Impact Assessment Form and Action Table
Likelihood (2 - Slight) x Impact (4 – Major ) = 8 (LOW RISK)
Why are you completing the Impact Assessment?
Proposed New
Policy or Service
Change to Policy or
Service
MTFP or Paper

What are you completing the Impact
Assessment on (which policy, service,
MTFP reference, cluster etc)?
Service Review or
SCC Change
Programme
Children & Young People’s Directorate
CYP11.01a
Residential Care and Agency Placements
Section 1 – Description of what is being impact assessed
Residential Care and Agency Placements:
£700,000 for 2013/14, but consultation on closure of Highgrove Residential Unit within
2012/13 in order to ensure contribution of £350,000 of budget reduction by April 2013.
Section 2A – People or communities that are targeted or could be affected (for
Equalities - taking particular note of the Protected Characteristic listed in action table)
Highgrove Residential Unit provides a service for children aged 5 to 11 who are looked
after (in care). It provides intermediate care for children who either return home or
move to long-term alternative care, usually foster care.
Section 2B – People who are delivering the policy or service
Each Service will be expected to complete an Impact Assessment on the impact of
Mid-Term Financial Plan 2012/13 on customers/clients/service users etc which will be
shared with unions at Directorate Joint Consultative Committees.
Implications of MTFP 2012/13 for staff in relation to Equality and Diversity will be dealt
with corporately by the HR Policy Manager in association with the HR Group
Managers.
Section 3 – Evidence and data used for the assessment (Attach documents where
appropriate)
There are currently 119 children aged 5 to 11 in the care of Somerset County Council;
on 31st March 2011 this represented 23.2% of the total looked after population in
Somerset. Whilst numbers of looked after children are increasing, the number of
children within this age range is not growing as much as the number of babies and
older teenagers who are entering the care system.
In the financial year 20010/11, 53 children were aged 5 - 11 on entering care. Of
these, 14 left care within 28 days, leaving 39 children who remained. Most children in
this age group are fostered (see type of placement details below):
Type of placement:
Placement with foster care
Foster placement with relative or friend
Placed with parents or person with parental
responsibility
Placed for adoption with placement order
Placed in a Children’s Home / Residential Unit
Placed for adoption with consent with current
foster carer
Total
84
11
8
6
7
3
119
Reason for coming into care:
Abuse or neglect
Family in acute stress
Family dysfunction
Parental illness or disability
Disability
66 (55.5%)
25 (21%)
14 (11.8%)
9 (7.6%)
5
Legal status:
Full care order
Interim care order
Accommodated under Section 20 (voluntary care)
Placement order (adoption) granted
40 (33.6%)
35 (29.4%)
23 (19.3%)
21 (17.6%)
Section 4 – Conclusions drawn about the impact of the proposed change or new
service/policy
Key issues to be fed into relevant Action Table
The successful bid for government funding to set up Multi Dimensional treatment
Foster Care is timely in that the scheme offers a similar intermediate care service to
Highgrove Residential Unit, and therefore allows us to find savings without a loss in
service for this group of looked after children. The further reduction of residential
provision is in line with the Residential Strategy which has focussed on creating
smaller units and wherever possible placing children in foster care as the preferred
option. The risks are that:
 There is insufficient analysis of the needs of this group of looked after children and
how best to improve their outcomes;
 The issues raised by Highgrove staff about the reduction in residential provision
are not sufficiently addressed in the transition planning;
 The start of the new scheme is delayed;
 Other foster care placements are not available either in Somerset County Council
mainstream foster care or the independent sector;
 There is no alternative residential provision for any child who may need this type of
care;
 Care plans for the current children resident at Highgrove are not followed through
in a timely way.
These risks are listed in the plan below with actions to minimise them which are
sufficiently robust as to conclude that the impact of losing the places at Highgrove will
not adversely affect looked after children in this age group in the future.
Equality
There is likely to be a higher representation of protected groups in children looked
after generally, and the parents and children placed at Highgrove – disability, ethnicity,
travellers. Staff are trained to understand all aspects of equality, to minimise risks we
will ensure that any alternative carers are trained to similar standards. There is also
careful matching of the child’s needs and background with potential carers.
