Agenda item

Report by the Director of Children’s Services.

The report updates the Committee on developments in the Children First Programmes since its last meeting in July. It further discusses the steps in hand to create an overarching Children First Strategy, covering the full range of Children’s Social Care and Early Help services, and the Committee’s role in the shaping of the strategy.

The Committee is asked to consider how it proposes to discharge its scrutiny function in relation to the creation of the Children First Strategy.  

28.1   The Committee considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services. The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People introduced the item as an update on progress within the service. Garath Symonds, Senior Improvement Lead, provided the following update:

·       The Practice Improvement Plan had now been adopted as policy and submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted. Feedback would be provided on how well the plan reflects the areas that need to improve as laid out in the inspection report.

·       The report included detail on the development of both the overarching Children First Strategy and Children First Programme.

·       The Commissioners report on WSCC’s capacity and capability to improve was expected at the end of September 2019.

·       The first monitoring visit from Ofsted had been rescheduled for 3^rd and 4^th December 2019. Preparation for this was underway.

·       The Senior Improvement Lead highlighted achievements in the areas of social work recruitment, caseload levels, work with NHS colleagues, particularly in respect of the improved timeliness of Initial Health Assessments (IHAs) for Children Looked After (CLA), fostering and compliance.

28.2   Andrew Ireland, Chair of the Children’s Services Improvement Board, outlined the work of the Board so far including the development and monitoring of the Improvement Plan. He explained that his role as Chair of the multi-agency Board was to ensure that all partners were fully engaged in the process. The Chair of the Improvement Board echoed the Senior Improvement Lead in terms of the achievements made in respect to recruitment and advised he had spent a lot of time meeting frontline staff. Conversations with these staff had proven useful in order to feedback to the Director of Children’s Services and his leadership team. The Chair of the Improvement Board felt the baseline position was clear and was hopeful that by the time of the first Ofsted monitoring visit the impact of momentum and drive exhibited throughout the service would be evident.

28.3   The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People advised that the vacancy gap had reduced significantly, however there was no complacency. He advised that staff would continue to feel supported in order to provide the best environment to ultimately improve outcomes for children and young people. The Cabinet Member thanked the Chair of the Improvement Board and its members for the work undertaken so far.

28.4   The Committee heard that one of West Sussex County Council’s Children’s Homes had recently been inspected and, whilst the outcome was subject to verification, it was the best possible outcome. The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People cited an enormous effort for the improvement in a challenging environment and noted it was a credit to the team considering the wider context and turmoil of children’s services.

28.5   The Cabinet Member advised the Children First Strategy was currently in development with all concerned partners. The Leader added she felt reassured by the work undertaken so far and reiterated how impressed she had been with the level of care provided at the recently inspected children’s home. She added this demonstrated that the capacity and capability to improve was there. The Chairman agreed the service appeared to be on the right track, but that it was a long road.

28.6   Members of the Committee were grateful that the information regarding the difference between permanent and agency staff had been provided in the most recent update. A summary of the key questions and responses were as follows:

·       The Committee questioned if there was one area of concern where progress or change was slow or particularly difficult, what this was, and how the service planned to remedy it. The Director of Children’s Services advised the CLA service had been a concern for a significant period and required the most amount of work to improve. The CLA service along with the Assessment and Intervention team were being prioritised.

·       The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People advised the stability of workforce remained a huge challenge. The numbers had improved but it remained fragile. Members considered how best the Committee could monitor these areas and suggested that they were either considered at the BPG, or as future items for scrutiny.

·       Members noted the ambition for better outcomes for children and young people, however sought assurance for children already engaged with the service that their needs were being sufficiently addressed and resourced. The Director of Children’s Services advised investment had been made to adequately resource the department and that all children and families were receiving better standards of care and support.

·       Members questioned who set the caseload targets and considered if staff found them to be reasonable and achievable. The Director of Children’s services advised caseload targets were sourced from national research and Ofsted and noted that variation in these numbers was key depending on the type of work, complexity and social worker experience. The Director of Children’s Services suggested a report could go to the BPG which could provide further detail. The Committee welcomed this suggestion.

·       Members requested further detail on the experience, types of work undertaken by social workers, salary ranges and prospects. The Director of Children’s Services advised this detail would be provided in the October update to the Committee, but noted the competitive job market and varying responsibilities of different levels of qualified social workers.

·       The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People advised the Committee of the recruitment and retention offer which had attracted a significant sign-up, and the new incentive of an interest free loan.

28.7   Resolved that the Committee:

1.   Receives baseline data and trends at each meeting on caseloads and ratios of agency and permanent staff, including the vacancy gap.

2.   Requests an update on the development of the Children First Strategy at the October meeting.

3.   Requests a detailed report to the BPG on Assessment and Intervention.

4.   Requests a detailed report to the BPG on caseloads.

5.   Requests the Director of Children’s Services and BPG consider how best the Committee receive the risk register as part of the Total Performance Monitor (TPM).