Agenda item

Context:

To scrutinise quarter 2 2018/19, performance of Children’s Social Services.

Key Issues:

The report card explains Children’s Social Services key process and performance during the first half of 2018/19 alongside benchmarking of performance in 2017/18. This comprises of data from the measurement framework introduced in 2016/17 as part of the Social Services and Well-being Act and further information that is used to evaluate performance.

The performance measures are a blend of quantitative and qualitative data which includes asking children and parents about their experience of social services and whether this has contributed to improving their well-being. The qualitative measures within the framework are derived from questionnaires to children and parents that social services are supporting. During September, questionnaires are posted to recipients and further responses are being encouraged to provide a higher return rate.

Welsh Government has not published local authority level performance data for 2017/18. Wales level means and quartile data for 2017/18 has been published and is included in this report. Qualitative benchmarking data for 2017/18 has not been published.

There are ongoing discussions and workshops on revising the standards and measures as part of the Social Services and Well-being Act performance framework in the future.

Member Scrutiny:

·         With regard to Children on the Child Protection Register, there are variances in numbers of children coming onto the register.  The Authority is undertaking some focussed work for families early on with a view to obtaining early identification of any potential risks.  There has been an increased number of contacts.  There are fewer children coming into the system but these children tend to have more complex needs and often have vulnerable issues that need to be addressed. The correct support is then identified and provided to these children.

·         Children coming onto the Child Protection Register or who require Looked After services, generally, there tends to be more complexity with the family dynamic of these children.  It can take some time for these children to recover from the trauma that they have experienced.   Specialised services and finely tuning the services required helps the children in their recovery but recovery can take some time.

·         There are some Looked After Children in the system that have parents who were also Looked after Children or had been in receipt of services provided by Children’s Social Services.  When assessments are undertaken of Looked After Children, this is one of the issues that is also investigated.

·         Monmouthshire’s Looked After child rate remains low across Wales and the Authority is in keeping with other comparable local authorities.  The general trend across Wales is increasing in rate. Greater Gwent is a region within Wales where the rate has outstripped other regions.

·         In terms of Monmouthshire’s Child Protection rates, there has been a significant increase in the rate.  However, this can be a temporary situation and such ‘spikes’ can occur at various stages with an overall upward trend. Large sibling groups can affect the data from month to month.

·         Monmouthshire’s Looked After Children numbers remain below the Wales average.  However, Child Protection numbers have increased above the Wales average.

·         In response to a question raised regarding whether the Directorate has adequate resources to deal with the increases identified in the report, it was noted that there are enough resources to respond to the requirements coming through.  However, this can have an implication with a view to resources having to be stretched at times.  Statutory responsibilities are met and the Directorate responds to where the highest need is required.

·         On behalf of the Select Committee, the Chair congratulated staff within Children’s Services for improving the number of assessments completed on time up to 90%.

·         The process that underpins the work undertaken by Children’s Services with children and families is multi-agency focussed.  Children’s Services is one of the key partners around two regional boards that look at wider inter agency work, e.g., The Children and Families Partnership Board and the South East Wales Children Board.

·         With regard to kinship foster carers, if there is a kinship arrangement in place, the kinship carer will go through the same assessment and panel process as a generic foster carer.