Date

16^th October 2002

Reporting Area

Social Services

Lead Director

Jane Ashman

Progress Made

Issues to be addressed

Status/Who ?

Leadership

Updates on July 02 report

Leadership cont...

New Items

A report on the implementation proposals for EPH's was agreed at 12^th July Executive.

PROGRESS MADE

Development of the Local Public Service Agreement target for older people continues. A new national target for Local Public Service Agreement for older people was unveiled in September.

Staff involvement in the production of the Adult and Children & Family Service Plans has taken place.

A consultation exercise going ahead to consult on sites and model of care. A Special EPH Overview & Scrutiny Panel is being held on 22^nd October. Results of the consultation will be presented to the 6^th November Public Executive.

ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

Still awaiting clarification of this new target, which focuses on intensive home care. The 30% target increase appears to be flexible according to the starting position of each authority. We have agreed an outline with the DOH for our stretch target with which to enter negotiations in November.

The Service plan template is unable to capture the complexity of these large service areas. Therefore a more detailed service plan to underpin the summary is being produced in order to guide the content of subsequent Team plans and the Individual Performance Review process.

J Ashman

STATUS/

WHO?

G Terry / N Harris

M Lindsay /

N Harris

People Management

Update on July 02 report

New items

PROGRESS MADE

We are still experiencing delays by the National Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) in returning completed checks exacerbated by the priority given to completing checks on school teachers.

The Strategic Management Group for Social & Housing Services regularly monitors recruitment and retention data.

The latest group of child care social workers have successfully completed the Post Qualifying Child Care Award.

ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

The checks are now being completed more quickly with an average turnaround of about 4 weeks. However, due to the backlog we are still receiving checks requested in April. Priority seems to be given to staff dealing with children but there is no clear picture.

Consideration is regularly given to taking part in local careers fairs and taking out adverts in local papers, national journals and the internet is being increasingly used to place adverts.

Two neighbouring Local Authorities have introduced increases in salary scales for social workers with particular additional qualifications. This could impact on our ability to recruit and retain social work staff. The regular data will alert us to any signs of this.

Now an agreement has been secured with the unions to pay up to 2 additional increments to Social workers it is anticipated that this will help us stay competitive.

All child care social workers are required to possess this award to continue practising. A rolling programme of training continues which impacts on the capacity of the service unless back fill arrangements are made.

STATUS/

WHO?

A Saunders

M Lindsay

Policy and Strategy

Update on July 02 report

New Items

PROGRESS MADE

The national star ratings announcement was made on the 30^th May. Bath & North East Somerset Social Services was awarded 1 star. A refreshment of the rating took place in September with our Social Services Inspectorate link inspector.

Sure Start:. We continue to collaborate with colleagues from Education Early Years Team, Health and the voluntary sector to establish a Sure Start Partnership. The boundary of the Sure Start programme area in south west Bath is agreed and local agencies, organisations and parents are involved in the Partnership. A Programme Co-ordinator was appointed last week (on Education payroll) who will help write the Sure Start Plan to be submitted in January.

The inter area intensive supervision and surveillance programme (ISSP) has been established by the Youth Offending Team, to receive referrals in line with Gov't targets.

ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

The result of the refreshing of our star rating which took into account our excellent Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) performance indicator results at Mar 2002 will not be known until the end of October. The social service star rating has an important bearing on the overall rating for the Council in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment because it restricts the maximum rating the council can receive.

Difficulties in recruiting a co-ordinator for the ISSP and an acting co-ordinator is in post whilst re-advertising. Accommodation for the ISSP still to be found.

STATUS/

WHO?

J Ashman

M Lindsay

Resources

Update on July 02 report

New Items

PROGRESS MADE

Staff moved into Plymouth House on the 14^th October. Plans for the use of Lewis House are continuing and include space for Care Direct. A decision from the minister responsible is expected late October on the future of Care Direct.

At present the Social Services budget is forecast to be on target.

"Fairer Charging" Mandatory Guidance from DOH is being put in place. A possible joint finance assessment team is being discussed with Dep't of Work & Pensions.

ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

There are difficulties with the amount of space available in the reconfiguration of Lewis House in accordance with the strategic accommodation policy and the use of more flexible working. It appears that there is insufficient space to accommodate all the staff remaining in 7 North Parade Buildings.

The impact of the cost of placements for Looked After Children with complex needs is being monitored very closely.

To determine available staff and property resources to commit to this team.

STATUS/

WHO?

J Ashman

L Frankland

N Harris / L Frankland

Process

Update on July 02 report

New Items

PROGRESS MADE

The Care Direct Project is on hold whilst the Government decide whether or not to proceed. Decision due late October.

The programme of Best Value Reviews for Social & Housing services will be reviewed sometime between January and March 2003 following the results of the Council's Comprehensive Performance Assessment.

ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

We intend to continue some of the work developed so far on Care Direct, in particular that with the Dep't of Work & Pensions. A type of one stop shop could still be offered in Lewis House.

Discussed the programme of SSI Inspections for the next 3 years with our business link inspector. Awaiting confirmation of these to avoid overlaps.

STATUS/

WHO?

Nick Harris

G Terry

Performance targets

No.

