AGENDA ITEM
5
BOROUGH OF POOLE
COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY 18TH JULY 2011
ANNUAL CORPORATE PARENTING REPORT
CHILDREN IN CARE
1.
PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1 To inform members of performance monitoring data and outcomes for
children in care in the Borough of Poole.
1.2 To inform members of service developments and improvements for
children in care.
1.3
To inform members of key placement commissioning requirements and
priorities for children in care.
2.
RECOMMENDATION
2.1 That members note the performance outcomes and service development
areas within the Report.
3.
BACKGROUND
3.1 The term ‘corporate parenting’ refers to the responsibility and duties
which the Council as a whole has for providing the best possible
services and support for children who are in the care of the local
authority.
The expectation of a good ‘corporate parent’ is that they provide the
level of support and guidance, in all its forms that any good parent would
give to their own child in order to achieve a safe healthy and happy
childhood and the best possible start in life.
3.2 In Poole service development and delivery is driven by a multi agency
Care Matters Action Plan overseen by the Corporate Parenting Working
Group. One of the key responsibilities of the Corporate Parenting Group
is oversight and monitoring of qualitative and quantitative date on
services for children in care as part of its commitment to ensure that the
Councils vision for children in care is delivered effectively through our
collective corporate parent role.
4.
PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN IN
CARE
4.1 The quality of service and outcomes for children in care is measured in a
number of ways:-.
 OFSTED Annual Performance Assessment
 External Inspections – OFSTED Announced Inspection of
Safeguarding and CIC services and Regulatory Inspections of
Fostering and Adoption Services
 Management Information including National Performance
Indicators;
 Consultation and feedback from children and young people in care
and other key partners
4.2 OFSTED APA and Service Inspections
OFSTED’s 2010/11 Annual Performance Assessment of Poole Children’
Services judged services for children looked after as ‘good’.
The OFSTED Inspections of Poole Fostering and Adoption Services in
2010 which both achieved ‘Outstanding’ were reported to members in
last years Annual Report. Feedback from the Inspection emphasised
particular strengths around equality and diversity, workforce
development and training, matching processes, safe care, adoption
support services and quality of placements.
4.3 Key Performance data
There are a range of government data returns and indicators for children
in care. Local authority performance is banded nationally against
particular targets (currently subject to review) and are also available
against Poole’s statistical neighbour group of Local Athorities. Local
data is also collected which adds to our overall understanding of CIC
outcomes.
An Executive summary of key areas of performance is set out below and
detailed statistical data is attached (Appendix 1).
Executive Summary
 There were 133 Children in care at March 2011 which is a steady
increase since March 2009. This is in line with national trends
 Placement stability indicators have decreased slightly compared to
2009/10 which is likely to be the result of volume and capacity
pressures on in-house fostering resources
 Exam results at KS2 and GCSE are above the national average
 Health indicators measured by health assessments, immunisations,
dental checks and emotional well being screening are consistently
above national targets
 2010/11 was the lowest recorded year for CIC criminal cautions
and convictions. (2 young people out of a cohort of 58)
 Outcomes for care leavers remain consistently above the national
average. In 2010/11 Poole had 100% of care leavers in suitable
accommodation and 100% in contact with the service. The % of
care leavers in education training and employment has improved
from 50% in 2009/10 to 67%.
 Excellent performance was achieved in Adoption. Ten children
were adopted during the year the highest annual figure recorded
All ten adoption placements were made within the national 12
month target timescale
5.
SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
5.1 Service improvements and development, the quality of partnership
working and the views of children and young people in care provide an
additional understanding of the quality of care that children and young
people are experiencing.
5.2 Placement Support
Poole consistently has a high % of children in local foster placements
reflecting a strong in-house fostering service which in turn creates local
placement choice, stability and continuity for children in care. At March
2011, 81% were in local authority foster care. There were 73 registered
foster carers. A high proportion of children in care with complex
disabilities are in stable long term foster placements, working alongside
an excellent shared care service providing a range of short break
arrangements. Poole’s foster carers provide high quality care and
receive good support from a range of professionals and engage in a well
developed and diverse training programme including NVQ. A high
number of foster carers in Poole have now completed individual detailed
portfolios which evidence the Children’s Workforce Development Council
national foster carer standards.
A small number of placements are made with Independent Fostering
Agencies (IFAs) or in residential units where in-house capacity is not
able to meet particular individual complex needs. Quality assurance of
these placements is particularly crucial and this is provided via a formal
commissioning process with service specifications, external OFSTED
inspections, statutory reviews, visits to units by staff at regular intervals
and the use of Poole’s Independent Advocacy Service.
