Letter - From the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel to Minister for Children and Education re Unregistered Children's Homes - 25th May 2023

States Greffe

Deputy Inna Gardiner

Minister for Children and Education

BY EMAIL 25th May 2023 Dear Minister,

Unregistered Children's Homes  

The Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel has noted the recent inspection reports published by the Jersey Care Commission (JCC) relating to three unregistered children's homes.

The Panel is concerned to learn that Children's Social Care has undertaken unregistered regulated activity and would like further information to understand how the situation arose and what the Government will do to ensure that it does not happen again. I should therefore be grateful if you provide responses to the following questions:

1. Please could you provide the Panel with a copy of the relevant CYPES policy (or policies) used by Children's Social Care for the placement of a child whilst under the care of the Government. If any relevant policy has changed in the last 12 months, please provide each version of the policy to the Panel with confirmation of the dates that it was in use.
2. Please could you provide details about any work undertaken by Children's Social Care to prepare for the changes to the Regulation of Care (Jersey) Law 2014 (the Law') on 1st January 2023?
3. With specific reference to the three unregistered children's homes identified in the recent reports published by the JCC please could you provide some background information about how the breaches of the Law occurred, to include:
   1. Confirmation of why the children's homes were used when they were not registered with the JCC.
   2. Details about the process to approve the placement of children, including confirmation of where the decision was made and how it corresponds to the organizational structure within Children's Social Care.
   3. Confirmation of how long each of the unregistered homes was in use for.
4. Other than the three unregistered children's homes reported on by the Jersey Care Commission, please could you confirm whether there are any other instances where children have been placed in an unregistered children's home (since 1st January 2023), or unregistered care home (before 31st December 2022, as defined by the Law).
5. In the last 12 months how many instances have children or young people been put into emergency care? Please break down to answer to include placements into children's homes, foster care, off-Island care, etc.

6. Please provide confirmation of the following:

1. How many children in care are currently being looked after outside of the Island?
2. What percentage of children in care are currently being looked after outside of the Island?
3. The total number of children that have been placed in care outside of the Island since January 2022.

7. Is there a formal process for children and young people in the care of the Government to provide feedback or formally record concerns about their living environment?

a.  What independent support is available to children or young people in children's homes and how are children and young people informed about this?

8. Is there a formal whistleblowing policy in place for staff within Children's Social Care?
9. The Panel recalls the funding approved in the Government Plan for the Children's Social Care Reform programme, but notes that some of the issues highlighted in the JCC reports include: long working hours for staff, high turnover of staff, lack of safe recruitment practices, lack of mandatory training and supervision for staff, and lack of management oversight. Please could you advise the progress of the Children's Social Care Reform programme to address these issues at this juncture in 2023.
10. Have you been made aware whether any formal proceedings will be taken against Children's Social Care in relation to the breaches of the Regulation of Care (Jersey) Law 2014?

The Panel looks forward to your response and would request this is received by 2nd June 2023.

Yours sincerely,

Deputy Catherine Curtis

Chair

Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel