AGENDA ITEM NO.
REPORT TO: Social Affairs, Health & Housing Scrutiny Committee
REPORT OF: Chief Social Care Officer (Statutory Director of Social Services)
REPORT NO: CSCO/01/11s
DATE: 16 February 2011
CONTACT OFFICER: Steve Williams, Ext 8019
SUBJECT: CSSIW Annual Review and Evaluation of Performance 2009/10 of Social Services in Wrexham
1. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
To provide Members with information on the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) ‘Annual Review and Evaluation of Performance 2009/10’ report for consideration and comment.
2. SUMMARY
2.1 The CSSIW have introduced a new framework for an Annual Review and Evaluation of Local Authority Social Services Performance. 2009/10 is the baseline for this framework. The Evaluation is meant to be based on available sources of evidence for the period in question, including information from the Director of Social Services Annual Report which was reported to Executive Board in June 2010.
2.2 The CSSIW report for 2009/10 and covering letter is attached for Members consideration and comment.
2.3 Members will also be aware of the Statutory Requirement on the Director of Social Services to produce an Annual Report on Social
Services Performance. The report for 2009/10 and Business Plan and progress reports have been previously considered by the Social Affairs Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee and Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee. Work is now on-going to produce the Directors’ Annual Report for 2010/2011.
2.4 As far as the CSSIW report is concerned, officers can report that: -
§ The messages within the CSSIW report concur with those included within the Annual Report as presented to the Executive Board in June 2010.
§ The improvement actions noted within the CSSIW report also concur with those incorporated within the 2010/11 Business Plan as presented to the Executive Board in June 2010 (there are no notable exceptions).
§ Quarterly performance reporting during 2010/11 indicates progress is being made against the improvement priorities (there are no notable exceptions).
3. RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 That Members consider and comment on the CSSIW Annual Review and Evaluation Report for 2009/2010.
3.2 That Members note that the draft Director of Social Services Annual Report for 2010/2011 is scheduled to be presented to Social Affairs, Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee and Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee in March 2011.
4. INFORMATION
4.1 The new framework for the CSSIW Annual Evaluation and Review report is being rolled out for the first time for the 2009/2010 period and is meant to be based on a number of sources of evidence, views of other auditors and inspections and the content of the Director of Social Services Annual report.
4.2 The report is meant to form the basis for the Inspection Plan for each Local Authority in 2011/2012 but Chief Inspector confirms that this process is delayed.
4.3 A meeting was held between the Statutory Director of Social Services and officers with Inspectors on the initial draft report and several amendments were agreed prior to the current report being produced.
4.4 Concerns have been raised with Inspectors about the delay in producing the report and the historical nature of some of the information as well as the over reliance on some performance indicators. CSSIW acknowledged these concerns and assure officers that the report for 2010/2011 would be prepared in a more timely manner.
4.5 In the meantime, the draft Director of Social Services Annual report for 2010/2011 is being prepared and a draft will be reported to the Social Affairs, Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee and Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee for consideration with updated performance information in March 2011. This will also include updated performance information to reflect the latest position.
5. EQUALITIES IMPACT ASSESSMENT
There is an on-going programme of Equality Impact Assessments within each service area as required.
6. RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
Any resource implications are contained within the budget plan for each service.
7. LEAD MEMBER COMMENT
The Lead Members have been consulted in the production of this report and support it comments and presentation to scrutiny.
BACKGROUND PAPERS / LOCATION / WEBSITE INFO.Social Affairs, Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee: Adult Social Care Business Plan 2010/11 – Half Year Update: 8 December 2010 / Internet / http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/MinutesData/SocAffairs/SA08122010a.htm
Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee- Quarterly Departmental Service Activity and Performance; 15 December 2010. / Internet / http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/MinutesData/ChildYoung/cy15122010a.htm
Wrexham Social Services Annual Report 2009/10 / Internet / http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/council/social_services/index_socialcare.htm
Annual Council Reporting Framework – ‘Annual Report’ on the Performance of Social Services in 2009/10 – 15 June 2010 / Internet / http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/MinutesData/ExBoard/ex15062010a.htm
Joint meeting of the Social Affairs, Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee and Children and young People Scrutiny Committee – 22 March 2010 / Members’ library / n/a
APPENDIX A
Director of Social Services
Wrexham County Council
Crown Buildings
31 Chester Street
Wrexham
LL13 8ze
22 December 2010
Dear Mr Figiel
Local Authority Social Services Inspection evaluation and Review 2009-2010
The new framework was implemented from April 2009 and the Minister has confirmed that 2009-2010 will operate as a base line year in this cyclical framework
CSSIW has now reviewed and analysed evidence from the first year of operation. We have taken account of all available sources of evidence including the developing arrangements for directors of social services to report annually on their performance and plans for improvement. We have also taken into account the views of other auditors and inspectors as well as our own regulatory and other work.
The performance of each council has been moderated to ensure a consistent, transparent and proportionate approach to the work. All of the draft reports have been discussed with Directors and where appropriate amendments have been made.
A commitment was made to provide an inspection plan for the year 2011-2012. I know that discussions about a local inspection plan have taken place between you, CSSIW regional directors and local authority inspectors. We now need to review local and national inspection and review plans to ensure that we make best use of our resources and that our national and local priorities are appropriately prioritised and proportionate. This means that there will be a short delay in our confirming local inspection plans with you. We will confirm our inspection as part of the Annual Performance Review and Evaluation plans with you in January 2011.
Please find attached the overall CSSIW evaluation and review of 2009-2010 social services for your council based on strengths and areas for development and improvement. As an agreed part of this new process we will be happy to present our findings and inspection plans to your authority in the New Year. I should be grateful if you would contact the local regional director so that together you can discuss a mutually convenient time for this event.
