Agenda item

Performance report, attached.

(Councillor Leadbetter attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(1) and spoke to this item)

The Committee received the Children’s Social Care Performance Dashboard, which had been reviewed following feedback from Scrutiny Members. The revised dashboard was now consistent with the same methodology Ofsted used to visualise the data and direction of travel in the Children’s Services Analysis Tool.

The Report outlined the following key points:-

-    Referral rates had reduced in December to 385 and overall the rate of referrals over the last 12 months in Devon was now below the national average, but higher than statistical neighbours.

-    Assessments performance had continued to improve to 91% in December.

-     The number of Section 47 child protection enquiries per 10,000 had reduced during December.

-    Children in Care numbers increased in December, but remained lower than the national and statistical neighbour averages.

-    Average caseloads had reduced to 16.5 children in December compared to 18.7 in August 2022. 

Lengthy discussion followed with Members and Officers and included:

-        Service priority was the need to improve accommodation for 17-18 year olds, and to improve care planning for this cohort to ensure they were in education, employment or training (EET) and Officers confirmed they were liaising with other relevant service areas of the Council to help with this.

-     Department for Education advice had been sought on care experienced young people and a review of the service area was to be undertaken.

-     Members voiced concern at the number of vulnerable care leavers who were in unsuitable accommodation; and also the current consultation on possible funding cuts to the YMCA. It was questioned why Children’s and Adult Services data could not be shared to ensure adequate provision was available on transition.

-     Although it was clarified that homeless young people were the responsibility of District Councils, rather than the County Council, Members viewed this as a joint responsibility involving all agencies working together.

-     Recruitment and retention was discussed and Members remained concerned at the high level of agency workers – this was due to be considered further at the forthcoming Scrutiny spotlight review.

-     A quality performance framework had just been introduced and would be reported on in due course.

-     Members requested feedback on what the referral thresholds were in Devon, and Officers would share with the Committee at a future date the focussed work being undertaken by the Safeguarding Partnership on the ‘front door’ of social care and a shared understanding of the issues.

-     The geographical and cultural variance of service areas – Officers reported that work was being done to bring areas up to a common standard.

-     Officers confirmed there were currently 10 young people in unregistered placements, some within the County and some further afield; they were met with weekly, and commissioning partners carried out safeguarding checks.

It was MOVED by Councillor Hannaford, SECONDED by Councillor Sanders and

RESOLVED that the Committee:

(a)      Raises concerns about the support and accommodation for care leavers, and recognising the ongoing consultation asks the Cabinet to carefully consider future plans and the impact of any changes.

(b)      Raises concerns about the 52% of social workers being agency workers, a significant rise from the data previously reported to the Committee.

(c)       Adds an item to the work programme on threshold levels and referrals for the front door of Children’s Social Care.