Meeting documents
Cabinet
Wednesday, 3rd December, 2003
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Bath & North East Somerset Council |
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MEETING: |
Council Executive |
PAPER |
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DATE: |
3 December 2003 |
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TITLE: |
Climbie Inquiry Report Improvement Plan - report on progress |
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WARD: |
All |
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AN OPEN PUBLIC ITEM |
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List of attachments to this report: Improvement Plan for Children and Families Services (Appendix 1) |
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1 THE ISSUE
1.1 The report provides details of progress made with the implementation of the Improvement Plan for Children and Families arising from the audit of services in response to the practice recommendations of the Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report as submitted to the Social Services Inspectorate on 30th April 2003.
1.2 The report updates members on progress with the Improvement Plan following its endorsement by the Council Executive at its meeting on 9th July 2003. That meeting requested that progress be reported to the Executive.
1.3 The report details progress, the evidence for that progress and any outstanding actions required.
2 RECOMMENDATION
2.1 Note the progress and instruct the Director of Social Services to ensure that this progress is sustained.
2.2 The Council Executive resolves that all Councillors continue to note their role and responsibilities for safeguarding children within the context of their general responsibilities as corporate parents.
3 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
3.1 The implementation of the improvement plan for Children and Families Services has been achieved within existing resources.
3.2 As noted in the report to the Council Executive dated 9 July 2003, provision will need to be made if the following recommendations from the Climbie Inquiry Report are implemented. Further reports will be prepared if that is the case:-
(i) the provision of specialist services available to respond to the needs of children and families 24 hours a day, seven days a week (rec 47)
(ii) the establishment of a 24 hour free helpline referral number for members of the public who wish to report concerns about a child (rec 33)
(iii) the establishment of a Committee of Members for Children and Families and the Management Board for Services to Children and Families (recs 6 and 7)
3.3 The Council must ensure that the budget it contributes, along with those from each of the local agencies, in support of vulnerable children and families is identified by the Management Board, so that staff and resources can be used in the most flexible and effective way (rec 9)
3.4 The Council must ensure that it makes budgetary provision for carrying out its responsibilities for children, as set out in the Children Act 1989, particularly those relating to child protection.
4 THE REPORT
4.1 The Council has duties under the Children Act 1989 to provide services to families and children in need, including those in need of protection, and to looked after children. These duties are primarily undertaken by the Social Services who work in partnership with other Council Services, statutory agencies and voluntary organisations to identify, assess, and provide services to children in need in Bath and North East Somerset.
4.2 Local Authorities, in exercising their social services functions, are required to ensure that there is an Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) covering their area, which brings together representatives of each of the main agencies and professionals responsible for helping to protect children from abuse and neglect. The ACPC is an inter-agency forum for agreeing how the different services and professional groups should co-operate to safeguard children in that area, and for making sure that arrangements work effectively to bring about good outcomes for children. All member agencies of the ACPC are required to implement the Department of Health's Guidance "Working Together to Safeguard Children".
4.3 The Quality Protects Programme was launched by the Government in September 1998, and established national objectives for Children's Social Services. The programme emphasised the role and responsibilities of all elected members as corporate parents of the children and young people in their Authority.
4.4 The Climbie Inquiry was established under the Chairmanship of Lord Laming, former Chief Inspector of Social Services, to investigate the circumstances of the death, in February 2000, of Victoria Climbie aged 8. The inquiry reported to the Secretary of State for Health and Secretary of State for the Home Department, and its report was presented to Parliament on 28th January 2003.
4.5 The Report made 108 recommendations with a range of timescales (3 month, 6 months,
2 years) for implementation. 82 of the 108 are to be implemented within 6 months.
4.6 The recommendations relate to national, regional and local structures, practice issues,
training, supervision, management, inter-agency working arrangements - with specific
recommendations for social care services, health services and the police.
4.7 In February 2003 each council was required to undertake a self assessment of its services
and submit this and an action plan for effecting any required improvements to the Social Services Inspectorate by 30 April 2003.
