Agenda item

Performance Report, attached.

(Councillor Leadbetter attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(1) and spoke to this item at the invitation of the Committee.)

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Schools updated the Committee on the following points in particular:

·          Ofsted’s next Social Care monitoring visit would take place on 21/22 June.

·          Dawn Stabb, Head of Education and Learning had retired from post on 31 May.

The Committee received the Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services which provided a performance update on Children’s Social Care.

The Report outlined the following key points:

·          The monthly percentage of children being re-referred within 12 months was just above the national and statistical neighbour averages.

·          The rate of children per 10,000 with a child protection plan was higher than the national average and statistical neighbours.

·          The timeliness of initial child protection conferences was a priority area for improvement, and live tracking showed this was an area that required continued focus by managers and the QARRS service.

·          The rate of children in care per 10,000 was stable and lower than the national and statistical neighbour averages.

·          Outcomes for the 17-18 age range in terms of suitable accommodation and education, training and employment was significant below the national averages.

·          The percentage of agency social workers in March continued to be higher than the Council’s ambitions. The Cabinet’s decision however to improve the rates for agency staff was anticipated to show improvement.

·          Twenty overseas social workers would be joining the Service this year in addition to newly qualified, front line and apprentice social workers.

Members’ discussion points and questions with Officers in response to the Report included:

·       Scrutiny’s focus should continue to be around the volume of work and improvement of recruitment and retention of staff and its associated challenges.

·       Housing for key workers – initiatives were currently being considered, and someone would be nominated corporately to work with Children’s recruitment specialist.  Members considered the matter serious enough for the Council to undertake an Intervention.

·       A report had been taken to the Leadership Group on the housing situation and the Chief Officer undertook to ask if that report could be shared with Scrutiny Members.

·       The rigorous recruitment process and strong inductions that new social workers from abroad had to undergo to ensure they met the Council’s standards, including the language skills required to function professionally here. 

·       West Sussex County Council had experience of overseas recruitment and the Chief Officer would follow up with her counterpart there on any shared learning.

·       Referral timeliness was under constant review; and there was a new Partnership Group that met regularly to discuss strategic issues.

·       The Early Help review was progressing and it was hoped to have a new Strategy by July/August.

·       An update on the percentage of closed cases would be provided to Members.

·       Recent data shows that 97% of children had been seen during assessment, and the remainder were usually children that had not yet been born.

·       Improvement to the timeliness of ICPCs was likely to be seen in the autumn.

·       Reassurance was given to the Committee that the whereabouts of all Care Leavers was known; and Officers would update Members with the current number of rough sleepers (if any).

·       There were approximately 603 children currently on child protection plans, although numbers varied daily.

·       Of key importance and as part of the improvement journey was the continuity of social workers.

·       Officers would revert to Members to clarify if the percentage of Pathway plans not up-to-date were included in the NEET percentage.

The Chair thanked Officers for the report.