The Durham Family Panel convened on Friday 28 November 2025 to review a range of reports and updates concerning children's services. Key discussions were scheduled to cover the annual performance of the Independent Reviewing Officer Service, the ERASE team's work on exploitation and missing children, and the Keeping Families Together initiative. Updates were also anticipated from the Children in Care Council (CiCC) and the Independent Visitor Service.

Ofsted Updates

A verbal update was scheduled from the Practice Lead for Children and Young People's Services regarding recent Ofsted findings.

Proud Moments

Strategic Managers were expected to provide verbal updates on positive developments and achievements within the services.

Update from the Children in Care Council (CiCC)

The meeting was set to receive an update from the CiCC, including a presentation from young people involved with the council and a review of their latest newsletter. This update was intended to provide insight into the perspectives and activities of children in care.

Annual Report of the Independent Reviewing Officer Service

The Corporate Director of Children and Young People's Services was scheduled to present the annual report of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) Service. This report covers the period from April 2024 to March 2025 and details the service's performance in relation to child protection and children in care. The report highlights key performance indicators such as the timeliness of conferences and reviews, children's participation in meetings, and permanence planning. It also outlines areas for development, including increasing IRO visits to children in care.

Annual Performance Report: ERASE: Exploitation and Missing

The Head of Children's Social Care was scheduled to present the annual performance report for the ERASE (Exploitation and Missing) team. This report details the team's work from April 2024 to March 2025 in addressing child exploitation and missing episodes. Key achievements were expected to include a reduction in missing episodes, improved timeliness of return home interviews, and enhanced multi-agency collaboration. The report also outlines the team's mission and structure, detailing their approach to identifying and responding to risks of exploitation and missing children.

Annual Performance Report: Keeping Families Together

The Head of Children's Social Care was also scheduled to present the annual performance report for the Supporting Solutions Service, operating under the 'Keeping Families Together' (KFT) framework. This report covers the period from April 2024 to March 2025 and focuses on the service's interventions to prevent family breakdown and children entering care. It was expected to highlight achievements such as the percentage of young people remaining with their families, the impact of youth homelessness interventions, and measurable improvements in wellbeing and family relationships. The report also details plans for service expansion and quality assurance efforts.

Independent Visitor Service Annual Update

The Independent Visitor Coordinator from the County Durham Youth Justice Service was scheduled to present an annual update on the Independent Visitor Service. This report was to cover the recruitment of volunteers, referrals of young people, and the effectiveness of matching young people with Independent Visitors. The report was also expected to examine the impact of these matches on both young people and volunteers, and outline future development plans and challenges for the service.

Performance Report (Quarter 2, 2025-26)

The Corporate Performance Manager was scheduled to present a performance update for the second quarter of the 2025-26 financial year. This report was expected to provide an overview of performance in relation to children in care and care leavers, structured around the Local Government Association's Key Lines of Enquiry for Corporate Parenting Panels.

Regulation 44 Visits: DCC Residential Homes

In Part B of the meeting, which was not open to the public, a presentation was scheduled from a Strategic Manager regarding Regulation 44 visits to DCC Residential Homes.