PAPER B
Purpose: For Decision
REPORT TO THE
EXECUTIVE
Date
: 14 JULY 2004
Title
: INSPECTION OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES
REPORT BY THE COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL CARE
INSPECTION
JOINT REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDERS FOR ADULT AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES
IMPLEMENTATION DATE: 26 July 2004
SUMMARY/PURPOSE
1.
To
receive the Report.
2.
To
require the production and implementation of an associated action plan in
respect of the Island’s Children & Family Services.
CONFIDENTIAL/EXEMPT ITEMS
3. The report by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (“CSCI”) is confidential information for the purposes of s100A(3) as it is furnished to the council by a Government department on terms which forbid it’s disclosure to the public.
4. The report has been made available, with the consent of the Commission, to members of the Executive but is subject to an embargo until after the presentation of the report to this Committee on the 14th July.
5. Copies of the report will be available from the web address of www.csci.org.uk Access to inspection reports or from 3rd Floor, Finlaison House, 15-17 Furnival Street, London EC4 1AH for hard copies from the 15th July 2004.
BACKGROUND
6.
The Council is
committed to improving children’s services and to the protection of the most
vulnerable in the community. The Local Preventative Strategy provides a
framework for prioritising the development of an integrated children’s service
and for tackling the challenges that we face in partnership with statutory and
community sectors. The recently revised and approved Corporate Parenting Policy
will ensure Member’s increased involvement, consultation with service users and
responsibility for the oversight of children’s services.
7.
Children’s
Services were inspected by CSCI in January 2004. It was one of 30 inspections over a
year, as part of a national programme of local inspections. It was undertaken
by two CSCI Inspectors and a Lay Assessor.
8. The inspection evaluated the effectiveness of council
services for children in need, including those who were Looked After, those on
the Child Protection Register and those receiving Family Support Services. Its
focus included:
·
The effectiveness of service delivery;
·
The provision of information;
·
Processes for referral, assessment, care planning and
review;
·
Fair access;
·
Costs and efficiency; and
·
The way in which services were organised and managed.
9.
It also focused on
whether services were safe for children and whether policy expectations of
social services were being realised in practice.
10.
Overall the Inspectors
found: “The Isle of Wight was providing a good standard of service to children
and families and in some areas achieving a very good level of performance.
However there were some areas of significant concern, which were requiring
serious attention, namely the Referral and Assessment Team, services to
children with challenging behaviours and access to CAMHS. The Council was
starting from a relatively low base on a number of areas, such as on corporate
parenting, valuing diversity and ensuring fair access to services. It was
assessed that there was a strong commitment at all levels to deliver
improvement in these and other areas, and promising signs that this was
underway. With sustained effort and good leadership the chances of achieving a
reputation for quality in children services was good.”
11.
The Report makes 21
recommendations.
STRATEGIC CONTEXT
12.
The Local Education
Authority (LEA) post OFSTED Action Plan and the Children and Family Services
CSCI Inspection Action Plan set the agenda for the improvement of the future
Children’s Services Directorate of the Isle of Wight Council and its
Schools. The action plan will inform the strategic planning of Children’s
Services and will also inform and impact on policies within Children’s
Services. This inspection report contributes to the overall assessment of the
Council through the Corporate Performance Assessment. Implementation of the
recommendations will contribute to the achievement of the strategic objectives
of the Corporate Plan.
CONSULTATION
13.
Key
stakeholders and service users were consulted as part of the inspection
process. The process and findings are set out within the report.
FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS
14.
Initially
the response to the inspection report will be met from within base budget,
including the application of agreed uplift gained for 2004/05, together with
the Government’s Safeguarding Children Grant to ensure that the Service is
“Climbie compliant”.
15.
Consideration
may need to be given to financial implications of the action plan for the
forthcoming financial year, in the light of Children’s Services integration
agenda.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
16.
Implementation
of the recommendations is set within the current legal statutory framework and
in line with Government guidance. The
Council has statutory duties to promote and safeguard the welfare of children
in its area. Courts, in recent years, have agreed that it is possible for
children who allege that those duties have not been carried out to bring
actions for damages against the local authority.
17.
Legal
Services work closely with Children’s Services, particularly in relation to
child protection casework and is moving towards a 24hr service in line with the
recommendations of the Laming Report.
OPTIONS
18.
To
accept this Report and to require the production and implementation of an
associated action plan in respect of the Island’s Children and Family Services.
EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT
19.
The
Inspection Report provides Members with an assessment of the strengths and
areas identified for development of the Island’s current Children’s Services.
The main risks, requiring serious attention are identified as:
Ø The Referral & Assessment
Team
Risk management:
There was at the time of the inspection and continues to be
in place a management action plan. To strengthen this team we have changed the
Team management arrangements and have in place an extra four temporary Social
Work Assistant posts. We are using the Council’s funded uplift 2004/05 and the
Safeguarding Children Government Grant to create two new professionally
qualified posts and make permanent the assistant posts. Cases have been
reviewed and the remit of the Team has been revised and reduced.
Ø Services for children with challenging
behaviours
Risk management:
Oak House has developed a system of managing referrals and matching or signposting to services for children with special needs and disabilities. This has been extended to encompass children within the Autism Spectrum including those with ADHD. A post is being set up to facilitate the development of this service for children with challenging behaviour.
Ø Access to Child &
Adolescent Mental Health Services
Risk management:
The Commissioners have now met to consider the independent
report on CAMHS and are now in a position to revise the strategy. A
commissioning and operational group have been set up to take the agreed
recommendations forward.
20.
The
management of continuous improvement and the effective implementation of the
associated action plan will have a benefit to the Council’s overall Corporate
Performance Assessment and the star rating of Children’s Services.
|
RECOMMENDATIONS 21.
(i)
To receive the Inspection Report (ii) To received a future
report proposing an Action Plan for adoption and delivery |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Appendix 1 – The main findings
from the Inspection Report.
Inspection of Children’s
Services, Isle of Wight, June 2004
The Victoria Climbie Inquiry,
Laming report, January 2003
Contact Point : Prue Grimshaw Ext 2227
Acting Head of Children’s Services
|
G GARROD Strategic Director of Social
Services & Housing |
G KENDALL Portfolio Holder for Adult
& Community Services |
|
D PETTITT Strategic Director of
Children’s Services |
J WAREHAM Portfolio Holder for
Children’s Services |