovery plan.

 

In terms of Social care workers, the Board were advised that all social workers were working virtually, however in terms of visits to children, these should be done face-to face with virtual being an exception. Is a child is to be seen virtually, this is to be signed off by a Manager.

 

In terms of vulnerable children ,there is a real push to ensure these children are in school. Children Services receive daily information from Public Health England on those vulnerable children who have covid or who are self- isolating and there is also a direct line for schools to report any absence of a vulnerable child who has failed to attend school with no explanation.  A note is placed on the child's file and passed to the Social Worker, than a RAG rating is placed red/amber/green and a safety plan is put in place. The system is working and the service cross reference with attendance spreadsheets from schools.

 

The Director advised that the attendance levels of vulnerable children in school is not what she hoped and she was encouraging attendance of vulnerable children wherever possible. For example, there was approximately 70% of vulnerable children in schools. Those children who they would be looking to get into schools would be those on child protection orders (at present less than 50%) and therefore there are discussions taking place with social workers to address this.

 

The Director advised that she reports regularly to REACT, which is with representatives from the Department of Education, who hold Middlesbrough to account regionally. Staffing is measured between 0-10% of staff who are not available, however the staff sickness levels are quite low.

 

Following the update, a number of questions posed:

 

1.       Have all escorts for school transport been vaccinated?

 

In response, the Board were advised that all escorts have been vaccinated.

 

2.       In terms of vulnerable children, is it compulsory for them to attend school?

 

In response, the Director outlined that there is very strong guidance to suggest all vulnerable children should attend school as it is the safest place.

 

3.       Social worker visits- how often do these take place?

 

The needs of the child vary and this is determined by the needs of the child.

 

4.       How are situations of vulnerable children not attending school being addressed?

 

In response, the Director advised that vulnerable children are allocated a social worker and they are strongly encouraged to attend school.

 

5.       Although, the Board is aware that teachers carry out lateral flow tests, when is it likely for teachers to be vaccinated?

 

All Middlesbrough schools are open and all staff who work in special schools have been vaccinated, as they are not just teaching but also undertaking a caring role.

 

In terms of vaccinations for all teachers,  central government is not of the opinion that they should be priorities and that we should work through the 9 priority groups, and then wait for those to be called if they do not fit within the priority groups. Middlesbrough and other local authorities are critical of this stance, so the Board were advised Middlesbrough would continue to work with teachers unions/ Academy Trusts and the Department of Education and lobby change. Many teachers are anxious and are resentful that there position is not considered within the priority groups, especially as there is evidence that Covid is transferred through children.

 

6.       Have foster carers been vaccinated?

 

In response, the Board were advised that foster carers have been prioritised and appointment have begun to be circulated. 

 

The Chair thanked the Director and her staff for the excellent work in rolling out the vaccines to teachers from special schools.

 

AGREED- That the update be noted.