D Bramma, C Campbell; J Doherty; E Hanley; A MacDonald; J Melrose; A Stevenson; A Tucker and P Wilson.

D Bramma, Area Convener, presided.

A M Currie and R MacLeod.

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 21 June 2022.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

Item 4 – Locality Reporter Manager Update, in relation to items to be added to newsletter being distributed the committee were advised that the newsletter, with the additional information added, was still to be progressed and would now be issued in August 2022.

DECIDED: That the information be noted.

The Area Support & Improvement Partner provided a verbal update and advised that 300 panel members nationally from a membership of 3,000 had responded to the recent questionnaire which had been issued.

Information was also provided on face to face workshops with 2 dates being available in Glasgow.  On line workshop dates would be released on Teams and information on these would be included in the newsletter to be issued.

The Area Support & Improvement Partner provided information on The Promise and hearings redesign, three sub-groups would be established to consider the implications of this.

A National Recruitment Campaign would be launched on 1 September 2022 and the Area Convener intimated that it was intended to recruit 15 new panel members for this area and recruitment panel members would meet in the coming weeks to prepare for this.

DECIDED: That the information be noted.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Hearings Management Sub-group held on 2 August 2022.

The Minute provided updates on sabbaticals; resignations; Hearing statistics for the period 6 June to 1 August 2022 including deferred cases, cancelled sessions, extra hearings/sessions, swaps and continuity; pastoral care; and panel member strength. Currently membership stood at 84, with 65 females and 19 males. 

Angela Stevenson confirmed the post made by Derek on the AST Teams Channel, that due to health and wellbeing reasons she had chosen to step back from the previously advised Lead Panel Representative role and this would now be fulfilled by Jacqueline Doherty. Angela would remain in her role as Digital and Teams Champion and back up Rota Manager for Marion Robinson.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Recruitment and Retention Sub-group held on 2 August 2022

The Minute provided updates on personnel changes and advised A M Currie would be resigning on completion of August 2022 observations and any recruitment interviewing scheduled before Christmas 2022.  Anne Tucker was welcomed as a new PPA.  Attendance for Anne at PPA Forum and RRRG had been organised.  The Area Convener advised that Eileen Anderson would  be resigning due to ill health.

Information was provided on one complaint which had been received from Social Work. This had been investigated by J Melrose and R MacLeod with findings on the complaint being sent to Social Work. A number of issues were identified from this complaint including the buddying system and panel member understanding of child development and contact. Social Work to be approached to make a presentation to panel members on child development and contact to strengthen this area of knowledge for panel members.  It was also suggested that buddies be changed after three months if appropriate to widen experience. 

The Minute also provided information in relation to CSAS updates; PPA rota management; observations; reappointments; RRRG and the PPA forum. A strategy on the best way to support members would be developed which would be implemented in January 2023.

DECIDED:  That the Minute be approved.

The Locality Reporter Manager provided a verbal update report on local SCRA operational arrangements, making reference in particular to staffing arrangements where there were still some long-term absences and one Reporter was absent on maternity leave.  She advised that one member of staff would soon return to the office after being seconded to a the Virtual Hearings Team. 

The Locality Reporter Manager provided an update on work being undertaken in terms of the Promise. She further indicated that plans were being formulated to move to face-to-face hearings and to reduce the number of virtual hearings from August and that changes brought in COVID-19 Legislation would stop from end of September 2022.  Social Work had been contacted in an attempt to pre-empt any issues which may arise from the forthcoming postal strike and have been asked if papers could be issued earlier than usual. Panel members would also be encouraged to use electronic version of papers where possible.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of the Area Support Team was scheduled for Tuesday 25 October 2022 at 2.00pm.