%

RED

1

2

AMBER

5

12

GREEN

35

86

NOT KNOWN

Origin

Ref

Indicator

1999/00

Actual

2000/01 Actual

2001/02

Actual

2002/03 Target

2002/3 Estimate

Status

Comment

BV50 PAF A2

Percentage of children leaving care aged 16 or over with at least one GCSE at grades A-G or GNVQ

70

42

60

75

65

Amber

Small cohort , volatile indicator.

BV52 PAF B12

Average gross weekly cost of providing intensive social care for adults and older people(£)

373

432

400

395

Amber

Costs reflect increase in fees paid to homes and higher cost of in house EPH'S.

BV56 PAF D38

Percentage of items of equipment costing less than £1000 delivered within three weeks

90

85

92

(83%)

96

94

Amber

Performance being monitored following audit lowered performance result for 01/02 to 83%.

PAF A3

Re-registrations on the child protection register

7

9

18.2

Amber

Top DOH banding is 10-15%.

All re registrations monitored

BV161

PAF A4

Employment, education and training for care leavers (newly available in 2002)

30.8

85

Amber

Tracking suggests improved performance this year, but ambitious target in QP MAP.

Target of 80% set in BVLP Plan

BV55 PAF D40

Clients receiving a review

53.2

42.8

60

Red

Insufficient staffing resources to meet this target. Likely to be addressed by Local Public Service Agreement

Origin

Ref

Indicator

1999/00

Actual

2000/01 Actual

2001/02

Actual

2002/03 Target

2002/3 Estimate

Status

Comment

BV49 PAF A1

Stability of placements of children looked after

14

16

11.6

Green

PAF B7

Children looked after in family placements

90

91

87

Green

BV51 PAF B8

Cost of services for children looked after

230

301

300

Green

PAF B9

Unit cost of children's residential care

1,881

3,438

1,874

Green

PAF B10

Unit cost of foster care

195

228

259

Green

PAF B11

Intensive home care as a proportion of intensive home andresidential care

6

9

12

Green

PAF B13

Unit cost of residential and nursing care for older people

281

340

340

Green

Origin

Ref

Indicator

1999/00

Actual

2000/01 Actual

2001/02

Actual

2002/03 Target

2002/3 Estimate

Status

Comment

PAF B14

Unit cost of residential and nursing care for people withlearning disabilities

495

619

714

Green

PAF B15

Unit cost of residential and nursing care for people withmental illness

639

424

423

Green

PAF B16

Unit cost of residential and nursing care for people withphysical disabilities

422

591

597

Green

PAF B17

Unit cost of home care for adults

15.8

12.4

12.1

Green

PAF C18

Cautions and convictions of children looked after

1.7

1.6

Green

PAF C19

Health of children looked after

85

85.5

Green

PAF C20

Reviews of child protection cases

55

80

95.7

Green

Origin

Ref

Indicator

1999/00

Actual

2000/01 Actual

2001/02

Actual

2002/03 Target

2002/3 Estimate

Status

Comment

PAF C21

Duration on the child protection register

21

14

7.3

Green

PAF C22

Young children looked after in family placements

98

100

98.1

Green

PAF C23

Adoptions of children looked after

6.8

4.3

6.8

Green

PAF C24

Children looked after absent from school [joint working]

1

8.5

Green

PAF C26

Admissions of supported residents aged 65 or over to residential/nursing care

122

111

96

Green

PAF C27

Admissions of supported residents aged 18-64 to residential/nursing care

2.8

2.1

2.2

Green

BV53 PAF C28

Intensive home care

2.2

3.4

4.1

Green

Origin

Ref

Indicator

1999/00

Actual

2000/01 Actual

2001/02

Actual

2002/03 Target

2002/3 Estimate

Status

Comment

PAF C29

People with physical disabilities helped to live at home

2.7

3.8

3.8

Green

PAF C30

People with learning disabilities helped to live at home

2.8

3.3

3.5

Green

PAF C31

Adults with mental health problems helped to live at home

2.5

3.5

4.1

Green

BV54 PAF C32

Older people (aged 65 or over) helped to live at home

60

69

74

Green

PAF C34

Inspection of adult residential care

100

100

100

Green

PAF D35

Long term stability of children looked after

66

58

61.3

Green

BV57 PAF D36

Users/carers who said they got help quickly

91

84

Green

Origin

Ref

Indicator

1999/00

Actual

2000/01 Actual

2001/02

Actual

2002/03 Target

2002/3 Estimate

Status

Comment

PAF D37

Availability of single rooms

100

94

96

Green

BV58 PAF D39

Percentage of people receiving a statement of their needsand how they will be met

89

92

95.6

Green

PAF D42

Carer assessments

4

21

Green

PAF D43

Waiting time for care packages

31

Green

BV61 PAF E44

Relative spend on family support

PAF E45

Ethnicity of children in need

3.65

Not required

4.7

Green

BV60 PAF E46

Users/carers who said that matters relating to race, culture or religion were noted_

29

46

Green

Origin

Ref

Indicator

1999/00

Actual

2000/01 Actual

2001/02

Actual

2002/03 Target

2002/3 Estimate

Status

Comment

PAF E47

Ethnicity of older people receiving assessment

1.88

Green

PAF E48

Ethnicity of older adults receiving services following anassessment

0.91

Green

BV59 PAF E49

Assessments per head of population

87

88

Green

PAF E50

Assessments leading to provision of service

66

82

Green