Health and Safety
The Local Authority has a duty to support families to continue to care for their children,
and this will continue. For those children who cannot live at home, there is a risk they
may be harmed or harm others if they are not offered suitable care placements. Local
authority foster carers and independent sector foster carers are assessed fully prior to
approval and this assessment includes the health and safety aspects of their home.
Independent residential providers are required to evidence their policies and
procedures through a pre-qualification process and in the terms of the framework
contracts. All foster care and residential providers are inspected by Ofsted.
Sustainability
Sustainability is deemed not to be relevant because Highgrove building can be
returned to property services and sold and used for a different purpose.
Community Safety
The young people looked after within this service are potentially vulnerable to harm
and susceptible to crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour and substance misuse if they
become disengaged. To mitigate risk, the consideration of the young peoples’ needs
is paramount to ensure minimal disruption to their care.
Privacy
As services move from the County Council the volume of personal and sensitive data
under the control of SCC that resides with external providers continues to increase.
There are existing arrangements in place to anonymise children’s data and information
sharing protocols when we seek placements from the independent sector. It is
essential that all externalisation of services ensures that all collection, storage,
transmission, sharing and destruction of this sensitive data is done in accordance with
the Data Protection Act.
Business Risk
The service change is in line with the County Council’s objectives: reduction in staffing
numbers and residential strategy aims to meet the needs of looked after children with
complex needs.
Likelihood (2 - Slight) x Impact (4 – Major ) = 8 (LOW RISK)
Section 5 – After consideration please state your final recommendations based on the
findings from the impact assessment. Also include any examples of good practice and
positive steps taken.
a) Group Manager Recommended Decision (30 December 2011):
CONTINUE with consultation on closure of Highgrove.
Proposed mitigation:
 Further analysis of the needs of this age group of looked after children and how
best to improve their long-term outcomes;
 Analysis and response to the report produced by Highgrove staff to ensure that
the issues raised are fully considered;
 Transition plan to ensure closure timescale allows the care plans for all the
children currently at Highgrove to be realised, either through return home or to
alternative placements;
 Development of a new scheme called Multi-Dimensional Treatment Foster Care
which will take up to 10 seven to eleven year olds with some carers in place by
October 2011;
 Consideration of the small (2/3) bed unit in Wellington catering for children aged
10 and above for a child whose needs cannot be met within a family;
 Where necessary purchase of foster care placements from the independent
sector which remain a cost effective alternative to the cost of residential care.
b) Service Director/CYPD DMT Recommended Decision:
Recommendation to proceed with proposal.
Section 6 - How will the assessment, consultation and outcomes be published and
communicated? E.g. reflected in final strategy, published. What steps are in place to
review the Impact Assessment
Somerset County Council website
Completed by:
Karen Kral
Date
30th December 2011
Signed off by:
Linda Barnett / CYPD DMT
Date
6th January 2012
Compliance sign off
Tony Johnson – Corporate Performance
Manager
Date
16 January 2012
To be reviewed by: (officer name)
Review date:
Version
6
Date
16 January 2012
Equality Impact Assessment Issues and Action Table
Actions needed –
can you mitigate
the impacts? If you
can how will you
mitigate the
impacts?
Who is responsible
for the actions?
When will the action How will it be
be completed?
monitored?
What is the
expected outcome
from the action?
Staff training to
understand all
aspects of equality,
particularly disability
issues
Ensure that any
alternative carers are
trained to similar
standards.
Karen Kral (KK)
Ongoing
Training records
Trained staff,
responding to
children’s needs
appropriately
Matching of the
child’s needs and
background with
potential carers.
Ensure that there is
careful matching of
the child’s needs and
background with
potential carers.
KK
Ongoing
Records of children
and carers
Matches that ensure
carers respond to
children’s needs
appropriately
Identified issue
drawn from your
conclusions
Age
Not applicable
Disability
Gender Reassignment
Not applicable
Marriage and Civil Partnership
Not applicable
Pregnancy and Maternity
Not applicable
Race (including ethnicity or national origin, colour, nationality and Gypsies and Travellers)
Staff training to
understand all
aspects of equality,
particularly ethnicity,
issues and needs of
Travellers
Ensure that any
alternative carers are
trained to similar
standards.
KK
Ongoing
Training records
Trained staff,
responding to
children’s needs
appropriately
Matching of the
child’s needs and
background with
potential carers.