Recruitment and retention of foster carers in a mixed economy with
differential payment structures remain highly competitive.
Poole
continues to recruit a steady flow of carers mainly through local
advertising campaigns and ‘word of mouth’. Our most problematic
recruitment areas are for challenging teenagers and parent and child
assessment placements. The Government have recently championed
the value of the foster carers’ role and launched the Foster Carers’
Charter which we plan to promote locally in order to underline our
commitment to Poole’s foster carers.
5.3 Education and Leisure
A part time Virtual Head Teacher for children in care provides strategic
and operational oversight of the education of all children in care,
including young people in residential care or placed outside of the
Borough.
The education support team comprising educational psychology time,
education welfare officer and teacher works closely with social workers
to provide and deliver an education Personal Education Plan for every
child in care. Each school has a designated teacher for children in care
and specific training is undertaken for designated teachers and
governors in order to strengthen roles and responsibilities. Specific
arrangements are in place in relation to school admissions for children in
care and for responding to a small number of fixed term exclusions.
There have been no permanent exclusions of looked after children
during the past 5 years. All children in care have Access to Leisure
cards and individuals participate in a wide range of sporting and leisure
activities. A very successful Awards Ceremony to celebrate the life
achievements of children in care is held annually.
5.4 Health
Foster carers are well supported to ensure that the physical and
emotional health needs of children in care are met. A dedicated
nurse/health visitor co-ordinates health assessments, emotional health
screening and provides comprehensive advice, and support around all
aspects of health e.g. fitness, lifestyle, sexual health, substance misuse.
Dedicated support is also provided by CAMHS staff for children in care
including a specialist social work post and psychology support to both
individual children and foster carers. There is good access to all
appropriate specialist health services for children in care with disabilities
and complex health needs.
5.5 Adoption
Adoption and Permanence Panel
The Adoption and Permanence Panel has met on 12 occasions between
March 10 and April 11. There has been an increase in the business of
Panel, mainly due to the increase in the number of children being
presented for a recommendation for adoption
Special Guardianship Orders
There have been a steady number of requests for assessments for
Special Guardianship Orders. In all 6 cases during 2010/11these have
been in respect of family members.
Assessments of Adopters
7couples are being assessed
6 other couples have been approved and are awaiting / progressing
matching.
In order to meet the demand of the increased number of children waiting
for adoption we are continuing to review our recruitment strategy.
There is a shortage of adopters nationally who are willing or able to take
the complex children who we are seeking to place for adoption. We
continue to work closely with our consortium partners to address this.
Adoption Support Services
The number of adoption support cases remains steady. The complexity
of these cases is evident and frequently the adoption team is co-working
with other teams in the unit, for example where there is offending
behaviour or child protection concerns. The availability of psychology
services within the adoption and fostering teams is a significant resource
in providing post adoption support.
Post Adoption Exchange of Information
Poole Adoption Agency operates a Post Adoption Contact Scheme and
facilitates arrangements for more than 139 families (in many cases with
more than one exchange in each family). These are increasingly
complex cases, requiring a significant level of social worker input, due
the complex and changing nature of the contacts between birth families
and adoptive families.
Independent Services to Birth Relatives
Together with Bournemouth Borough Council, Poole Adoption Agency
commissions independent support to birth relatives from an external
agency, Families for Children.
Services to Adopted Adults
Birth records counselling to adults who have been adopted is a key area
of work although pressures on the team have resulted in a delay before
these requests can be allocated. Currently there are 23 cases allocated
in the team.
Non – Agency Adoptions
The service is dealing with 6 non-agency adoptions (i.e. applications from
step-parents to adopt a child of their partner). There is a waiting list for
this service with 2 families currently waiting.
Inter Country Adoption
Poole currently has a contract with a Voluntary Adoption Agency to
undertake assessments of adopters wishing to pursue inter country
adoption. There are limitations to the work that they will cover and we
have undertaken two High Court cases in the year 2010 / 2011.
5.6 Care Leavers
The Local Authority has a range of statutory responsibilities to young
people who are or have been in care, up to the age of 21 years or in
some cases 25 years dependent upon individual circumstances.
The Pathways team within Children and Young People’s Social Care
provide services for this group. Staffing includes social workers, health
visitor, accommodation officer and personal advisers. The 2010/11
improvements in care leavers’ outcomes around education, employment
and training and suitable accommodation reflects the impact of specific
service developments e.g. independence training flat, Care2Work
programme, supported lodgings service.
5.7 Safeguarding Children in Care
Providing safe, high quality care and ensuring children in care are
protected from any form of abuse is an absolute priority. Safe care is
