Agenda item

To receive and consider the Children’s Services Continuous Improvement Plan report.

The Committee received the Children’s Services Improvement Action Planning report which was set out in Agenda pages 15-19.  Viki Elliott-King, Children’s Improvement Programme Manager presented the report.

Viki Elliott-King stated that the service regularly undertook self-evaluation to determine its priorities.  The last self-evaluation had been undertaken in January 2019, and the service had also been through a full Ofsted inspection in June 2019.  The analysis of both of these evaluations had helped to shape the priorities for the service which were presented in the report.

During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:

·           Members were pleased with the layout of the report;

·           Members noted that the report covered a lot of areas and asked what the hierarchy of priorities was.  Viki Elliott-King stated that sometimes the service had to react to situations and the priorities could change, one of the most pressing priorities currently was to stabilize the workforce;

·           Carol Cammiss stated that the sequencing of priorities might change, but they would not came off the list;

·           In response to a question Carol Cammiss stated that it was always challenging to make sure the finance was robust whilst making improvements to the services.  The service was continually re-addressing its priorities and identifying areas that it wanted to focus on.  For example, one area of improvement was the development a service for the children in the edge of care;

·           Councillor Croy asked how improving the brand would benefit the service.  Viki Elliott-King stated that this was in relation to improving communication internally and externally.  She stated that it was important to build trust and break barriers to communication;

·           Members were interested to know more about the process of identifying vulnerable children.  Carol Cammiss stated that there were different processes, and cross reference of information.  For example monitoring the children who attracted Pupil Premium, children with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and Looked After Children;

·           Councillor Croy asked if there was a risk of an overload of reviews within the service.  Carol Cammiss stated that the new leadership team had to reassure itself that the service was running in the way that it should be.  She explained that some of the reviews were part of a three year programme, she believed the reviews were necessary;

·           In response to a question Carol Cammiss stated that the next Placement Strategy was currently being developed.  This Strategy was going to include the development of a service for children in the edge of care and a service to support foster carers looking after children with high needs.  There was an aspiration to reduce the number of children who were placed outside of the area as it was a known fact that children who were placed closer to home achieved better outcomes.

RESOLVED That:

1)     The Children’s Services Strategy and Delivery Priorities be noted; and

2)     The intent of improvement action planning to deliver priority actions, improving outcomes for children and young people and resulting in an Ofsted grading of “Good” be noted.