Ensure that there is
careful matching of
the child’s needs and
background with
potential carers.
KK
Ongoing
Records of children
and carers
Matches that ensure
carers respond to
children’s needs
appropriately
Religion and Belief
Not applicable
Sex
Not applicable
Sexual Orientation
Not applicable
Other - Children looked after
There is insufficient
analysis of the needs
of this group of
looked after children
and how best to
improve their
outcomes
Further analysis of
the needs of this age
group of looked after
children
Review the care
pathways and trends
in placement
demands for this
group of children
Group Manager Residential
The issues raised by
Highgrove staff about
the reduction in
residential provision
are not sufficiently
addressed in the
transition planning;
Analyse and respond Group Manager to the report
Residential
produced by
Highgrove staff to
ensure that the
issues raised are
fully considered.
Collate the emerging
themes raised by the
staff, colleagues and
ex-residents who
have contributed to
the report and ensure
the concerns are
addressed in the
transition plan
January 2012
Report to
Safeguarding and
Care Change
Programme Board
Sufficient alternative
placements which
meet the needs of
this group of children
February 2012
Feedback and further
discussion with
Highgrove staff
All concerns and
issues raised by the
report are addressed
and mitigated against
Listen to the views of
children in care
Group Manager Residential
February 2012
Include views in
consultation report
Issues raised
responded to and fed
back to
the group
Area Managers –
Safeguarding and
Care and
Independent
Reviewing Officers
Ongoing to
September 2012
Existing system in
place for
Independent
Reviewing Officers to
monitor care planning
All children currently
at Highgrove are not
adversely affected by
closure if this is the
decision.
Consult with children
In Care Council
Care plans for the
current children
resident at Highgrove
are not followed
through in a timely
way
Transition plan to
ensure closure
timescale allows the
care plans for all the
children currently at
Highgrove to be
realised, either
through return home
or to alternative
placements.
Ensure care plans for
all current residents
at Highgrove are
followed though in a
timely fashion to
reduce impact of
potential closure
The start of the new
fostering scheme is
delayed
Development of
Multi-Dimensional
Treatment Foster
Care which will take
up to 10 seven to
eleven year olds with
some carers in place
by October 2011;
Ensure pilot funding
is secured and
project team
appointed to start to
recruit carers to be in
place by October
2012
Group Manager –
Fostering, Adoption
and Leaving Care
Services
Ongoing
Progress reports to
multi-agency steering
group and Senior
Childcare
Management Group
New scheme in place
partially by October
2012 to offer
placements to
children with
complex needs.
There is no
alternative residential
provision for any child
who may need this
type of care
Consideration of the
small (2/3) bed unit in
Wellington catering
for children aged 10
and above for a child
whose needs cannot
be met within a
family;
Review statement of
purpose for Corams
Lane residential unit
to reduce the age of
residents to ten to
offer placements to
younger children with
complex needs as an
alternative
Group Manager
Residential and Unit
Manager Corams
Lane
March 2012
Authorisation of
change of approval
from Ofsted
Availability of
Corams lane to take
children aged 10 and
above.
Other foster care
placements are not
available either in
SCC mainstream
foster care or the
independent sector;
Review use of
independent sector
fostering placements,
following completion
of needs analysis to
ensure sufficient
local placements
available.
Specialist
Placements Manager
March 2012
Group Manager
Residential and
Service Director
Ensure targets for
recruitment of SCC
foster carers
continue to be met
Group Manager –
Fostering, Adoption
and Leaving Care
Services
Ongoing
Senior Childcare
Management Group
Available local foster
placements in the
independent sector.
Health and Safety, Sustainability, Community Safety Impact Assessment Issues and Action Table
Areas of increased
risk drawn from
your conclusions
Actions needed –
can you mitigate the
impacts/risk? If you
can how will you
mitigate the
impacts?
Who is responsible
for the actions?
When will the action How will it be
be completed?
monitored?
Health and Safety Issues and Action Table
None
Not applicable
Sustainability Issues and Action Table
None
Not applicable
Community Safety Issues and Action Table
None
Not applicable
Privacy Issues and Action Table
None
Not applicable
Business Risk Issues and Action Table
None
Not applicable
What is the
expected outcome
from the action?