I look forward to working with all partners to learn the lessons from this transition year as we move towards full implementation of the framework.
Yours sincerely
Chief Inspector
AGGCCParc Cathays
Caerdydd
CF10 3NQ / CSSIW
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
Ffôn / Tel: 029 2082 3196
Ffacs / Fax: 029 2082 6912
Ebost / Email:
www.cssiw.org.uk
Appendix B - Annual Review and Evaluation of Performance 2009/2010
Annual Review and Evaluation of Performance 2009/2010
Local Authority Name: Wrexham County Borough CouncilThis report sets out the key strengths and areas for improvement/development in Wrexham County Council Social Services for the year 2009-10.
Overall evaluation:
GETTING HELP
Adult services
The council provides a range of information, in a variety of different formats to inform local residents about services available. In 2009/10, 91% of respondents to the residents survey said that information was easily accessible, compared to 87% for the previous year.
Information and awareness raising for carers is commissioned and managed through the Wrexham Carers’ Service in partnership with the Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW). The number of Carers who commented that they were able to access information that was helpful, reduced from 86% in 2008/09 to 72% in 2009/10. This feedback is being discussed further with carers with a view to improving access and information points. The performance information for 2009/10 recorded the percentage of carers who were offered an assessment or review of their needs in their own right during the year as being 58.2% compared to a Welsh average of 80.8%. Of those who were assessed the percentage who were provided with a service was 76.5%), compared with 43.8% for Wales. Although the performance with regards to the percentage assessed is significantly lower than the Welsh average, the councils performance has improved over the last year and is supported by the results of the bespoke carers survey, (carried out in February 2010), that records 71% of carers stating they had received an assessment. However the provision of support and services for carers is an area that requires on going development.
The council has improved its performance considerably in the number of delayed transfers from hospital. This has shown a year on year improvement and at a rate of 2.1 per 1000 of people over 75 years of age represents very good performance. There has also been an improvement in the waiting times for occupational therapy assessments yet this area of service remains an area requiring further development. There was an improvement in the provision of aids or equipment following completion of the care plan to an average of 3.4 days. However the percentage of people aged 65+ who started to receive a home care or day care service within 29 days of the completion of the care plan has deteriorated to 73.7% compared to the Welsh average of 92.3%. Improved performance in this area is required to ensure that people’s needs are met and services are provided in a timely way. The council report that some delays were experienced during 2009/10 in putting in place complex packages of care and supporting external capacity. The council reported that the capacity issue is now resolved and it is confident that performance for 2010/11 will improve.
The CSSIW inspection of the council’s adult protection procedures in October 2009 indicated that there was an effective response to referrals.
There is evidence of the council developing effective partnership relationships in order to provide a more integrated assessment process (examples include the mental health and learning disability services). The assessment of people with sensory impairment is supported by specialists. The development of an integrated approach to assessment and care management bodes well for people having their need met in a co ordinate and seamless way. The council’s progress in this regard will be subject to ongoing monitoring and review.
Children’s services
The council reported a significant increase in the number of referrals received by children’s services, that it acknowledges has had an adverse effect on performance. In 2009-10 significant concerns were raised regarding the children’s services referral, allocation and assessment systems, coupled with concerns regarding associated practice. Concerns were originally identified by managers regarding referral and assessment via performance assurance in relation to performance for 08/09. A decision was made to record all contacts to the department as referrals in 09/10 in an attempt to manage risk while the department worked through the issues with the staff concerned, to address the concerns. This is reflected in the performance indicators for 2009/10 where 3533 contacts (identified as referrals in the performance indicators) were received and a decision was made within 24 hours on 2705 (76.6%) of them, compared to 1056 referrals received in 2008/09, with a decision made within 24 hours on 806 of them.
The council report that significantly more assessments were carried out in 09/10 (1189) compared to 606 carried out in 08/09. 31.2% of referrals/contacts received were allocated to a social worker for assessment, with 59.9% not proceeding to assessment. A high percentage of referrals/contacts received, were re referrals/repeat contacts to the service (49.7%), and this level of performance raises questions about the councils classification of referrals, initial decision making and its partners understanding of eligibility thresholds.
Performance information for 2009/10 indicates that performance, in terms of timely assessment, was poor with the percentage of initial assessments undertaken within the 7 day time scale, being 27.8% and the average time taken to complete those which were not completed within the timescale, being 40.1 days. This area was indentified by the council as a priority area for improvement in 10/11. The percentage of core assessments completed within 35 days was 61.6% compared to the Welsh average for 09/10 of 63.3%. The average time taken to complete assessments which were not carried out within the 35 days being 67.4. which compares well to a national average of 78.8 days. 73.7% of first placements of looked after children placed during the year had a care plan in place and 76.5% of looked after children had a plan for permanence at the due date (where this was required) which the council has identified as an area that requires improvement.
More positively, the percentage of children seen during initial assessment was 73.9%. This compares favourably to a Welsh average of 60%, however, the percentage seen alone was 20.9%, compared to a Welsh average of 25.5%.
The council was one of the highest performing authorities in the allocation of cases to qualified social workers, being in quartile 1. The council performed less well in the percentage of reviews of children in need (carried out in accordance with the statutory time scales) at 35.5% and in the statutory visits to looked after children undertaken in accordance with regulations, where performance is reported as 76.7% compared to the Welsh average of 82.2%.
The council performed well in the percentage of reviews of children on the child protection register (held in accordance with regulation) improving its performance slightly over the previous year to 98.9%. The CSSIW Review of Children’s Safeguarding Arrangements Oct 2009, found that that all children on the Child Protection Register had an allocated social worker. Investigations were seen to be speedily allocated and immediate risks and investigations dealt with effectively.