The Officer presented the report that included a summary which was provided to the Local Children’s Safeguarding Board. The Officer stated under regulation 5 of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board Regulations 2006 set out the requirements for Local Safeguarding Children’s Board to undertake this serious case review and to learn from the findings. The report was published on the Thurrock web site from the 1 December 2016 and will remain on there for 18 months. The same report will be published on the NSPCC national website.

All members agreed that the findings of this report were tragic and heart rendering to read.

The Officer stated there were 6 findings and 16 recommendations in the report that will be drawn up as an action plan and be will reviewed and presented to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee in February.

Councillor Redsell stated that practitioners, social care and education had to work together and learn from the mistakes made. The Officer stated that schools already form part of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board and would be involved in all the proposals.

Councillor Kerin asked Officers whilst James was in school what may have been picked up to have encouraged him to stay in education. The Officer confirmed that James had a real focus in music but James had been reluctant to engage on any courses. James had received continued support and social workers had made every effort to help him gain employment or further education.

The Officer stated that those drawn into gangs would not care if you had a good education or not and that work continued with the Youth Offending Service to identify the long term consequences of gang life.

Councillor Watkins asked that based on the circumstances could James been picked up earlier as a Child Looked After. The Officer stated that there were no issues with the family and that engagement with them had continued throughout.

Councillor C Baker stated that pressures from gangs may have contributed to his death. The Officer stated that the review was recorded as an open verdict so unfortunately this may never be known. That work with the Youth Offending Service continued on educating young people on exit routes from gangs.

The Officer stated that James had not appeared on the Intelligence and Gang Matrix and that intelligence sharing was vital across boundaries to keep track of gang memberships.

Councillor Redsell stated that the Police and Crime Panel were looking at how gang activities could be addressed and disrupted before they took hold.

The Chair asked Officers how recommendations worked for those allocated to other local authorities. The Officer stated that the counterparts in these local authorities would on behalf of Thurrock Council ensure that action were being done and report back to Thurrock so that the action plan could be updated.

Councillor Gamester asked what the timescales were following up with these actions. The Officer stated that the board was proactive with the review of the serious care review group meeting every six months. Updates from agencies were received within the appropriate timescales.

Alan Cotgrove left the committee room at 7.45 pm.

RESOLVED

1.         That the Corporate Parenting Committee scrutinised the report of the Local Children’s Safeguarding Board, its findings and its recommendation.

2.         That the Corporate Parenting Committee track progress by Children’s Services in responding to the recommendations of the review.