Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) which provided an update on progress with Children’s Services improvement reported to the Continuous Improvement Executive Group on 22 October 2019.  The next Continuous Improvement Executive Group would be held on 19 December 2019. 

The Continuous Improvement Executive Group would ensure tighter focus on continuous improvement and Ofsted preparation.  The impact of performance would be managed and monitored by the group.  This was an interim measure before returning to business as usual, in accordance with the revised arrangements for Children’s Safeguarding, and subject to satisfactory inspection by September 2020.  At this time the Executive Group would cease, oversight and monitoring would be transferred to Coventry Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.  Improvement Board members fully supported the revised arrangements and membership of the group.

The Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive continued to give public commitment that Children’s Services remained a key priority for the Council.  This included prioritising funding for Children’s Services to maintain its capacity to improve.  The Council, alongside partner organisations continued a relentless focus on securing improvements in services for children, young people and families to ensure they were safeguarded and achieve positive outcomes.

The next standard Inspection of Children’s Services was likely to be between September 2019 and September 2020.

The report noted progress with the following:

·  Children’s Services Strategic Plan Journey to Excellence 2019-2022 which included transformation and improvement priorities, a revised vision and the improvement journey achievements to date

·  The new Performance Board which would focus on core performance data and understand areas of performance that required improvement

·  Quality Assurance Framework which detailed how quality was managed and measured.  Monthly visits had been introduced.

·  Social Work Academy at which 56 Newly Qualified Social Workers had been recruited and supported in their professional development since July, 2018.

·  Workforce review of business services and the Social Worker of the Year Awards.

·  Through Care had been nominated for their innovative work including the TV documentary ‘Superkids’ and the development of the local offer.

·  Partnership working and the recent SEND inspection and forthcoming Inspection of Childrens Services.  The Scrutiny Board 2 Task and Finish Group had been established to review partnership engagement and working in Children’s Services.

The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People congratulated the Social Work Academy Team on winning the Guardian Public Service Award for Workforce Learning and Development.  This was recognition for the work that had been undertaken to support the newly qualified social workers in the early years of their professional development and transition from university to become practice ready.  The award also recognised the work on the progression scheme and recruitment and retention.

The Chair had welcomed to the meeting some young people from Coventry College who were present for the item on Post 16 Transitions, however they were invited to join the Members of the Board for the whole meeting.

The Board joined the Cabinet Member in congratulating the Social Work Academy Team on winning the Guardian Public Service Award for Workforce Learning and Development.

The Board and the young people present questioned the Cabinet Member and officers on the following:

·  Caseload

·  The Strategic Plan and further detail of data, for example, age, gender, ethnicity and number of Looked After Children as a percentage of the population of the city

·  Future retention

·  Families that do not engage with services

·  Funding

·  Looked After Children Leaving Care

·  Preventing neglect

·  Plans for 2020

Officers were also proud of the Social Work Academy Team and bought the Guardian trophy to the meeting.  Officers discussed the Strategic Plan and how the data charted the journey, also citing pockets of good and outstanding practice.  Officers were supporting retention of staff within the service, but with a reduced turn-over of staff and a more stable workforce there potentially may not be the opportunity for internal progression in the future.  This could in turn lead to attrition and the loss of social workers to neighbouring authorities that did not have such a stable work force.  Options to address this were discussed and members were keen that opportunities were sought at a regional level to try and address some of these concerns, either by supporting a more stable workforce regionally or to shift the focus of the academy to post qualifying awards for Coventry social workers.

Officers also discussed the strength based approach, constraints of funding, intervention levels and increasing early help.  Members were reassured that the Council exceeded the minimum requirement for supporting Care leavers

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Board

1)  acknowledge progress and congratulate the Social Worker Academy Team on winning the Guardian Public Service Award for Workforce Learning and Development.

2)  recommend that the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People investigate options including scope for collaborative working with other Local Authorities by building on the success of the Social Work Academy to continue the retention of Social Workers in Coventry.

3)  request a six-month update on Children’s Services data and a further breakdown of the information