Agenda item

The Panel received a report and presentation from Laura Malone, Strategy Team Leader, on performance management for the first quarter of 2019-20 (for copy of report and presentation see file of minutes).

The Panel noted that the report included the information requested at a previous meeting in relation to caseloads by worker-type and the number of foster carers deregistered.

The Strategy Team Leader responded to questions and comments as follows:

·      Referring to the placement chart, Members requested that the costings for each placement type be included in future reports, observing that although only 0.2% of young people are placed in secure accommodation, this is likely to represent a significant cost. The Strategy Team Leader undertook to include costing information in future reports.

·      In response to a question on the number of young people missing from care, the Strategy Team Leader clarified that between April and June 2019, 24 children went missing from care.  Members requested that the number of children be included in future reports, together with the percentage of looked after children with a missing incident.  Members also requested more details as to the definition of ‘missing’ ie whether there is a time-frame used to define when a young person is officially declared missing.  The Head of Children’s Social Care commented that more detailed information will be provided to a future meeting on the duration of time of missing incidents, and, how incidents are followed-up and the after-care and support provided.

·      Members referred to the data on the health and wellbeing of children in care and observed that it would be interesting to have comparative data for young people within the general population regarding health assessments, immunisation rates, substance misuse etc.  The Strategy Team Leader explained that some of this information, for example data relating to health assessments, is not easy to access.

·      The Chair referred to 7% of looked after children who are placed over 20 miles from the child’s home and asked for more information on this. Members commented that for some young people it can be difficult to define exactly where home is and that, in some circumstances, it may be of benefit to the child to be to be placed away from home.  Members also referred to the risks that being placed a long distance from home may pose. The Head of Children’s Social Care informed the Panel that a map showing the location of Children’s Homes throughout the county had been produced for the scrutiny review into residential children’s homes and that this map will be shared with the Panel.

·      Members asked about the circumstances which would lead to children being placed with their parents on a Care Order. The Legal Services Manager explained that, in some cases, the local authority considers it necessary to share parental responsibility with parents when a child is being returned to parent’s care,  for example where parents have only recently ended a violent relationship, or, have only recently managed to cease using drugs or alcohol.