achieved in a variety of ways, including, careful initial matching of
children for placements, high professional foster carer standards, and
‘wrap around’ multi-agency placement support. Every foster carer is
also required to have an individual safe care plan which sets out
appropriate and safe behaviours and ‘boundaries’ within the home.
The small number of residential placements are subject to robust formal
contract and monitoring standards. Allegations and complaints against
foster carers and residential providers are monitored and are generally
low. E-safety for children and young people in care is a particular focus
and all carers are given training in this area.
There are clear requirements around the frequency and nature of
statutory reviews for children in care which are led by Independent
Reviewing Officers within Children’s Services but at arms length from
operational delivery. The increasing volume and complexity of reviews,
and the additional statutory requirements which came into effect in April
2011 have created real capacity issues for IRO’s and their ability to
complete good quality ‘child centred’ reviews within the required
timescales. This is now being addressed by the appointment of
temporary additional posts and the overall capacity of the service will be
monitored carefully.
All children in care are allocated to a qualified social worker and
caseloads within teams remain overall within acceptable levels in spite of
general increases in workloads across CYPSC. A recent review of
social work practice has resulted in the realignment of some social work
teams from September 2011 and the creation of a dedicated Children in
Care team which will sit alongside the Pathways and Adoption and
Fostering teams. This mirrors service models in other local authorities
and will provide an important additional focus on individual social work
contact time and direct work with children in care, consultation and
participation and innovative multi agency partnership work.
Active participation and consultation with children and young people
remains a high priority. We have a very child centred approach to
reviews and planning meetings and all young people have access to an
independent advocacy service provided by NCH Action for Children.
The capacity to undertake wider participation work has been limited
during 2010/11 due to the participation worker post remaining unfilled.
We have now negotiated an extension to the NCH contract which will
deliver participation work and establish a formal Children in Care Council
from July this year.
6.
CARE PLANNING PLACEMENT AND REVIEW REGULATIONS AND
THE ‘SUFFICIENCY’ REQUIREMENT
6.1 The above regulations and related statutory guidance (which builds upon
the Children Act 1989) came into force in April 2011 and introduced a
revised legal framework around many aspects of children in care
services e.g. care planning and review requirements, transition to
adulthood for care leavers, short breaks, commissioning of placements
and fostering and adoption standards. The underlying principles of the
changes are to address common difficulties for children in care which
evidence from research consistently highlights ie.
delay in achieving permanence
instability in placements and placement breakdown
education and health outcomes
poor transition to adulthood
6.2 The introduction of the ‘sufficiency’ duty builds upon Section 22a of the
Children Act 1989 and requires local authorities working in partnership to
ensure as far as practicable sufficient accommodation for children in
care which meets their needs and is within their local authority area.
The duty extends beyond a requirement to have sufficient number of
beds available. Placements must also meet the assessed individual
needs of children, provide diversity, quality and choice of provision and
take a whole systems approach which includes early intervention and
prevention services and resources for children on the ‘edge ‘of care and
custody.
6.3 In response to this new statutory guidance Poole has revised the
Children in Care Placement Commissioning Strategy based on a
comprehensive needs analysis, a clear preventative and placement
support strategy and robust commissioning decisions and processes.
The Executive summary of the Placement Commissioning Strategy is
attached (Appendix 2). Monitoring of the strategy against outcomes for
children in care will be undertaken primarily by the Corporate Parenting
Working Group.
7.
EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
7.1 There is well documented evidence based research on the multiple
vulnerability and disadvantage which children in care experience both
during childhood and into their adult life. Education and health outcomes
are consistently lower than the overall child population and adults who
have been in care are likely to be over represented as teenage parents,
within the prison population, as homeless and experiencing mental
health and substance misuse problems.
Service delivery is underpinned by a commitment to assess and
understand the particular needs of children in care and care leavers and
to take action to ensure fair and equal access to suitable services
through Equality Impact Assessments.
8.
LEGAL AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
8.1 Children in Care Services are delivered within an entirely statutory
framework.
The 2011/12 Care Costs budget (i.e. fostering and residential costs) is
approximately £4.03 m (35% of the total CYPSC budget). This budget
allocation is calculated against individual known care plans and
projected new care plans based on a combination of
historical trends
and professional judgement. The 2011/12 care costs budget includes
budget growth of £340,000 based on known increase in the volume and
profile (i.e. unit cost) of care placements.
The care costs budget is ‘needs led’ and can be subject to significant
and variable cost pressures. The potential impact of increased high cost