4.8 The audit was structured to measure performance within seven standards, relating to
Referral: Assessment: Allocation, Service provision and closure: Guidance: Training and development: Organisation and Management Governance.
4.9 The audit completed by Children and Families Services was submitted to the SSI on 29
April 2003. The SSI reported back to the Secretary of State. The audit framework will be
used by the SSI to support future inspections of Children's Services.
4.10 In June 2003 the SSI reported the outcome of its evaluation of our audit to the Chief
Executive. Their assessment was that the Council is serving most children well and that
the Council's capacity to improve is promising.
4.11 The audit highlighted existing strengths and areas for improvement across the Children
and Families Service. The Service compiled an action plan to effect these improvements
within the designated timescales. This action plan was implemented across the Service
with each part of the Service incorporating it into their existing team plan. Progress has
been monitored at regular intervals by the Children and Families Services Management
Group. The implementation has been underpinned by work within staff supervision.
performance appraisal, file audits, team plans, performance reporting, and work with
Partner agencies.
4.12 Progress with the Improvement Plan is detailed in Appendix 1. A key theme within the
Climbie Inquiry Report was the importance of evidencing practice, and we have sought to
reflect this in evidencing progress.
4.13 The Service has implemented the vast majority of the actions to effect improvements and
established plans to complete those outstanding. Equally important, the Service has
established systems (notably through staff supervision, file audits and performance
reporting) to sustain these improvements. Sustaining these improvements will be a key
priority within the Children and Families Services Service Plan 2004/5.
4.14 The Service has also contributed to effecting improvements in inter-agency working
working arrangements via the work programme for the Area Child Protection
Committee's Business Plan 03/04. That work programme is being regularly reviewed at
the ACPC's quarterly meetings.
4.15 The Climbie Inquiry Report emphasised the importance of all members of the Council
and Council Services being aware of, and assuming, their individual and collective
responsibilities for safeguarding children. Following the resolution of the Council
Executive on 9 July 2003, the Chief Executive has written to the Leader of the Council,
the Executive Portfolio Holders for Social Services, Lifelong Learning, Resources
Planning and Support Services, all Councillors, Directors and Heads of Service to
advise, and ask them to assume, roles and responsibilities for safeguarding children in
their individual areas.
4.16 The Chief Executive's Directors' Group has endorsed proposals for providing awareness
raising training in safeguarding children for staff across the Council. Workshops and
training materials are currently being developed by the Children and Families Services, and this training will be provided from January 2004.
5 RATIONALE
5.1 The Council was required to undertake the audit of services in respect of the Climbie Inquiry Report practice recommendations and submit this, with an action plan to effect any improvements, to the SSI.
5.2 The Council's actions and resolutions on 5 March 2003 and 9 July 2003 were consistent with its duties as a Local Authority with Social Services responsibilities, and effectively implemented the Council's roles and responsibilities for safeguarding children. Requesting a progress report on the implementation of the Improvement Plan illustrated these in practice.
6. OPTIONS
6.1 The council was not required to request this report, but in doing exercised its
responsibilities for safeguarding children and acted in its capacity as corporate parents.
Assuming this accountability is consistent with the recommendations of the Climbie Inquiry
Report and The Green Paper : Every Child Matters.
7. CONSULTATION
7.1 Staff across the Children and Families Services were involved in the self assessment of
Services, the compilation of the Improvement Plan and its implementations.
7.2 A copy of this report was sent to the Trades Union on...21st November 2003...
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Contact person |
Maurice Lindsay, Head of Children and Families Services Social & Housing Services. Tel: (01225) 396289 |
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Background papers |
Summary Report and Recommendations of the Climbie Inquiry. Available at: www.victoria-climbie-inquiry.org.uk/finreport/summary - report.pdf Report to Council Executive 5 March 2003 - Response to Recommendations of the Climbie Inquiry Report Report to Council Executive 9 July 2003 Climbie Inquiry Report - a response to the audit of practice recommendations. |