Agenda item

Report of the Director of Children and Adult Services

Pursuant to Minute CYP5/Jul/28, the Director of Children and Adult Services submitted a report (previously circulated) to provide Members with further information regarding the number of children who are Looked After with autism or another disability, who experience missing from home episodes.

It was reported that there were no children or young people missing from home with a recorded disability including autism throughout the reporting year of 2017/18; however there has been one missing episode for one young person with autism in the current reporting year of 2018/19 and this young person left his foster placement in the early evening but was located and returned home within the hour.

Councillor Mills acknowledged that the report received provided information on the children who are already diagnosed with autism or another disability however, she still had concerns about how un-diagnosed children could be picked up from incidents of going missing as this could be the first sign of a potential issue with the young person.

Members agreed that they would like to examine a copy of the Return Home Interview Pro-forma with a view to disability or health issues being recorded on it and to include a criteria to recognise potential issues related to autism.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.