Meeting Summaries
Council Meeting
18 April 2005
Present:
The Right Honourable Sir Mark Potter (Chairman)
The Right Honourable Lord Justice Thorpe (Deputy Chair)
The Honourable Mrs Justice Baron
Her Honour Judge Lesley Newton
District Judge Nicholas Crichton
District Judge Marilyn Mornington
Malcolm Richardson JP, Magistrate
Mrs Elaine Laken, Justices Clerk
Mr Stephen Cobb QC, Family Barrister
Ms Khatun Sapnara, Family Barrister
Ms Katherine Gieve, Family Solicitor, Public Law
Mrs Jane Craig, Family Solicitor, Private Law
Vicky Leach, Family Mediator
Dr Rosalyn Proops, Consultant Community Paediatrician
Dr Dania Glaser, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Paul Clark, Director of Children's Services, London Borough of Harrow
Professor Corinne May-Chahal, Lancaster University
Ms Mary Macleod, National Family & Parenting Institute
Professor Judith Masson, Warwick University
Bruce Clark, Department for Education and Skills
Sheridan Greenland, Area Director, Unified Courts Administration
Peter Clarke, Children's Commissioner for Wales
Angela Lake Carroll, Legal Services Commission
Terry Grange, Chief Constable
Mark Ormerod, Department of Constitutional Affairs
Mike Hinchliffe, CAFCASS (am)
Jane Booth, CAFCASS (pm)
Guests:
Georgina Fletcher-Cooke, Department of Health
Paul Jackson, HMCS (pm)
Cara Mitchell-Langford,HMCS (pm)
Secretariat:
Sam Sprague (left mid-morning)
Laura Russell (Assistant Secretary)
Shan Maraj (Executive Assistant)
Tammy Clarke (Administrative Assistant)
Apologies:
Hilary Samson-Barry, Department of Health
Janet Douglas, Foreign Office
Richard Wetherill, Home Office
1. Announcements and apologies
The Chairman welcomed members to the meeting and introduced Tammy Clarke as the Administrative Officer to the Family Justice Council. He reminded members to adhere to the secretariat's deadlines with regard to the submission of papers for circulation prior to council meetings. The late arrival of papers has had an adverse effect on the secretariat's workload in the busy period leading up to council meetings.
2. Minutes of the last meeting 24th January 2005 (P1)
i) The Chair apologised to Jane Craig for the omission of her name from those on the working party formed to formulate the objectives of the family justice system. This will be included.
ii) There was consensus that the minutes of the last meeting were too long and detailed. It was agreed that minutes would be kept brief and circulated to members who have 48 hours to return comments to the secretariat. It was agreed that the minute summary would be posted on to the website within 14 days of the meeting.
iii. Minutes approved
3. Matters arising
Item 3.1 Amendments. Actioned
Item 4 Admission of the Public/Reporting Restrictions on Family Proceedings. Actioned
Council discussed Deputy Chair's paper on 'PRIVACY'. It was agreed that Mark Ormerod would take the council's strong view on this matter to the government. This view will also be conveyed by the Executive Committee to the government by letter.
Action: Executive Committee to send letter to government conveying strong view of the Council.
The Chair will write to congratulate the new English Commissioner for Children on his appointment and inform him about the work of the council.
Action: Chair to send formal letter to English Commissioner for Children
Item 5 Aims of the Family Justice System. Actioned
Judith Masson and Mark Ormerod to work on costing for website with the secretariat before the next Executive Committee meeting on 13 June. The Executive Committee then to make a decision. The working party will continue. Council members are to contact Judith Masson with suggestions for improvements to her draft as soon as possible.
Action: Judith Masson, Mark Ormerod and secretariat to investigate costing for website.
Council members to send suggestions to Judith Masson.
Item 7- Formation of a technology group to look at the needs of the family court. Actioned
Sheridan Greenland to redraft and update paper, incorporating points raised. This is to be sent to the FJC via the Secretariat. The letter of recommendation will then be sent to the e-delivery group at the DCA for consideration.
