Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships which presented the progress towards achieving the key outcomes of the Council’s Corporate Performance Framework for the Altogether Better for Children and Young People priority theme (for copy see file of minutes).

Referring to the 20 week timescale for completed Education Health and Care Plan’s (EHCP), Councillor Coult asked how long the remainder of plans were taking to complete.  The Corporate Equality and Strategy Manager explained that the threshold was at 20 weeks, however a lot of EHCP’s were completed in 20-22 weeks with  some slipping beyond that timescale.  He went on to explain that there were many reasons for the delay including the capacity to complete the plan and making sure that the right placements were available.  In Durham if there was not an agreed placement the plan could not be completed.

Councillor Crute referring to the DurhamWorks programme asked if the figure of 5,800 people could be broken down by education, employment and training.  He also referred to the social work academy and the role scrutiny had played in recommending the reduced case loads for social workers.  The Corporate Equality and Strategy Manager said that the investment into the academy would take time to see benefits. Recruitment through the academy would see newly qualified social workers have a lower case load within their first year that would gradually increase building capacity over time.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.