Agenda item

The Board will consider a report giving key highlights from the latest performance monitoring data for the Children’s Service.

Contacts:

Ophelia Rix, Head of Service for Children in Care, Care Leavers and Looked After Children

Louise Hallas, Virtual School Headteacher

Gill Addy, Designated Nurse for Looked After Children

Ian Mottershaw, Head of Service –Contextual Safeguarding and Y.E.S, Family Support and Child Protection

The Board considered the latest Children’s Performance Highlights Report in respect of the performance monitoring data for Children’s Services.

Ophelia Rix, Head of Service for Children Looked After and Care Leavers highlighted the following points in relation to Looked After Children:

·         From August 2022 to July 2023, the number of children looked after peaked at 64.2 (629 children) in October 2022 and had since decreased to 61.6 (604 children) in July 2023.

·         The current 12-month average for Kirklees was 62.1 (609 children), above the 31^st  March 2022 published rate of 62.0, but was below the England 2022 rate of 70.0 and was significantly below Statistical Neighbours 2022 rate of 92.0.

·         Of the 604 children who were Looked After, 65 were living in homes outside of Kirklees.

·         This was a key area of focus, and monthly meetings were held for assurance that placements were continuing to meet young people’s needs.

·         Since January 2023, 40 children had been successfully supported to remain within their family network through a Special Guardianship Order.

·         There had also been an increase in Staying Put placements and work continued to promoting care leavers remaining with carers post 18.

·         Promoting independence remained a key priority and there had been an increase in activities for young people, such as cooking and living skills sessions as well as ‘drop-in’s’ to support strengthening relationships.

·         Work had also been undertaken to encourage young people to become more involved in their communities.

·         This had included identifying a calendar of local events in young peoples communities and sharing this with the young people, as well as the development of a Facebook page and a digital app (in process) to make this information more available and engaging to young people.

·         The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) maintained oversight of children and young people placed in external placements through review panel held monthly and chaired by the Service Director.

The Board noted the update in respect of Children Looked After and Care leavers. During the discussion to follow, Councillor Cooper (Ex-Offcio) asked a question in respect of Pathway Planning and supporting Care leavers to integrate with their local community. Councillor Cooper also asked about what support was given in respect of general household management, was there any joint work with Kirklees Homes and Neighbourhoods.

In response Ophelia Rix outlined the offer and planned schemes in relation to supporting care leavers which involved; joint work between social workers and housing officers, ‘Starter flats’ and plans to introduce a mentor scheme ensuring that young people had someone to talk to. The importance of strengthening the offer to enable young people to live independently was highlighted and it was noted that a part of achieving this was building a sustainable support network of individuals around care leavers. Ophelia further put forward an ask to ward members to contribute any ideas they may have to help achieve this.

The Board noted the response and agreed the key actions to take forward as (i) a discussion on ‘Starter Flats’ be held at a relevant Portfolio Holder Briefing and for (ii) Board Members to be invited to an informal meeting to discuss ward level engagement further.

It was also noted by the Ex-Offcio that any offer needed to be consistent across all wards through the sharing of best practice and effective oversight. Ophelia Rix added that as a Board the key principals needed to be agreed and that the re-promotion of the corporate parenting principals to all elected members would support consistency. 

The Board further noted the national citizenship services residential offer to children, and asked if it would be possible to take a similar approach working with Huddersfield University. Ophelia Rix responded to note that discussions had been held around this and agreed to continue taking this forward.

The Board further suggested that contact cards for councillors be provided to care leavers, that the newsletter be shared and that awareness training for ward members be provided to support their involvement.

Janet Tolley, the Executive Virtual School Head Teacher provided an update in relation to Children Looked After Educational Outcomes and explained that:

·         100% of PEPs had been completed within the Summer Term with 99% initial PEPs completed within 10 school days.

·         The Virtual School was currently leading on all PEPs which were virtually held meetings.

·         The Virtual School continued to work closely with social care to improve young people’s educational experiences (including reducing asylum seekers with no school place and support to children with SMEH).

·         The number of suspensions had decreased, and no exclusions had been reported, and this was highlighted as a positive outcome. 

·         Partnership arrangements with designated teachers and social workers remained strong.

·         Improving attainment and progress at Key Stage 2, reducing persistence absence and the number of children not in full time provision continued to be the key areas of focus for the Virtual School.

The Board noted the Education outcomes and welcomed the 100% PEP rate and the positive outcomes reported.