Item 9-Research Agenda. Actioned .
Agreed. Requires an index and can be launched four times a year. Costing of £350
Item 10 - Regional Workshops. Actioned and item dealt with under agenda item 8.
Item 11- Dartington Fellows Conference. Actioned
Creation of a sub-group was proposed. This will be put to the Executive committee.
Action: Creation of sub-group to be an agenda item for next
Executive Committee meeting.
Item 12- Link between Family Mediation and the FJC. Actioned
Item 18a- Voice of the Child. Actioned
Peter Clarke proposed a creation of a Consultation Group of Young People to support the proposed mechanisms in his paper. The Council committed to funding of £8000 per year for 2 years.
Paper on Parents Groups Representation - Not Actioned
Mary MaLeod requires more thinking time and hopes to get this ready for the next FJC meeting.
Item 14- Experts. Actioned and dealt with under agenda item 4
The Chair referred back to Elaine Laken's report on 'The Work of the Family-Criminal Interface Committee', which had been omitted from the meeting on 24/1/05. A discussion followed.
Item 16 – Development of local FJCs.Actioned and dealt with under agenda item 8.
Dr Rosalyn Proop's paper - Actioned
The Council approved Dr Proops offer to prepare a short paper regarding health memberships on local FJCs and for this to be sent to local FJCs.
Mark Ormerod's action point to be dealt with under local FJCs.
4 Experts
Report on accreditation from sub-committee
Following comments on the unsuitable term 'accreditation' Stephen Cobb proposed that the group be called the Quality and Competence sub group. He suggested that a representative from the British Psychological Society should be included. Peter Kinderman was suggested. It was agreed that the work to be carried out must be endorsed by the Royal Colleges (Paediatrics and Psychology)
Stephen Cobb QC discussed his paper. It was agreed that there should be guidance on the questions that should or shouldn't be asked of experts.
It was also agreed that before the paper is finalised, the working group will formulate questions for adult mental health groups regarding risk assessment. Stephen Cobb QC will present the paper at the next Council meeting on 18 July.
Action: Stephen Cobb QC to prepare report on 'quality and competence' for FJC meeting
Expert Training Sub-Committee
Thorpe LJ reported on discussions that had taken place at the first meeting of the Expert Training Sub-committee. He said that a mapping exercise was to be carried out which would ascertain the medico-legal training currently available for specialist registrars and consultants. It would define what service providers must do and training people could receive from the mini pupillage scheme.
Georgina Fletcher Cooke (Department of Health)
Georgina Fletcher-Cooke said, with reference to the report commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer, that she could not disclose details in the light of the upcoming general election with regard to accreditation and training. She said that there was currently a lot of activity going on in this area. The issue was which of the necessary competencies should be taught at what stage of training.
8. Report on LFJCs- this item was brought forward on the agenda as Paul Jackson had to leave early.
Paul Jackson discussed his paper. He said that a £450,000 budget had been approved by the Secretary of State to fund local FJCs on the proviso that the Labour Party was re-elected. If a different party formed the new w government, then discussions regarding the budget would need to be reopened.
There was much discussion on the content of this paper.
It was decided that Local Area Directors would be responsible for their local FJCs budget as the FJC secretariat were already over burdened.
It was agreed that nominated members from the national body could be a link to local FJCs though they did not need to attend all meetings.
The structure of the local FJC was discussed and it was agreed that there was no need to be too prescriptive with regard to core membership.
It has been agreed that Paul Jackson will revise his paper incorporating agreed suggestions before the President's Conference. Individual comments are to be circulated to Paul in the next week.
Action: Paul Jackson to redraft report on local FJCs. Members to contact Paul Jackson directly with any comments.
Regional workshops
Paul Clark discussed his paper with members. There was general agreement that these be run by local FJCs as it would be a good initial task for them to focus on. It was agreed that this be incorporated into the paper that Paul Jackson was preparing. Questions were raised as to how this would fit into regional conferences and there was already considerable activity taking place regionally. It was agreed that local FJCs prepare a report after their conference in the autumn updating on any problems faced and how they were to be dealt with.
