Agenda item

Report by the Executive Director of People, Director of Children and Services, and Director of Law and Assurance.

The County Council’s Children’s Services were the subject of an inspection by Ofsted in late February/early March 2019.  The report detailing the inspection outcome was published on 8 May 2019 with the inspectors finding the overall effectiveness of Children’s Services to be ‘inadequate’.

In response, an Improvement Plan is being developed to address the findings of the report and set out how the County Council will implement the necessary measures to deliver improvement within Children’s Services. 

The Committee is asked to note the process for the production and delivery of the Children First Practice Improvement Plan, the progress to date and the further actions in hand, and to consider how it proposes to discharge its scrutiny function in relation to the delivery of the Plan.

14.1   The Committee considered a report by the Director of Children Services and the Director of Law and Assurance. The report was introduced by John Readman, Director of Children Services, who also took the Committee through a presentation (copy appended to the signed minutes). The Committee heard the following key points:

·       A commissioner had now been appointed for WSCC; John Coughlan, Chief Executive of Hampshire County Council. A set up meeting had taken place which had been very useful. Hampshire Children’s Social Care had recently been awarded an Outstanding Ofsted rating. The practical support from Hampshire County Council was funded by the Department for Education (DfE).

·       The commissioner would undertake a three month review of Children’s Social Care, then a formal report would be submitted to the DfE at the end of September. WSCC would work with the commissioner to develop and undertake improvement, including working with the Improvement Board, the CYPSSC and CPP.

·       There was a fundamental determination and commitment to improve the service through three concurrent streams:

Ø  Looking at areas of most risk and making early progress

Ø  Supporting and stabilising the workforce

Ø  The development of the Improvement Plan.

14.2   Sarah Daly, Head of Children’s Social Care provided an update on progress to date. Key points included the following:

·       To improve management oversight, supervision training had started to take place in order to build practitioner confidence and embed a good working practice.

·       Live time trackers for individual children had been developed.

·       Social workers for pre-birth work were now embedded in their work, visiting and reviewing cases, ensuring there were plans in place by week 32 gestation. A consistent monitoring approach had been taken to ensure a wrap-around care plan.

·       The West Sussex Safeguarding Children’s Board (WSSCB) had been working in partnership with Children’s Social Care to strengthen the focus on neglect. Neglect cases were being audited, and learning was coming out of this.

·       Practice improvement had been underway in areas of high risk adolescents, return home interviews, child exploitation, foster to adopt and assessment and intervention.

14.3   The Director of Children’s Services provided the following update on workforce:

·       Vacancies were being filled in a timely and efficient way, and the vacancy gap was reducing.

·       The aim was to develop the best environment to encourage best practice, with postive learning and development opportunities.

·       The recruitment and retention campaign was yielding good results, with the lowest vacancy rate in a significant period of time.

·       Morale in the service had improved, which was critical when bringing new staff in.

·       7 apprenticeships were in train, and the AYSE was proving a successful academy programme. In September 2019 an additional 43 full time equivalent posts would join the workforce.

·       Around 12% of the workforce was covered by agency staff who would remain with WSCC until they were no longer needed.

·       There were 24 leavers in the pipeline citing reasons of relocation as opposed to high caseloads or poor management oversight.

·       The retention programme had an 82% take up to date.

·       Human Resources data was available each month, this oversight enabled trends to be identified and allowed for action to be taken where necessary.

·       Staff events had been well attended, and a good opportunity for staff to have an open discussion about their views.

14.4   Members of the Committee asked the following questions regarding the workforce update:

·       The Chairman questioned if high case loads were the primary reason for social workers leaving. The Head of Children’s Social Care advised that when caseloads were running at levels of around 30 this was the biggest contributing factor for staff choosing to leave. She added this was far too high, and the caseloads were returning to a much more desirable and manageable level.

·       Members were pleased to hear of the additional establishment of social workers in September, and asked for the number of those who were newly qualified. The Head of Children’s Social Care advised 37 social workers were joining the AYSE academy.

·       Members noted that sustainability must be managed in order to retain these staff, and questioned what promotion opportunities existed for those at middle-management level. The Head of Children’s Social Care advised there was a progression route and that the service did recognise talent. Where social workers identified specific interests these were nurtured, staff were encouraged to stay with WSCC and were provided opportunities to transfer within the service to further develop skills. Progression options included becoming an advanced practitioner, frontline management and senior level management.

·       The Committee considered if agency workers were offered to become permanent staff for WSCC. The Head of Children’s Social Care advised members that agency staff were given the opportunity to transfer to WSCC as permanent staff and a number had done so. This was an indication that the culture and environment for staff was improving.

14.5   The Director of Children’s Services provided an update to the Committee on improvement planning. Members heard the following key points:

·       There was now an opportunity to refresh the wider West Sussex Plan in relation to children. Outcomes of the Integrated Prevention and Early Help (IPEH) review would also be weaved into this revived version of the West Sussex Plan in relation to giving Children and Young People the best start in life.

·       The Improvement Plan would be set against the 12 recommendations from Ofsted. The Plan was in development following consultation with staff following the engagement events.

·       Getting the plan right was absolutely key, it was a lengthy process but progress was being made.

·       The question ‘what does good look like?’ was central to the development of the Improvement Plan, with consideration for governance, actions, outcomes and evidence.

·       The plan aimed to capture the breadth of corporate parenting.

·       It was crucial the format of the plan was able to be understood by staff in the service. Frontline staff would deliver the improvement required.

·       The service welcomed both scrutiny and support of the plans implementation.

14.6   Members of the Committee were grateful for the update on the improvement journey, and felt reassured by the vigour of work underway. The following points were raised in discussion:

·       The Chairman noted a stable and effective social worker cohort was vital for improvement.

·       The Committee asked officers how they would know if the service had missed something. The Director of Children’s Services advised that with intervention by a commissioner there was formal level of experienced support. He felt there was a collective focus for improvement and noted the cultivation of a relentless effort to make positive change.

·       The Leader advised WSCC was a difficult place to recruit to given the low rate of unemployment, costly house prices and being situated between 2 outstanding councils. She added her commitment along with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to the improvement of the service.

·       The Chairman advised he felt reassured that WSCC was travelling in the right direction.

14.7   Resolved that the Committee:

1.   Notes the process for the production and delivery of the Children First Practice Improvement Plan, the progress to date and the further actions in hand.

2.   Considers how it proposes to discharge its scrutiny function in relation to the delivery of the plan.