To consider the Performance Digest covering the financial year 2007/08 and the Children and Young People’s Directorate Plan 2008-2011.

The Committee considered the Performance Digest covering the financial year 2007/08 and the Children’s and Young People’s Directorate Plan 2008-2011 both documents had been issued to Members as separate documents.

Directorate Plan 2008-2011

The Directorate Plan 2008-2011 covered the Children and Young People’s Directorate’s contribution to support and deliver Herefordshire’s Corporate Plan.  It also contained the work of the Directorate to support the Children and Young People’s Plan.

Performance Digest – Year End

The Performance Digest was set out under the five outcomes of Every Child Matters.  Data was set out in graphical form for the Performance Assessment Framework indicators and Best Value Performance Indicators.  Key areas in each of the outcome areas were drawn to the attention of the Committee in the agenda report.

During the course of scrutinising the reports the following principal points were noted:

• The Director of Children’s Services reported that the Service already worked in partnership, in particular with Health, to embrace the necessary changes through the Local Area Agreement, the Children’s Trust and generally work better and more efficiently.
• The Performance Digest still contained a number of provisional figures awaiting validation.
• While the Directorate Plan covered a three year period it was an evolving document.  A number of new performance indicators would be incorporated later in the year.
• While the documents contained percentage figures it was requested that actual figures be included to enable comparison.
• Reference was made to the statements in the Directorate Plan (page 6 section 2.3 Employee Opinion Survey) concerning staff moral and excessive hours.  The Cabinet Member (Children’s Services) commented that staff were dedicated and for example when necessary went the extra mile to ensure the safety of a child.  The Cabinet Member (Corporate and Customer Services and Human Resources) recognised the dedication of the staff but in recognising the duty of care towards staff commented that if necessary excessive hours would need to be reviewed.
• Responding to questions concerning the lack of consistency in the Education Psychology Service the Director of Children’s Services acknowledged there had been recruitment and retention issues within the management of the Service. Changes were needed to address these problems and while staff and schools were nervous of change the issues would be addressed.
• Questioned on the performance indicator relating to ‘Referrals and Assessment’ (Performance Digest page 19) in relation to the inclusion of Travellers, and on BVPI40 (Digest page 36), why had the target been set at 82.0% in 2007-08 when only 77.0% had been reached, the Committee were informed that these were national targets. More information would be provided to Members on these issues.
• Under the pay and work force strategy (Directorate Plan page 7) training was given to managers to help collect data and identify, support and advise on staff attendance issues.  The Cabinet Member (Corporate and Customer Services and Human Resources) reported that resulting from better analysis and management there had been an improved use of Occupational Health, particularly in the identification and support of long term illness.
• On the identification of stakeholders for consultation the Director reported that a core list had been compiled and other stakeholders were included depending on the subject for consultation.
• Concern was expressed that domestic violence was not specifically addressed in the Directorate Plan at  4.3.2 outcome area: Stay Safe. It was also noted that statistical information to Members appeared to originate from 2006 data.  The Committee noted that protection from domestic abuse was a core element of the Directorate’s work.  A lot of work had been done through schools and partners and while progress had been made last year this was a priority area for the current year.  It was also noted that domestic abuse had been flagged up as an issue in the APA inspection, however, no detail had been given as to why it had been identified.  The Committee requested that further information on the subject of domestic abuse be submitted to a future meeting.

RESOLVED: That

a)      the Children and Young People’s Directorate Plan 2008-2011 and the position set out in the Year End Performance Digest be noted; and

b)     a report on the impact of domestic abuse on the lives of children be added to the Committee work programme.