placements and corporate financial risk for the Borough underlines the
importance of maintaining good quality in-house services and delivering
a placement commissioning strategy which works across a ”continuum
of need” and provides effective market (cost) management.
Gerry Moore
Head of Children and Young People’s Social Care
Contact details: 01202 714745
e-mail: gerry.moore@poole.gov.uk
Appendix 1
PERFORMANCE MONITORING DATA 2010/11
1.
Children in Care numbers
133
2.
Age Profile
The age profile of children in care which matches the national picture at
March 2011 is as follows:Age
Under 1
1 to 4 years
5 to 9 years
10 to 15 years
16 to 17 years
Poole (2011)
7
21
29
58
18
5%
16%
22%
44%
13%
England
(2010)
5%
16%
17%
41%
21%
3.
Placement profile
The placement profile of children in care as at March 2011 is as
follows:-
PLACEMENT AT 31 MARCH 2011
Foster placement
With relative or friend
9
Placement with other foster
carer
Secure Unit
Hostels and Children’s Homes
Hostels and other supportive
residential placements
Residential schools
Other residential settings
Placed for adoption (including
placed with former foster
carer)
Placed with own parents
In lodgings, living
independently
TOTAL:
Inside local
authority
area
Outside
local
authority
area
Inside local
authority
area
Outside
local
authority
area
4
5
73
33
1
)
)
)5
1
4
4
1
3
4
1
3
2
2
2
2
1
133
Appendix 1
4.
Performance Indicators
Placement Stability
Indicator
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11
Children in 3+ placements
(NI 62)
Children under 16 y.o. in
care for 2.5 years in the
same placement for at least
2 years (NI 63)
18.5%
7.6%
11.3%
56.4%
58.1%
68.2%
11.8%
11.0%
(14/119) (14/127)
70.2%
(33/47)
65.9%
(27/41)
Benchmark
2009/10
9.9%
69.4%
Education
Indicator
School year > 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10
CIC missing 25+ days school
CIC with a Statement of
Special Educational Needs
CIC Permanently Excluded
Exam Results
11.8%
11.9%
8.6%
38.2%
38.8%
37.1%
0%
0%
0%
9.5%
(6/63)
42.9%
(27/63)
0%
(0/63)
33.8%
(20/65)
0%
England
2009/10
28.2%
0.3%
Year exams sat >
Key Stage 1
Eligible to sit
Sat all tests
Achieved Level 2 +
- Reading
- Writing
- Maths
Key Stage 2
Eligible to sit
Sat all tests
Achieved Level 4+
- Reading
- Writing
- English
- Maths
- Science
- English & Maths
GCSEs
Eligible children
Sitting 1 or more GCSE
exams
Achieved 1+ GCSE grade A*G
Achieved 5+ GCSE grade A*G
Achieved 5+ GCSE grade A*C
Achieved 5+ GCSE grade A*C including English & maths
(NI101)
2006
200
7
2008
2009
2010
England
2010
2
1
2
1
2
2
4
4
5
5
1400
-
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
100% (4)
100% (4)
100% (4)
60% (3)
40% (2)
60% (3)
58%
51%
62%
13
9
8
3
7
4
2
2
7
7
2400
1800
62%
54%
50%
50%
43%
57%
50% (1)
50% (1)
71% (5)
71% (5)
57% (4)
71% (5)
45%
44%
53%
36%
69%
50%
57%
50% (1)
8
5
63%
50%
38%
9
6
67%
67%
33%
13
9
69%
46%
23%
9
5
56% (5)
44% (4)
11% (1)
5
4
80% (4)
60% (3)
20% (1)
5100
77.6%
72.5%
50.6%
26.1%
-
-
-
0% (0)
20% (1)
11.6%
Appendix 1
GCSE Results of Care Leavers
Indicator
Care leavers aged
16+ with a GCSE
pass
Benchma
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 20010/11
rk
2009/10
50.0%
66.7%
50.0%
63.2%
(12/19)
73%
(8/11)
N/A
Health
Indicator
CIC with up-to-date
health and dental checks
CIC with an up-to-date
health assessment
CIC with up-to-date
dental checks
CIC with up-to-date
immunisations
Average score of
Strengths and Difficulties
Questionnaire
(NI 58 measuring
emotional and
behavioural health,
below 16 good)
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10
2010/11
96.5%
(82/85)
100%
(85/85)
93%
(79/85)
92%
(78/85)
93%
(82/88)
99%
(87/88)
94%
(83/88)
90%
(79/88)
93.1%
93.3%
94.0%
95%
98%
100%
91%
89%
88%
78%
90%
89%
-
-
14.2
13.8
(813/59)
12.6
(578/46)*
*
Benchma
rk
2009/10
84.0%
85.6%
84.6%
14.5
* 578 is the combined Total Difficulties Score recorded by carers completing
SDQ forms in the year for 46 children in care aged between 4 and 16 (17
children were excluded due to disability).
Offending
Indicator
Cautions and
convictions of CIC
aged 10 and over
Cautions and
convictions of CIC as
a ratio of their peers
2009/10
2010/11
England
2009/10
6.3%
9.1%
(5/55)
3%
(2/58)
7.9%
1.62
2.5
(9.1%/3.6
%)
-
-
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09
8.5%
2.51
7.8%
2.02
Appendix 1
Care Leavers
Indicator
Employment, education
and training for care
leavers (NI 148)
Percentage of care
leavers in suitable
accommodation
(NI 147)
Percentage of care
leavers in contact with
CYPSC
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10
2010/11
Benchma
rk
2009/10
64.3%
85.7%
72.7%
50.0%
(5/10)
66.7%
(10/15)
58.3%
100%
100%
91%
90%
(9/10)
100%
15/15
88.4%
100%
100%
100%
90%
(9/10)
100%
15/15
England
94%
Adoption
Indicator
Placement for adoption
within 12 months of
decision to place for
adoption (NI 61)
Percentage of children in
care for 6+ months
adopted or becoming
subject to a special
guardianship order
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11
England
2009/10
50%
83%
100%
100%
(3/3)
100%
(10/10)
72.4%
6%
8%
9%
3%
(3/91)
7%
(10/146)
-
Appendix 2
BOROUGH OF POOLE
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S SOCIAL CARE
Executive Summary
PLACEMENT COMMISSIONING
STRATEGY FOR CHILDREN IN CARE
2011-13
Appendix 2
Background
The Strategy provides a 3 year strategic approach to effective commissioning
of placement and support services for children in care. It meets the Children
Act 1989 (Section 22G) requirement of the local authority to secure sufficient
accommodation for children in care the strategy guidance (published 2010) on
securing sufficient accommodation – known as the ‘sufficiency requirement’
’
Why this Strategy is important
The strategy is a key tool in the continuous development and improvement of
children in care services. Although outcomes for children in care in Poole are
generally good evidence from research tells us that nationally children in care
continue to experience:



