Issue - meetings
Measures taken to reduce the need for children to return to a child protection plan
Meeting: 02/02/2021 - Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 52)
52 Measures taken to reduce the need for children to return to a child protection plan PDF 240 KB
To receive a report giving details of the measures undertaken by the service to reduce the need for children to return to a child protection plan.
Minutes:
Adam Davis presented the Measure taken to reduce the need for children to return to a child protection plan report.
Adam Davis pointed out to the statistics in the report, including benchmarking.
Adam Davis stated that Childrens Services monitored the number of children becoming subject to a protection plan on a monthly basis and there was a specific indicator for the numbers becoming subject to a Protection plan for a second or subsequent time. This number fluctuated and could be influenced by a number of factors. Benchmarking against other Local Authorities and
our statistical neighbours is an important component in assessing where we are. Despite “in year” peaks, Wokingham Borough Council remains below the average of statistical neighbours (communities that are similar). We collect information about children becoming subject to Child Protection plans either in the previous 2 years and ever in their lifetime in order to test the impact of recent interventions and decision making, to give an idea of how
practice is improving or otherwise.
During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:
· In response to a question Adam Davis stated that the term statistical neighbours referred to local authorities that had similar population demographics and they may not be neighbouring authorities;
· Members questioned the impact of the pandemic in relation to putting children on plans. Adam Davis did not believe that there was a more risk averse approach which was resulting in more children being put on a plan. He stated that decisions were made in a multi-agency process.
Members were pleased with the impact of the measures being put in place to reduce the need for children to return to a child protection plan and thanked Adam Davis for the report.
RESOLVED That the report be noted.