Gill Addy, the Designated Nurse for Looked After Children and Care Leavers updated the Board in relation to the health data, which provided both twelve- month rolling and monthly figures:

·         The LA rolling 12-month data showed that 67.9% of Initial Health Assessments (IHA) were completed within the statutory timescale.

·         Locala monthly data for July showed that 31% were completed in the 20-day timescale.

·         This significant decrease from the usual 90%+ was a result of several factors.

·         These included continuing increased numbers of children coming into care including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC), increased complexities of need, increased requests from other LA’s, the capacity of doctor and nurses time and the knock-on effect scheduling extra clinics had on the completion of medical reports.

·         There were 10 IHA timescale breaches for Kirklees Children Looked After (CLA) related to clinic availability and capacity. There were 3 late requests from other LA’s.

·         Kirklees rolling 12-month data shows that 89.7% and 90.1% of the ‘Developmental’ assessments (under 5yrs old) and ‘Annual’ assessments (over 5 yrs. old) respectively, were completed in statutory timescales.

·         Locala monthly data for July showed that 100% and 59% for under and over 5 years olds respectively, were completed in timescales.

·         13 breaches were related to capacity to complete by the exact date in the month.

·         In line with the DfE guidance, Locala from September will record RHA’s as ‘in date’ if completed in the month they are due. Discussions are underway to look at aligning the LA data processing with this. This will remove unwarranted pressure on health practitioners to complete by an exact date in the month, which was affected by weekends, bank holidays, carer arrangements, sickness, holidays etc.

·         For Dental Checks at the point of their RHA. Kirklees rolling 12-month data shows that 64.3% of children aged 1+, had attended the dentist.

·         Locala monthly data for July showed that 75% of children age 18months to under 5 yrs., and 91% 5 years+, had attended the dentist at the point of their RHA.

·         82% of children age 18m to 17yrs at the point of their RHA, were registered with a dentist.

·         The use of the ‘Flexible Commissioning Project’ had supported CLA and care leavers to register.

·         In respect of Substance misuse, work was being undertaken with data colleagues to improve the collection of data in this area.

·         100% and 70% of under and over 5-year-olds respectively, were up to date with their immunisations.

Stewart Horn, Head of Joint Commissioning, Children and Families reassured the Board that a meeting was to be held to raise awareness of current challenges with the Integrated Care Board (ICB). This would include a discussion around movement of children in care across West Yorkshire and it was agreed that the outcomes of meeting with the ICB be reported to the Board.

In the discussion to follow the Board expressed and interest in the outcomes of the

developmental assessment for under and over 5’s. In response, Janet Tolley explained that the Virtual School had begun working with children from the age of 2 to pick up any additional needs early.  Gill Addy added that health visitors were aligned to the children and maintained the universal service alongside additional statutory assessment. The health assessment and any development needs were always available to social workers and the virtual school.

Joanne Sanders, Service Director for Learning and Early Support highlighted the ‘Healthy Child Programme’ (as part of written statement for action for SEND) and noted that work was been undertaken around identifying the needs of children and young people earlier. It was agreed that an update be given to a future meeting of the Board as this work progressed.

Ian Mottershaw, Head of Contextual Safeguarding and Y.E.S presented the data in respect of Looked After Convictions. It was advised that the numbers of CLA offending remained small, and in the October to March 2023 period no CLA had received convictions, this figure was significantly below statistical neighbours. The Board noted and welcomed the update.

Jo-Anne Sanders, Service Director for Learning and Early Support presented the data in respect of Fostering and advised that the recruitment and retention of foster carers continued to be a priority. Work was focussed on recruiting internal foster carers to help meet sufficiency needs and Kieran Lord, Interim Service Director- Resources, Improvements and Partnerships shared the broadening of the offer for Foster Carers.

RESOLVED: The Board noted the Children's Performance Highlight Report, and it was agreed that:

1. A conversation in respect of ‘Starter Flats’ be added to the agenda for an upcoming Portfolio Holder Briefing for the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services.
2. Board Members to be invited to an informal meeting to discuss ward level support to Care leavers.
3. The key principals of Corporate Parenting be re-promoted to all elected members as a part of increasing engagement with care leavers.
4. Ward Member contact cards be provided to care leavers in key locations.
5. The children and young people Newsletter be shared with ward members when appropriate.
6. Awareness training for ward members be provided to support their involvement with care leavers in the community.
7. The outcomes of the meeting with the ICB in respect of health assessment’s be provided to the Board.
8. An update be given to a future meeting of the Board as work progressed around the Healthy Child Programme and developmental needs