Delay in achieving permanence
Instability and placement breakdown
Poor educational achievements and health outcomes
Poor experiences of transition to adulthood
The strategy should be seen as a partnership approach within Poole
Children’s Trust planning framework and aligns with our Corporate Parenting
Strategy and the collective responsibility to safeguard and prioritise the health
and well being of children in care in order to give them the best possible start
in life.
A strategic ‘whole system’ approach which incorporates prevention services
for children on the edge of care and robust placement planning and support
will ensure that locally the need for children to become ‘looked after’ is
reduced.
Understanding need and future requirements
The Strategic Needs analysis, performance management data and the views
of children and young people enable us to identify demographic trends,
outcome patterns and predict future need as follows:-.



A continued steady increase in the children in care population (from
116 in March 2009 to 133 in March 2011)
The age profile changing and therefore increased demand for Children
12-16 yrs (particularly males with multiple needs and challenging
behaviour), placement for children under 5 years (in particular parent
and child assessment placements and adoptive placements)
An increase demand for young people 18 years plus to be able to stay
in foster placements due to vulnerability
Appendix 2

An increase demand for homeless 16-17 yr olds including vulnerable
pregnant young women and young people with unstable chaotic
lifestyles
Appendix 2
Analysis of local placement profile and trends and CiC outcomes allows us to
identify the following factors in future placement commissioning decisions:


