Agenda item

Following the Ofsted inspection of the County Council’s Children’s Social Care Services in February-March 2019, an ‘inadequate’ judgement was given in Ofsted’s report published on 8 May 2019.  The attached report explains the context for the creation of a Children First Practice Improvement Plan. 

The Board is asked to:

1)  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

2) consider how the Health and Wellbeing Board could contribute to the Children First Improvement Programme.

14.1 The Director of Children’s Services presented the report on the Ofsted Inspection and the County Council’s proposed Improvement Plan. The report explained the context for the creation of a Children First Improvement Plan that would demonstrate to the Department for Education that the Council has an effective and deliverable plan to address the areas that need to improve.

14.2 In presenting the report the Director of Children’s Services welcomed the Board’s involvement and support and requested the Board’s oversight on the development of the Improvement Plan. The Director of Children’s Services recognised the effectiveness of the Board’s principle to work collaboratively and particularly welcomed its commitment and energy to the multi-agency approach.    

14.3 The Director of Children’s Services highlighted that:

·       there was a determination across the system in West Sussex to improve Children’s Services and the County Council had committed to raising the standards of Children’s Services as its top priority.

·       arising from the Ofsted judgement a statutory decision from the Department of Education (DFE) required the County Council to prepare an Improvement Plan. The Council’s Children First Practice Improvement Plan would be submitted to the DFE and Ofsted in July 2019.

·       the Secretary of State for Education had appointed, from 4 June 2019, a Commissioner for Children’s Services in West Sussex to oversee the Council’s response to the Statutory Direction. The Commissioner was named as John Coughlan, the Chief Executive of Hampshire County Council. It was noted that Hampshire County Council had achieved an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating for their Children’s Services so their support was valued and welcomed.

·       the Commissioner would determine whether the Council’s Improvement Plan was likely to be effective and would recommend to the Secretary of State whether or not the County Council should retain responsibility for the direct provision of Children’s Social Care Services. 

·       The Children First Improvement Plan would be presented to Cabinet at the end of July 2019.

14.4 In receiving the report the Board:

·       agreed to support and engage with Children’s Services to develop an effective Improvement Plan;

·       requested a public, transparent process and offered engagement links with supporting agencies;

·       stated that collaborative working would be key and this included data sharing;

·       recognised that this was a system wide issue not just at the County level of Local Government but in the Districts and Boroughs where housing, strong communities, emotional support, health and other priorities were key supports to a Child’s wellbeing;

·       requested that the vital funding for the Integrated Prevention and Early Help (IPHE) be retained.

14.5 The Director of Children’s Services stated that the County Council were reviewing investment and should be able to share a revised funding position at the next meeting of the Board.

14.6 The Board discussed ways in which they could offer support.  It was agreed that:

·       Healthwatch would provide engagement support;

·       the Board would facilitate collaborative working;

·       the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) as a life-course approach for children and young people would be used to offer valuable insight and learning tools;

·       at the launch of the new Joint Health and Wellbeing strategy (JHWS) it was agreed that mental health in children would be prioritised in year 1;

·       collaborative working across the Health and Wellbeing Board and Safeguarding Board and Partnerships would be a priority;

·       a workshop would be arranged at the end of July to allow the Board to support the development of the Improvement Plan.

14.7 The Chairman thanked the Director of Children’s Services for his report. 

14.8 Resolved that the Board:

a)   noted the process for the production and delivery of the Children First Practice Improvement Plan, the progress to date and the further actions in hand;

b)   agreed that the Health and Wellbeing Board would contribute to the Children First Improvement Programme; and

c)   would have oversight of the multi-agency activities that relate to the Health and Wellbeing Board within the Children First Practice Improvement Plan