D Bramma, Area Convener, presided

E Anderson, Derek Bramma; C Campbell; Annemarie Currie; Edi Hanley; Jennifer Hay; H McCulloch; M Robinson; Councillor John Shaw and Angela Stevenson.

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

M McCargo, (Children’s Services) and C Macdonald and P Shiach, (both Finance & Resources).

The Area Convener advised the Committee that Allan Thompson had resigned as PPA  due to work commitments.
On behalf of the AST he thanked Allan for his contribution to the Children’s Hearings System as initially a Panel Member and latterly a PPA and AST member.

DECIDED: That the information be noted.

The Area Convener indicated that there were four additional items which had not been included in the notice calling the meeting. The Area Convener, being of the opinion that the items which were dealt with at item 8 and 9 were competent and relevant, authorised their consideration.

A Currie referred to the last meeting of the PPA forum when it as agreed that A Morrison would join the Forum and A Currie would join the Recruitment and Retention Reference Group. She further indicated that it was open to any other PPA to join the RRRG.

She indicated that CHS would be advised of the new roles.

DECIDED: That the information be noted.

A Currie advised that the RRRG wold meet in early October to discuss panel member recruitment, which was expected to begin in early 2021, and sought feedback from the AST on the recruitment process.

Discussion followed on the role of young people in the recruitment process and the extent to which they would be involved.

In response to the suggestion that a young person could be in attendance as an observer, the Area Convener indicated that this was an option open to the AST.

The Area Convener proposed that a meeting of the PPAs be convened, to include the Depute Area Convener to consider options on the role of young people in the  panel member recruitment process for 2021, to be presented to the National Forum. This was agreed.

DECIDED: That it be agreed that a meeting of PPAs be convened, to include the Depute Area Convener to consider options on the role of young people in the  panel member recruitment process for 2021, to be presented to the National Forum. 

A Macdonald and Alison 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 August 2020.

A Stevenson referred to item 8 of the Minute, Law Society Determination, indicating that paragraph 2 of the item should read “two charges” and not “three charges” as indicated in the report. 

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved subject to an amendment to paragraph 2  of item 8 of the Minute being amended to read “two charges” and not “three charges”. 

Going Live Strategy

Under item 10 of the Minute of the previous meeting, A Currie, Area Support and Improvement Partner (ASIP) advised that, for a variety of reasons, a significant number of  Panel Members had yet to managed to log onto the system.

A Stevenson, Digital Champion, indicated that she would contact those members who had not yet signed on to the system.

M Robinson indicated that she knew of one member who was having issues and had contacted CHS, however the issue remained unresolved. 

A Cramb, Area Support and Improvement Partner (ASIP) indicated that the problems related to a Microsoft issue and that those who had been locked out of the system required to be reinstated manually by CHS and that this was taking time.

DECIDED: That the information be noted.

The Locality Reporter Manager indicated that virtual hearings from the beginning of October would have daily hearing statistics, and there was now scope for 2 virtual or 3 virtual hearings.

Face to face hearings were taking place on Mondays and Wednesdays in the Accord Hospice Training Room.  

She also advised that arrangements to have building works authorised within the larger Hearing Room in Glen Lane, and that there was a potential for hybrid hearings between Hearing Rooms 1 and 2.

The Locality Reporter Manager indicated that a recovery plan was being considered although the relevant figured had not meantime been confirmed. She also provided an update on staffing and IT training.

The Locality Reporter Manager was then heard in answer to questions from members on the report.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

There was submitted the Minute of the Learning and Development Sub-group meeting held on 27 August 2020.

The Minute contained updates in relation to Pre-services Update; in-service updates; Management of Hearings (MOH)  training; the Learning Academy prospectus; and AOCB including the following; -

In relation to virtual hearings, concern had been expressed that not all compulsory supervision orders had previously been uploaded onto Objective Connect, although this had since been rectified; additional information was being added up to less than 24 hours before a hearing, giving insufficient time for PMs to read this or if they have read papers prior to this they may not even have been aware it has been added; it had been noted that currently papers only included the record of proceedings for the last hearing rather than a complete history, and panel members felt that this removed helpful information and that it was more beneficial to be able to read back and note the different decisions made, whether a relevant person attended previous hearings, etc; and discussion around the new digital system with regards to panel members being unable to sit on a hearing at last minute.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

M Robinson (Rota Manager) provided an update on the position with regard to management of the Hearings Schedule indicating that the schedule now required to be undertaken by SCRA. However, SCRA staff had not meantime been trained and the schedule required to be completed manually.

She advised that the October schedule should be available by 21 September and would cover both virtual and face to face hearings.

The Rota Manager further indicated that 46 panel members had indicated that they were available for face to face hearings; 44 were available for virtual hearings; and 27 were available to undertake both face to face and virtual hearings.

There followed a general discussion and in response to a question regarding single -sex panels, the Area Convener advised that the National Convener had confirmed that it would be for Area Conveners to determine whether to hold single-sex panels, and that the ACs would thereafter report these to the Scottish Government.

The Rota Manager was then heard in answer to questions from the Committee on the update.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

The  Area Convener referred to various issues which required to be taken into account in terms of Resilience Planning, including the possibility of a second spike in COVID-19 infections which could have repercussions for a significant number of Renfrewshire panel members in terms of shielding, given the vulnerability of the demographic, with a number of panel members over 70 years old and the possibility of the vulnerable age being reduced to 65 years of age.

He indicated that test and protect was another issue for resilience planning.

In response to a comment from A Stevenson regarding advice on delaying decisions where hearings extend beyond the allocated time, the Area Convener indicated that confirmation on this would be sought from Children’s Hearings Scotland, and that the issue could be considered as a topic for a possible training event.

DECIDED:

(a) That confirmation in relation to delaying hearing decisions where a hearing overran be sought from CHS and that the issue be considered as a topic for a future training event; and

(b) That the report be otherwise noted.

The Area Convener reported on the recent North Strathclyde Hub meeting which had attended.

He advised that all ASTs within the North Strathclyde Hub area were experiencing challenges similar to those faced by Renfrewshire AST, and all ASTs had updated each other on their activities.

DECIDED: That the information be noted.

DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of the AST was scheduled for Tuesday 27 October 2020 at 2.00 pm.