5. Update from the Dartington working group
Thorpe LJ updated the Council on progress in the planning for the conference. He asked for expressions of interest for those who wished to attend and asked for delegate suggestions for people who would add value to the conference. These are to be submitted to Thorpe LJ within 7 days.
Action: Members to submit names and delegate suggestions to Thorpe LJ by 25th April 2005
6. Finance
The Chair read out the paper prepared by Laura Russell.
Laura updated the council on acceptable expenditure and the payments which members could be reimbursed for. She also informed members that alcoholic beverages would not be paid for from the Council's budget at Council events as this would be irregular.
Action: Laura Russell to circulate document about items that can be automatically claimed for to members.
7. Child contact centres
Professor Corinne May-Chahal said that she had received a letter from Beverley Brooks in relation to her role on the FJC and its impact on contact centres. She said that the National Association of Child Contact Centres and the Contact Implementation Group could act in an advisory capacity to the Council and asked members for their views.
It was agreed that Corinne May-Chahal would attend the next meeting of the above groups and determine the precise nature of the FJC's link with them and particularly how the FJC could use their advice. She will produce a report for the next Council meeting.
Action: Corinne May-Chahal to produce report re Contact Centres for next FJC meeting
9. Report back on family justice handbook
Thorpe LJ reported on the progress regarding discussions about the second edition of 'Working in the Family Justice System' and the options available. He asked members for their views and after much discussion it was provisionally agreed that a fixed sum of up to £8,000 would be paid towards underwriting costs, depending on legal advice from the DCA as to 'vires'. Content of the book is also to be reviewed by Council members.
Action: Mark Ormerod to investigate whether the FJC can be involved with a commercial organisation
Thorpe LJ or a member of the Executive Committee to enter into negotiations with Jordans, pending departmental legal advice.
10. October conference
The President asked for members' views on whether the October FJC meeting should include an overnight stay. It was agreed that the FJC meeting on 10th April 2006 would include a 1 night stay over from the evening of 9th April. Locations suggested in order of preference were Bath, Oxford and Cumberland Lodge.
Action: Secretariat to report on venue options and cost estimates at the next council meeting in July
11. Any other business
i. Training for the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (P5)
Bruce Clark said that local FJCs might wish to consider that regional development workers across the country make contact with them. The Council agreed that it would be unwise to roll out training on the Civil Partnership bill at the same time as training on the Adoption and Children Act. It was pointed out that registrars do not deal with placement orders.
Marilyn Mornington asked that a report back from the Domestic Violence Working Group, comprising Khatun Sapnara, Terry Grange and herself be a standing item at FJC meetings. This required a 10 minute slot. This was agreed
Action: Secretariat to agenda report from Domestic Violence Working Group as a standing item with a 10 minute slot.
ii) Business Plan
Nick Crichton raised the fact that the business plan had still not been finalised. This was now urgent as it would form the backdrop and guidance for the local FJCs.
Jane Booth offered to look at what had already been proposed for the business plan and invited members to make comments to her via email as soon as possible.
It has been agreed that the Secretariat will draft and circulate the business plan in seven to ten days i.e. by 28 April. Members are to send comments back to the secretariat by 5 May. There will be a meeting on 9 May at 3.00pm to approve the business plan.
The meeting then ended. The Chairman thanked all members for their presence. The next Family Justice Council meeting will be held on 18 July 2005.
iii) Transcripts
Lesley Newton raised the issue of transcripts of judgments involving children being available on the court file. She asked for views on this to be sent directly to her and for this to be an agenda item at the next meeting.
Action: Secretariat to agenda 'Transcripts' for the next FJC meeting in July
12. Date of next meeting: 188 July 2005, Thomas more Building at 10.00am.
Ends
Shan Maraj
Executive Assistant to the Family Justice Council.