Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Children’s Services.

The report of the Head of Children and Families’ Services setting out the progress to date with implementing the Service Improvement Plan was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Leader and Portfolio Member for Social Services reported that over the period since CIW’s inspection of Children’s Services, the Service has been significantly involved in putting in place a series of important changes which it is considered will better deliver in line with legislation.  These are described in the report with particular emphasis on restructuring the Service with the focus being on Early Intervention and Prevention and Intensive Intervention; developing a Prevention Strategy with the aim of de-escalating need at all levels; systems and process development; and the quality and consistency of Practice. The Children’s Services Improvement Panel meets on a monthly basis and has been closely scrutinising progress in implementing the Service Improvement Plan.

The Head of Children and Families’ Services confirmed that a great deal of work has been undertaken at all levels of the Service, the work is ongoing and it is beginning to yield results. The Service now needs a period in which to concentrate on the practical aspects of Social Work in order to progress plans; overall the Service is on track and is moving in the right direction.

The Executive noted the progress update and sought assurance on the following points -

•  The Executive noted that a priority for the Service has been the development of Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies and that applying these strategies is leading to improvements. The Executive therefore sought clarification of the impact of this work in terms of the number of cases where early intervention has taken place during the previous six months and whether this has led to improved outcomes both for the Service and for children and families.

The Head of Children and Families’ Services said that whilst the number of referrals to the Service has remained constant, the Service has been able to respond in different ways following referral e.g. by making increasing use of Team around the Family (TAF) responses. The capacity of the TAF team has been increased from three to six officers who all have full caseloads. By intervening in this way families who are considered vulnerable and who would otherwise be dealt with through the Social Work system can have their needs de-escalated before they become more serious. The Resilient Families Team has also been working with five families in a proactive way which has resulted in the needs of 8 children being addressed without them having to enter the care system. Additionally, the Service has been reviewing cases and where appropriate, it has been discharging Care Orders so that children can return to live with their families without being children in care.

•  The Executive sought clarification of whether the Children’s Services have had to intervene at short notice in cases where the needs are acute.

The Head of Children and Families’ Services said that intervention can take different forms and can happen on different levels; in some instances early intervention involving the third sector and universal services working with families at a very early stage means that the child does not come to the attention of Social Services at all; the Service is reviewing how it uses Families First resouces and moving those onto a three year basis. The Service is also strengthening its links with schools where TAF is part of the provision meaning that there is engagement with families at a much earlier point. The Officer said that in light of the over expenditure within Children’s Services, it is important that the Service also continues to focus on the acute side of provision e.g. the 8 children who would otherwise have required provision through the Children’s Social Work Service had not there been input by the Resilient Families would have put significant pressure on the budget.

•  The Executive noted that administratively, Social Services have moved onto the new Welsh Community Care Information System (WCCIS) and that it was understood that there has been some initial issues with the system particularly in relation to work flow processes which have been addressed with external support. The Executive sought clarification of whether this input has proved helpful and whether the Children and Families’ Services are satisfied that the system is now responsive to their needs.

The Head of Children and Families’ Services said that in order to ensure the system meets Social Services’ needs, a board has been arranged to look at the system with priority being given to Children and Families’ Services and in particular the structures within the Service. To this end the Service has been divided into four sections with the initial focus having been on Families First and Teulu Môn. There have been conversations with the staff to establish what aspects of the system require clarification and/or modifying and the resulting changes are now in the second week of implementation. The Service in also three weeks into the next phase of reviewing the system from the perspective of the second section in relation to Children’s Safeguarding and children entering and leaving  the Child Protection Register. The work is therefore moving apace with high level training being offered to staff as part of  workshops and also steps to better manage issues within the system so that any problems being experienced by individual members of staff are highlighted and one to one training provided. Having been part of the modifications staff are now better placed to understand the system and how it can work for them. It is an improving situation and there is scope to further improve the system as the Service makes progress through the remaining sections.

It was resolved to confirm that the Executive is satisfied with the following –

•  The steps taken to progress implementation of the Service Improvement Plan and the pace of progress.

•  The pace of progress and improvements made to date within Children and Families’ Services.