Agenda item

The Director of Children’s Social Work and Early Help submits a report on the Children’s Social Care, Early Help and Prevention Improvement Plan.

The Director for Children’s Social Care, Early Help and Prevention submitted a report to provide the Commission with an update on the Children’s Social Care, Early Help and Prevention Improvement Plan. Members of the Children, Young People and Education Scrutiny Commission were recommended to note the action plan and the progress made to date in delivering the required improvements.

The Assistant City Mayor for Education introduced the item, noting that it was something the Commission had been awaiting. The Children’s Social Care and Early Help Improvement Plan had been set out and was now underway. It was hoped that officers would be able to provide assurance on the direction of travel and the progress being made in delivering the plan.

The Director for Children’s Social Care, Early Help and Prevention presented the item, it was noted that:

A report was provided to update on the previously shared development plan. The plan was structured around every Ofsted grading outcome, with specific areas for improvement identified by officers.

Five key areas were highlighted for improvement:

• Accuracy
• Quality and impact of supervision
• Timeliness and robustness
• Quality of care
• Support for care leavers and those in unregistered children’s homes

It was noted that some care leavers were reluctant to ask for help. A more detailed summary of improvement activity and its impact was included on page 49 of the agenda pack. The first three areas listed above had been rated amber, both for progress and impact.

The remaining two areas had been addressed more quickly due to the more defined nature of the tasks involved. These were rated green for progress, and amber or green for impact.

Additional detail was provided on page 51 of the report, which included specific feedback from inspectors explaining why each area had been identified for improvement. This informed the development of a more detailed action plan.

• Significant progress had been made across several areas.
• Some actions had not yet started due to the planned sequencing of tasks.
• A skills development plan was being created for both individual staff and the wider workforce.
• Specific training was being developed to cover both health and social care roles simultaneously.
• Some of this work was delayed until later in the month, partly due to the need to incorporate new guidance.
• The work extended beyond one service area and would form part of a wider organisational approach.

The Commission was invited to ask questions and make comments. Key points included:

• A connection was noted between the performance dashboard and the improvement plan information, with comments made on the importance of communication between the two tools.
• Pride was expressed regarding the improvement indicators within the plan.
• It was observed that the format resembled earlier versions of the dashboard, and a request was made to receive that format again.
• Officers confirmed the intention to bring the item back on a regular basis for continued monitoring.
• Clarification was sought on point 18 of the report, specifically regarding the review of visiting frequency and whether new guidelines were in place. It was confirmed that actions had been taken to improve oversight for unregistered children’s home provision, including the introduction of weekly visits.
• A question was raised about the reference in section 2.11 to early identification of carers through networking, and who those carers were. It was explained that this referred to identifying individuals within a child’s wider family or social network who could potentially care for the child, as an alternative to entering care.
• Concerns were noted that in some cases, these conversations with families were not happening early enough. In some situations, parents might acknowledge they could no longer care for the child, yet still not accept the concerns held by professionals.
• It was emphasised that during care proceedings, officers were expected to have explored all possible support avenues with the family first, including offering practical and financial help to avoid the child coming into care.
• A comment was made on the importance of incorporating the real-life experiences of care leavers, especially those in custody or at risk of homelessness, and ensuring their voices were reflected in improvement actions.
• Officers confirmed that all care leavers were assigned a care advisor and had a support or pathway plan in place. However, it was acknowledged that engagement could be difficult, particularly with those in custody.
• Additional challenges were highlighted due to prison rules, such as the need for care leavers aged 18+ to give explicit consent for communication, which could be refused. This created barriers in maintaining contact and providing consistent support.
• It was reiterated that, as legal adults, care leavers could not be forced to accept support, even where services were available and offered.

AGREED:

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    The improvements be an agenda item at the next meeting in September.

3.    Quarterly updates be added to the work programme.