J Melrose, Depute Area Convener, presided.

Eileen Anderson; Brent Dorey; Edi Hanley; Alex MacDonald; Jim Melrose and Marion Robinson.

L King, Locality Reporter Manager; and A Cramb, Area Support and Improvement Partner (Children’s Hearings Scotland).

J Trainer, Head of Child Care and Criminal Justice (Children’s Services); P Shiach, Committee Services Officer and N O’Brien, Assistant Committee Services Officer both (Finance & Resources).

Councillor J Shaw, D Bramma, C Campbell, A Currie, A Stevenson, and Allan Thompson.

There were no declarations of interest intimated by members prior to the meeting.

There was submitted the Minute of the previous meeting of Renfrewshire Area Support Team (AST) held on 18 June 2019.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved. 

(a)  The Locality Reporter Manager referred to Item 8 of the previous Minute in relation to her report, and in particular to concerns which had been raised in terms of data breaches. She indicated that she had not been contacted by the Area Convener in this regard following his correspondence with Panel Members reminding them to report any security breaches immediately.
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DECIDED:  That L King will liaise with D Bramma regarding the protocol to be used by Panel Members in reporting data breaches.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Hearings Management Sub-group held on 6 August 2019.

The Minute provided an update on sabbaticals; resignations; hearing statistics including deferred cases, cancelled cases/sessions, secure hearings, extra cases/hearings sessions, swaps and continuity; pastoral care; panel member strength; PanelPal; better hearings; and rota management.

M Robinson advised that more Panel Members were uploading their availability on PanelPal, and work was continuing towards the “go live” date of January 2020.
    
DECIDED: That the Minute otherwise be approved.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Learning and Development Sub-group held on 14 August 2019.
 
Discussion took place on regarding the protocol following the cancellation of Hearings.

It was agreed that L King would arrange, as soon as possible following the cancellation of a hearing or hearing session for the relevant parties involved (Panel Members, PPA, Social workers, Area Convener etc.) to be contacted via phone and email. An email would also be sent to M Robinson to record on the Panel Member and PPA rotas.

J Melrose referred to Panel Members arriving later than 15 minutes prior to Hearings and suggested that PPA’s noted this while observing Panel Members. He further suggested that a reminder of the importance of arriving at the Hearing in time for pre-Hearing discussions be highlighted in the next issue of the Panel newsletter. This was agreed unanimously.

Discussion took place with regard to the issue of information missing from Social Work reports. J Trainer undertook to provide an update to the next meeting of the AST on an agreed process to deal with this issue.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be agreed that L King would liaise ensure panel members, D Bramma, PPAs and M Robinson were contacted as soon as practicable, following to the cancellation of a hearing or hearing session;

(b) That PPA’s note any late arrivals while observing Panel Members; 

(c) That a reminder of the importance of arriving at the Hearing in time for pre-Hearing discussions be highlighted in the next issue of the Panel newsletter; 

(d) That J Trainer provide an update to the next meeting of the AST on a process for dealing with information missing from social work reports; and
 
(e) That the minute be otherwise approved.

The Locality Manager provided a verbal update in relation to staffing changes and hearings statistics.

She indicated that a temporary Reporter had been appointed until March 2020.  L Smart would return from maternity leave at the end of September.  

In terms of appeals feedback one appeal against the decision of PHP appeal was upheld.  Information had been passed onto D Bramma.  A further appeal had been withdrawn.

An update was given in relation to rota changes from 2020 as a result of court sessions on Thursdays being extended.

DECIDED:   That the report be noted.

The Depute Area Convener advised the recruitment campaign launched on 21 August with advents going in local and national press.  The campaign would close on 17 September and the AST was seeking to appoint 20 new panel members.  

DECIDED:   That the information be noted.

There was submitted a guidance document from Children’s Hearings Scotland relative to Panel Member Profiles.

The document provided guidance on the background and pilot studies undertaken; the national roll-out of Panel Member Profiles; and resource materials.


Discussion took pace regarding the introduction of bitmojis for panel members. These bitmojis would be displayed on a board in the Reporter’s Office.  

The Depute Area Convener suggested that a group consisting of D Bramma, J Melrose, E Hanley, A MacDonald, Alison Thompson, J Trainer, A Cramb and P Shiach would meet to discuss how this could be implemented and the relevant timescales for implementation. 
 
DECIDED: 

(a) That the guidance on Panel Member Profiles be noted; and

(b) That it be agreed that a group consisting of D Bramma, J Melrose, E Hanley, A MacDonald, Alison Thompson, J Trainer, A Cramb and P Shiach meet to discuss implementation of panel members profiles and feedback to the next meeting.

Members are asked to note that the next meeting of the Area Support Team is scheduled for Tuesday 29 October at 2.00pm.