HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
CHILDREN’S SERVICES PANEL
WEDNESDAY 9 MAY 2007AT 2.00 PM
EVERY IMPROVEMENT MATTERS: SUSTAINABLE IMPROVEMENT FOR CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE SERVICES
Report of the Director of Children, Schools and Families
Author: John Richards
Tel: 01992 556943
Executive Member: Jane Pitman
1.Purpose of the report
The purpose of this report is to share with members the Service Development Plan for Children’s Social Care, named “Every Improvement Matters”. This has been provided to the JAR Inspection Team.
2.Summary
Hertfordshire’s APA submission for the year ending 31st March 2006 outlined a number of key areas which needed improvement and development.
This document – Every Improvement Matters is the CSF follow up to our APA submission and the DfES letter.It has been developed to ensure that improvements in services to vulnerable children, children in need and looked after children will be realised.
The full document is attached to this Report, along with a summary of progress sheet (Appendix 1) which gives the updated position as at 24th April 2007.
3.Conclusions
Members are asked to endorse Every Improvement Matters and to request quarterly updates in order to assess progress against targets.
The plan will be reviewed and updated in the light of findings from the Joint Area Review inspection in May 2007.
4.Background
The purpose of Every Improvement Matters is to provide a permanent record of achievements which have been made to improve performance in social care services for children, which in turn improve their life chances and improve their achievement in all of the 5 outcomes. It links closely with the Children & Young People’s Plan and the proposals made therein.
The plan is simply structured. For each of the areas for improvement: a review of performance in March 2006; a note of the targets and timescales to be achieved (some short term, medium term and some long term); a list of the tasks that need to be done to achieve the targets; milestones to help us gauge the extent to which we are achieving our intentions and importantly who is responsible for ensuring action and progress.
On a separate sheet for each area for improvement is a monitoring format: what have been the achievements; what, if any, are the barriers to further achievement and what actions could be done to overcome these.
The document will be used in a number of ways:
1)As a working document which shows progress at agreed intervals – the updating of the monitoring sheet is relatively straightforward, as each is bespoke for the area it is reporting on.
2)As a reporting tool for Board, Executive Members, CLG and Members’ Panels.
3)Split into individual front sheets which form the first part of a file in which the evidence of progress and achievement is kept as proof that we have done what we said we would.
For the most part the actions outlined in this plan are expected to achieve results during 2007. Some of the actions will take until March 2008 and a very few beyond. Those actions which are more strategic will be incorporated into the Social Care Portfolio Management Group Business Plan which is currently being developed.
- Financial Implications
Any new financial implications associated with achieving improvements and targets are indicated in the document. As the actions are rolled out further, any financial implications above those already identified will be the subject of separate reports to CSF Board and, subsequently the Children’s Services Panel.
Background information referred to by the author:
Every Improvement Matters Sustainable Improvement for Children’s Social Care Services
Appendix 1
EVERY IMPROVEMENT MATTERS – Summary of Progress 24 April 2007
Areas of Improvement (Referrals and Assessments) / Summary of Progress / Direction1. To propose and implement county-wide eligibility criteria with a view to improving performance on referrals, IAs and CAs to that of high performing Authorities /
- New eligibility criteria published
- Eligibility Criteria being implemented
- Improvement of IAs timescales from 19.1% to 31.1% (April 2006 – March 2007)
- Improvement of CAs timescales from 29% to 55.5% (April 2006 – March 2007)
- March 2007 figures:
2. Carers of C&YP with LDD are offered assessments of their own needs /
- Recruitment of 2 Professional Assistant Posts to cover the East and West Area of the County with targets of a minimum number of assessments per annum.
- IROs are identifying where carers assessments have not been undertaken in relation to reviews of short breaks
- There is increased awareness of staff in each of CWD Teams of their statutory duties
- Increase in training of all CSF staff, raising awareness of the procedures for this activity
Areas of Improvement (Safeguarding and Child Protection) / Summary of Progress / Direction
3. Responding to allegations made against staff in accordance with regulations and guidance /
- Project Manager in post
- Robust arrangements in place to deal with allegations
4. By analysing numbers, registrations, re-registration and de-registration data of children on CP Register determine whether or not any corrective action needs to be done /
- No of children on CP Register per 10,000 population – 14.8
- De-registrations per 10,000 – 20.2
- Re-registrations – 14.1%
- Duration on register – 10.1%
- Reviews on time – 100%
- Improvement of the attendance/ contribution of children over the age of 12 and parents at CP Conferences
- Outturn 2005/2006 – 6% children attending CP Conferences
- Outturn 2005/2006 - 87% of parents attending CP Conferences
- October – December 2006
- Parental attendance to February 2007: 86.5% ICPCs and 77.7% RCPCs*
- Outturn figures on child participation:
- Initial conferences – 10.2%
- Reviews – 4.5%
- Total – 6.2%
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6. Ensure that Domestic Violence is responded To appropriately /
- Common agreement has been reached about those cases which require assessment or further action
- Guidance available on Connect
7. To ensure that robust Private Fostering Arrangements are in place /
- 9 potential Private Fostering arrangements have been logged to Area Teams for assessment.
- Statutory visits to 2 Private Fostering arrangements are up to date. The other cases identified as possible PF arrangements have either been found not to be so or closed as they have ceased
- School admissions are undertaking check September 2006 – March 2007
(but slow)
8. Improved and sustained arrangements for MAPPA /
- Staff identified to attend MAPPA for the next few months.
- Children’s MAPPA will be piloted from May 2007 for 12 months.