A consistent pattern of over 75% of children in care in local in house
foster placements has been instrumental in delivering positive
outcomes for children in care, however current ’in-house’ capacity is
insufficient to meet rising demand as children in care numbers rise.
The use of IFA placements has fluctuated and is costly however
effective market management and best value can be achieved through
a preferred provider framework agreement.
The unpredictable and specialist pattern of demand for residential care
would not justify the development of in house provision or be financially
viable

The expansion of short breaks provision for children with complex and
health needs has led to lower use of residential respite and long term
residential care

The relative cost of care placements per night is lower than the national
average which reflects a positive value for money placement profile.
Strategic Objectives
The overarching strategic objective is to continue to place children and young
people in local stable family placements wherever possible.
This is
underpinned by the following principles:









Preventative services to avoid family breakdown and support
rehabilitation where appropriate
High quality, secure, enduring placements
Holistic, child focused responsive approach
Placement choice
Value for money
Effective partnership working
Multi-agency placement support value for money
Demonstrable outcomes and improved life chances
Building local capacity and resources
Placement permanence with minimal delay
Service Development priorities
This strategy, through a comprehensive needs analysis and profiling of
current and future service provision requirements, has identified the following
service development priorities:Prevention

Continued delivery of high level family support and prevention
initiatives e.g. parenting support programmes, complex family work
Appendix 2


Continued investment and commitment to outcome based multi agency
interventions
Development of support care as a time limited resource for young
people on the edge of care
Placement Choice and Stability





Continued recruitment of ‘in-house’ local foster carers
There is a limited number of carers from black and minority ethnic
groups and this needs to change as the children in care ethnicity profile
will change
Working with health commissioning partners to maintain the
multi-agency input into fostering, particularly form child and adolescent
mental health services
Placement stability for children and young people is crucial and carers
need to be recruited or commissioned who will commit to a long term
plan for older children
Meet rising need for placements for young children under 5 and for
young people aged 16 to 18 years
Specific placement requirements









Provide processes to allow foster carers to continue to provide a
placement to young people over 18 years through supported living
options
Work with neighbouring authorities to ensure suitable commissioning of
specialist fostering and residential provision
Commission specialist family and child assessment placement
Ensure there are robust supported accommodation options for young
parents aged 16-21 years
Review the shared care service in light of new care standards
Recommission residential short term breaks through the Aiming High
for Disabled Children Joint Commissioning Board
Continue to develop the market for short term break over night stay
options for disabled children as an alternative to public care
Work with health on joint continuing health care criteria and/or have
palliative care needs
Increased need for adoptive placements for children with very complex
needs
Delivery of the Strategy
Implementation of the above key development priorities will form part of the
Care Matters Action Plan and will be monitored via the Corporate Parenting
Working Group and Children’s Trust Board.