Agenda item

To consider the above report and a presentation on performance.

Kerry Birtles, Director of Children’s Social Care presented this item to the Committee in the form of a presentation rather than just the raw scorecard data.

Kerry advised the Committee that, Children’s Social Care had successfully navigated through the pandemic, enabling frontline practitioners to safely deliver services with the welfare of children and families as a top priority.  

The current position for the service was recovery planning.  There was some evidence where children and young people had been adversely affected at the beginning of the pandemic, however a return to business-as-usual could be seen on reflection of quarter 2 data.

Key headlines for Quarter 2 (1 July- 30 September 2020) data were:

·         32 children became cared for taking the total population to 537;

·         The number of care leavers as of the end of Sept 2020 was 282;

·         Statutory compliance in relation to virtual and face to face meetings was between 79% and 86%;

·         Statutory compliance in relation to completing reviews for cared for children remained at 98%; and

·         Statutory obligations in completing pathway plans for care leavers rose slightly from 97% to 99%.

Health monitoring and assessment had shown that the health needs of Children and Young People had not been compromised during the pandemic, during the first half of the year, the majority of work had been completed virtually unless there had been an identified need for face-to-face interaction.

The Committee heard it was crucial to support young people to achieve permanence as soon as possible.  Permanency planning for Cared for Children had been affected mainly by:

·         Children initially not being able to transition to their adoptive homes;

·         Courts initially being unable to progress adoption hearings; and

·         Care Leavers initially being unable to move to more permanent accommodation.

There had been two young people adopted but the number of those placed for adoption or transitioning to adoption remained high at 54.

There had been five adoptions this year which equated to a third of where those figures would be expected to be.  The priority had been for those new into care but there were some delays.  When children arrive into care, it is good practice for them  to have a plan at four months, drift and delay is not good for young people.

Frontline services continued to be essential to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.

This report had been collated pre-second lockdown, updated guidance was expected when the current guidance expired.

Those young people who were NEET were of most concern at the start of the pandemic, the impacts of the pandemic on the national economy are yet to be fully realised.  The service invested in the NEET programme, eight NEET young people are now in Covid-bubbles.

There had been a small number of children discharged from care. 

The retendering process had provided a strong offer from the provider in north and south of the borough resulting in excellent care for 16 and 17 year olds through a transitioning period of life.

Elected Members were engaged in front line activity which enabled the service to be better prepared for challenge.

Kerry finished by advising the Committee about Bespoke Children’s Homes, there were four commissioned Homes in the borough however the Home in Macclesfield had experienced significant difficulties that related to staffing and infrastructure and as a result the children had to move out.  Despite the unplanned change, the service had taken ownership and both children had been successfully transitioned into their next home.  Kerry recognised that setting up a Children’s Homes is complex work and the service will be keen to take learning away from this experience.

Before the Committee engaged in questions, the Chairman congratulated Kerry on behalf of the Committee on her new post as Director of Children’s Social Care.

The Committee asked when the Macclesfield Bespoke Children’s Home might be reopening.  Kerry advised this could potentially be January 2021 following recruitment for a Manager and Staff Team.

RESOLVED- That:

a)    Kerry Birtles be thanked for her attendance and presetation to the Committee;

b)    The contents of the report be received and noted; and

c)    This Committee continue to provide challenge to the service