- Working group is set up to deliver on a protocol for children’s MAPPA
- All MAPPP and LRMP attended in March 2007
9. Improved standard of case recording /
- E mail has been sent to all case co-ordinators re-issuing existing Recording Policy
- Each worker is discussing the policy in Supervision/Team Meetings with their TM and considering if the standards are met.
- L&D events are planned for May and June 2007 with teams.
Areas of Improvement (Looked After Children) / Summary of Progress / Direction
10. To have an established comprehensive, high quality, seamless placement service which is effective, efficient, sustainable and responsive (incorporating teenage specialist placements) /
- Final report received on 30th March 2007
- Discussion of Report at Social Care Portfolio Management Group on 19 April 2007
- Action plan to develop the services to follow
11. Reduction in OOC placements and provide greater focus on prevention /
- Robust monitoring is being embedded in practice via thePlacement Monitoring Groups to ensure the effective management of throughput and end dates of OOC placements
- From 1/12/06, no child should enter care unless a Family Network Meeting (FNM) has taken place
- Enhanced scrutiny of decision making has been introduced
- Improved oversight of first 6 weeks of a child being LA.
12. Increase in the number of Adoptions, Improved quality assurance of Care Planning and Matching /
- 62 Adoption Orders have been granted and 14 SGOs. Depending on the cohort the PAF Indicator will show around 8.5% or above
- Quality assurance of matching has improved
13. Reviews for all LAC are held within timescales /
- Out-turn 2005/06 43.1% reviews on time. Timeliness of first reviews has been poor by comparison.
- February 2007
2. 75% First reviews
3. 62% Three month review
4. 91% Six month review
- March 2007:
- 81%
- 92%
- 74%
- 91%
14. The health of children in care is promoted by the appointment of designated staff and improved performance /
- Outturn 2005/06 – 79.3% of LAC had a health assessment review
- Outturn 06-07 (Sept) 72.2%. This figure is being quality-assured.
- New arrangements for West Area have been agreed with local paediatricians
15. The rate of absence of LAC from school is kept to a minimum /
- Out-turn 2005/06 – 15.2% of LAC missed school for 25 days or more for any reason
- Improved monitoring of absences through Welfare-call has led to absolutely accurate data
- In the autumn term 06/07, 34 or 6% of the LAC school age cohort had 25 days absence or more for any reason
- Plan for next two years – no more than 11% to be absent from school for 25 days or more for any reason over the next2 years
- 2006/07 out-turn 18%
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16. Improving the achievement of LAC at all Key Stages /
- There is a steady but slow level of improvement in performance across all Key Stages and this year Herts exceeded the floor target in relation to English and Maths for 11 yr olds at Key Stage 2.
- Outturn 2005/06 1 GCSE A* - G = 60%
- Outturn 2005/06 5 GCSE A* - G = 46%
- Outturn 2005/06 5 GCSE A* - C = 10.9%
17. Ensure that all care Leavers have a Pathway Plan /
- Outturn 2005/06 – approx 35% were without a Pathway Plan (PP)
- Outturn 06-07 - latest data March 07. 68.8% currently being quality-assured.
18. All Care Leavers have a Personal Advisor /
- Outturn 2005/06 – 69.7% of care leavers have a personal adviser
- All care leavers have allocated named worker
- Outturn 2006/07 – 89.6% have PAs
19. To improve permanency (care) planning /
- Revised Policy & Practice note on permanency in preparation will be completed in May 2007.
- Early alert to adoption service of children under 10. This maximises the chances of meeting timescales for care planning
- Still concerns about some of the quality of the work
- 12 long-term fostering placements have been identified for SGOs.
20. Ensuring the participation of all children/young people in LAC Reviews in a form most suitable to them /
- Out-turn 2005/06 – 68.4% LAC participated in their reviews
- 2 Consultation Assistants have been appointed in IRT
- In January 2007 – 67.1% participation
- In February 2007 – 81.5% participation
- In March 07 – 73.5% participation.
- End Year aggregated figure available at end April 2007
21. Increase the range and quantity of provision of accommodation for Care Leavers /
- Mapping of accommodation completed
- Accommodation strategy completed
- Joint housing protocol agreed
22. Development of Substance Misuse Services for LAC /
- Action plans have been developed for each of the 4 themes. These were submitted to GO EAST and to the consultant in December.
- A Diversity Officer has recently joined the Young People’s Substance Misuse and Crime Reduction Team. She is leading on the action plan, with the initial priority being developing networks and identifying key issues for the target groups.
Areas of Improvement (Service Planning and Management) / Summary of Progress / Direction
23. To establish a sound performance management framework across all of the services that would meet that which is best in other authorities /
- Established a CSF Group on Performance Management
- Developed a Service Specification for Services Provided by Management Information Team
- Developing Suite of Regular Management Information Reports
- Developing Team Plans
- System of Quality Audit developed
24. Successful Introduction of ICS /
- A considerable amount of work has been done to prepare for social care records going electronic. The decision has been taken to postpone the introduction of the new system until June 07. In the meantime much background work is underway in testing and re-fining the system
- December 2006 – System chosen
- January 2007 – Communication Strategy in place
- February 2007 – Training plan in place
Areas of Improvement (Recruitment and Retention) / Summary of Progress / Direction
25. To maintain high levels of recruitment and retention of staff / The Fine Tuning exercise resulted in 42 additional QSW posts and 19 newly created roles of Assistant Team Managers (ATM). Many of the ATM posts were filled internally by QSW’s. Whilst this was good for career development and retention it increased the QSW requirement even further. This meant that by December 2006 vacancy levels were high. The majority of vacancies continued to be covered by agency temps pending recruitment to the permanent positions. / →
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