Agenda item

·        To present a report on progress against the Children’s Services’ Improvement Plan.

·        To present a report from the Children’s Services Improvement Panel.

5.1       The report of the Interim Head of Children’s Services setting out the progress to date against the revised Children’s Services Improvement Plan which incorporated the recommendations of the CSSIW Inspection report was presented for the Committee’s consideration and comment.

The Portfolio Member for Social Services reported that the recommendations made by CSSIW are in the process of being implemented with staffing matters currently the focus of the work including restructuring the practice teams, launching a new supervision policy and putting a Workforce Strategy into effect. This is intended to reinforce staff recruitment and retention arrangements. The Children’s Services Improvement Panel has met on two occasions and has given consideration to establishing a programme of work over the coming months.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Governance and Business Process Transformation) said    that ensuring workforce stability is essential if the service is to deliver both on its legislative obligations and on the recommendations of the CSSIW inspection given that an unstable workforce in recent years has been identified as a weakness in the service. Addressing this is a key element of the Service Improvement Plan and the report describes the elements which have been the focus of attention in recent months. These encompass restructuring; supervision, staff recruitment and retention and developing and implementing the Workforce Strategy. As part of the restructuring, new Service Managers and Practice Leads have been appointed and are due to commence in their new roles in early September. Recruitment is however ongoing with the aim of reducing the service’s dependence on agency staff. Other changes in relation to working with partners, quality assurance and services for children, young people and families are also being put into effect.

The Interim Head of Children’s Services elaborated on the new staff structure involving smaller Practice Groups across early intervention and intensive intervention headed by a Practice Leader responsible for three or four Social Workers and a much reduced caseload.

5.2       A progress report by the Scrutiny Manager on the work of the Children’s Services Improvement Panel to date was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

Councillor Richard Griffiths, the Committee’s representative on the Children’s Services Improvement Panel and the Children in Care Champion updated the Committee on the issues discussed by the Panel at its initial two meetings in July and August, 2017 as summarised in section 3.2 of the report. He confirmed that all work streams pertaining to the Service Improvement Plan appear to be on target thus far and that there are no matters at this point that need to be escalated by the Panel for consideration by the Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee considered the information presented and made the following points –

•           In light of the re-structuring and the commitment made to reduce reliance on agency staff, the Committee sought clarification of the current position with regard to the deployment of agency staff in Children’s Services, the ratio to permanent staff and the costs involved. The Interim Head of Children’s Services said that there were 11 agency staff within the service at present; he explained that the service is implementing a programme to reduce the number of agency staff over time. However, there are agency staff whose experience and expertise the service would wish to retain as permanent staff via the normal recruitment process.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Governance and Business Process Transformation) said that the service is seeking to ensure that the restructuring occurs within the current staff budget. The majority of agency staff cover existing posts that are vacant so an element of the costs falls within existing budgets. However there are additional costs linked to agency staff. The service is endeavouring to recruit to the permanent vacant posts and that will take time. Until that process is complete there will be utilisation of agency staff. The service has already recruited five newly qualified social workers who will become registered in a few months’ time whose caseloads will initially be lighter to allow them to familiarise themselves with the service. Agency staff will provide additional cover during this period which will entail additional costs. The Officer said that a substantial element of the costs in Children’s Service derives from looked after children and young people whose needs are such they can only be met through residential care placements. There has been a significant increase in the number of children and young people who are looked after in recent years.  Within that population, there is a small kernel of young people whose needs are complex and acute.  Meeting the needs of this cohort is both challenging and costly. Added to that is a shortage of local foster carers meaning that the service has to have recourse to the independent foster care sector where the costs are higher.

•           The Committee noted that the retention of staff has posed a challenge to the Service in the past.  The Committee sought clarification of the measures being taken to retain staff.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Governance and Business Process Transformation) said that whilst the service is seeking to create the conditions wherein staff will want to stay at the Council it can be a challenge, and therefore an element of “churn” is to be expected. The practice teams restructure; the launch of a new supervision policy and the implementation of a comprehensive induction programme as well as Workforce Strategy are all designed to provide enhanced support to new as well as existing staff. Whilst some staff turnover is a natural element of the workforce, it is hoped that the strategies being implemented will make it easier for the service to retain staff.

Having considered the information presented both verbally and via the written reports, the Committee RESOLVED –

•           That on the basis of the information presented, it was satisfied with the pace of progress and improvements made to date within Children’s Services  

•           It noted the progress made to date with the work of the Children’s Services Improvement Panel

•           It noted that all work streams pertaining to the Service Improvement Plan appear to be on target thus far.

•           It noted that there are no matters at this point that need to be escalated by the Panel for consideration by the parent committee.

NO ADDITIONAL ACTION WAS PROPOSED