This meeting was about the performance of services for children in care in Camden. The committee was provided with an annual report on the performance of the Corporate Parenting Service and its key priorities for the year ahead. There was also a report on the experiences of the 'Virtual School' for children in care, and a progress update on the recommendations made by young people in 2023 about their experiences of social care meetings. A report on Camden’s interconnected programmes of work for supporting families with children of all ages was also provided. Finally, the committee was also asked to note their work programme for the year.

Corporate Parenting Service Annual Report 2023-24

A report was presented on the performance of Camden's Corporate Parenting Service. The report stated that the service continues to respond to a projected £10 million overspend on placements for children in care in 2024-25.

The number of children in care in Camden has continued to rise, with 215 Children Looked After as of November 2024, and an all-time high of 229 in July 2024. Of those, there were 37 Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children, all aged 14 to 17.

The report stated that the service is implementing a number of measures as part of a national reform programme. This will include a new 'Family Help' model that will offer flexible, multi-disciplinary support delivered by local teams familiar with the community.

The committee was asked to note the report and to provide feedback on the corporate parenting board, whose membership was being reviewed.

Young Inspectors Report 2024 and Progress Update on Recommendations from the Young Inspectors Report 2023

The committee was provided with the 2024 Young Inspectors Report which focused on the experiences of young people using the Virtual School.

The Virtual School is a service that provides support to improve the educational achievement of Children Looked After and children who were previously Looked After.

The report contained six key recommendations for improvement, including ensuring young people are better supported to engage in the planning of their education.

The committee was also provided with an update on progress made since the 2023 Young Inspector’s Report.

The 2023 report was called My Meetings and focused on children and families’ experiences of social care meetings. The report made eight recommendations for service improvements.

The update included a summary of actions that had been implemented in response to the recommendations, and described the outcomes they had led to.

The committee was asked to provide feedback on both reports, particularly on the way in which the update had been formatted.

Family Hubs, Family Help and Start Well Report

The committee was provided with an update on the successes, opportunities, challenges, and next steps for four of the Children and Learning Directorate's key programmes of work: Family Hubs, Family Help, RAISE Camden, and Start Well.

Family Hubs

Family Hubs are a key part of a national programme for children aged 0 to 19 (or 25 for children and young people with SEND). The report described Camden’s Family Hub model, which builds on the borough’s existing Children’s Centres, and the model's governance arrangements.

Camden has five Family Hubs across the borough:

• Highgate Newtown Community Centre
• Queen's Crescent Community Association
• Regent’s Park Children’s Centre
• Gospel Oak Children’s Centre
• Kentish Town Children’s Centre

The report highlighted the national recognition received by three Camden Family Hub initiatives: Best Start for Baby, Camden Kids Talk, and Father Inclusive Practice.

The committee was asked for their feedback on how to best develop the model for families with children of all ages, and how to maximise the role of Family Hubs as a community asset within each neighbourhood of Camden.

Family Help

Camden is developing a new, more integrated approach to delivering targeted early help and children in need services. The new model is being called 'Family Help' and will adopt an “All Age, All Local” approach, consolidating support for families with children of all ages within Family Hubs.

The report described how this work is part of the council’s response to the Government’s social care reform agenda, and how it aligns with the Family Hub programme’s goal of delivering a one-stop shop for families.

The committee was asked to provide feedback on whether the Family Help plans would be sufficiently inclusive of all Camden’s families, children, and young people.

RAISE Camden

The report contained an update on RAISE Camden. This is Camden’s Child Health Equity programme, which is aiming to improve outcomes for children and young people.

The committee was asked to provide feedback on whether the RAISE Camden plans were sufficiently inclusive of all of Camden’s families, children, and young people.

Start Well

This section of the report contained an update on the performance of Camden’s Start Well programme, and its alignment with the NHS North Central London Population Health and Integrated Care Strategy.

The committee was asked to provide feedback on whether the Start Well plans would be sufficiently inclusive of all of Camden’s families, children, and young people.

Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee’s Work Programme and Action Tracker

The committee was asked to note their work programme for 2024-25, their provisional work programme for 2025-26, and a record of the outstanding actions from their previous meetings.