Issue - meetings

This paper seeks to update the Panel on the progress of the Service Improvement Board and Service Development Board.

The Divisional Director for Children & Young People Specialist Services introduced this item to the Panel. He said that Ofsted openly acknowledges that it’s new inspection framework has “raised the bar” in terms of its expectations of what is deemed as “good” practice from Local Authorities in relation to Children’s Social Care.

He explained that our response to the March 2013 inspection was to form a Service Improvement Board with the remit to oversee the drawing-up and implementation of a service improvement plan. He added that it was agreed that from July 2014 we would form a more long-standing “Service Development Board” based on similar principles of the “Improvement” board to maintain a consistent vigilance, sense of development and position of healthy challenge on certain areas.

He informed the Panel that the numbers of young people subject to Child Protection Plans had remained stable for the past 18 months. These remain between 120 - 130 and are below the national average and slightly below the average for our comparator group of Local Authorities.

He explained that our performance in relation to reducing cases that “bounce-back” following closure had also improved. Currently only 21.5% of referrals were open to the LA 12 months ago. The target figure is to keep this below 22% and last year’s performance was 24%.

Councillor Liz Hardman commented that she was pleased to see that steps were being taken to improve historical information contained within assessments.

The Divisional Director for Children & Young People Specialist Services replied that it was recognised that chronologies were not currently where we want them to be and that a focus was required to improve these.

Councillor Nicholas Coombes commented on how rigorous the appendix to the report was and appreciated the honesty of the ratings provided.

The Divisional Director for Children & Young People Specialist Services replied that he recognises the work that we need to do and to keep the levels of focus.

Councillor Nicholas Coombes asked when the next Ofsted visit was likely.

The Divisional Director for Children & Young People Specialist Services replied that it was likely to take place in 2015.