Minutes of 27th September - Social Policy and Children's subcommittee; topic Children's Champion

Summary

The request sought minutes from a September 2017 Social Policy and Children's subcommittee meeting regarding the Children's Champion and the Education Bill. The authority released the relevant extract concerning the Children's Champion but confirmed that no information on the Education Bill was held as it was not discussed at that meeting.

Key Facts

• The Cabinet Office released an extract of the minutes regarding the Children's Champion Annual Report.
• The Education Bill was not discussed at the meeting on 27 September 2017, so no information was held on that topic.
• Mrs Daphne Caine MHK attended the meeting to present her work and the Annual Report.
• The committee agreed to arrange meetings with departments to address inaccuracies in the report.
• A revised report was scheduled for submission to the November 2017 meeting.

Data Disclosed

• 27 September 2017
• 3 October 2017
• 2017-11-02
• 9:30am
• November 2017
• December 2017
• 41/17
• 46/17
• CAB000009

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

1

REFERENCE NUMBER: CAB000009

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”) Thank you for your written application received into this office on 3 October 2017 requesting the following information (clarification received shown in bold)::
“Please release the minutes of the meeting of the COMIN Social Policy and Children's subcommittee held on 27 September 2017 where these refer to:
a) the report to the Chief Minister by the Children’s Champion Daphne Caine MHK b) the forthcoming Education Bill.” Response to your request
In response to part a) of your request, we are pleased to attach the relevant extract from of the approved minutes as requested. With regard to part b) while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Cabinet Office does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. This is as the Education Bill was not discussed at the meeting on 27 September 2017. Your right to request a review If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to the FOI Co-ordinator, Cabinet Office, Government Office, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3PN. An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website https://www.gov.im/foireview. If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact us and we will be happy to arrange for this.
Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded. If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to apply for a review of decisions by the Information Commissioner, for a decision on;

Government Office DOUGLAS Isle of Man IM1 3PN Tel: (+44) 01624 686244 Fax: (+44) 01624 685710 Website www.gov.im/co
2

1) Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or
2) Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested. In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.
More detailed information on your rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at: https://www.inforights.im/ Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found at: www.gov.im/foi.

3

Extract from the Meeting of the Council of Ministers Social Policy and Children’s Committee 27 September 2017 41/17 Children’s Champion Annual Report

Mrs D Caine MHK, Children’s Champion attended at 9:30am

The Minister for Policy and Reform (“the Minister”) welcomed the Mrs Caine MHK and provided an overview of the aims of the Committee.

Mrs Caine MHK provided a summary of the work that had been undertaken and the links that she had made by being chair of the Corporate Parenting Strategy Group, member of the Children’s Service Partnership and with public groups.

Mrs Caine MHK advised that she had received representation on a wide range of issues facing children and young people on the Isle of Man, and that numerous topics had not been included in the first Annual Report of the Isle of Man Children’s Champion (“the Report”).

The committee discussed the report and provided feedback on certain areas which required further clarification or a response from the Department.

Mrs Caine MHK advised that she welcomed comments and feedback on the Recommendations of the Report.

The Committee agreed that:

1. Meetings were to be arranged between relevant Departments and Mrs Caine MHK in order to address any possible inaccuracies in the Report, and to provide feedback to the Recommendations;

2. The revised Report be submitted to the November 2017 meeting [of the SPCC]; and

3. A Government Response was to be prepared for submission to the December 2017 meeting [of SPCC].

46/17 Annual Report of the Isle of Man Children’s Champion

The Committee further discussed the Children’s Champion Annual Report noting the following:

 The need for a clear evidence base;  The need for the Terms of reference to be updated  The need for early engagement with Departments for emerging issues;  The need for engagement with Departments during the drafting of the Report; and  The need for a process to be developed to enable Departments [via SPCC] to respond to findings and recommendations of relevant reports. 4

The Committee discussed whether the Report would be laid before Tynwald and noted any decision in that regard would be that of the Chief Minister.

The Committee discussed aspects of the remit and role of the Children’s Champion.

The Committee agreed that:

1. The role of the Children’s Champion should be that of independent scrutiny, to be the advocate for the protection of the child, including vulnerable and looked after children and a voice for the best interests of children;

2. The Chief Minister be asked to write to the Children’s Champion with clarification on the role and the terms of reference; and

3. The Children’s Champion be invited to the December 2017 meeting [of the SPCC] in order to speak to the revised Report and Government Response.