To note the outcome of the Ofsted inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers, which was conducted between 29 April and 21 May 2014.

To consider the council’s response to the areas for improvement identified.

The Head of Safeguarding and Review Children presented Cabinet with the outcome of the Ofsted Inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers, which was conducted between 29 April 2014 and 21 May 2014. Cabinet were asked to note the outcome of the inspection and consider the council’s response to the areas for improvement identified. The inspection judged the councils services to be ‘Requires Improvement’.

In order to clarify the ongoing progress since the 30 June 2014 (the date of the report) it was confirmed that consultation had been undertaken to create an action plan for each of the 28 areas for improvement listed in the report. A number of the areas for improvement relate to strategic recommendations.

Each area of improvement has been allocated to a lead officer with a progress plan for monitoring and evaluation. It was confirmed that action has already been taken and the department had not been waiting for sign off before making progress.

The objective for the Council and its partners is that good safeguarding services will be being delivered by 2016/17.

The council currently remains in Government intervention. In December 2014 a Department of Education review will take place and will make recommendations to Ministers as to if this should remain the case based on the progress made at this time.

In reply to a members query concerning corporate parenting the Cabinet Member for Young People and Children’s Wellbeing advised, in August 2014, he produced a paper for group leaders to assist them with more effective corporate parenting and safeguarding, a seminar on corporate parenting for all members is taking place next week. He confirmed that, following the elections in May 2015, all councillors will have to undertake compulsory training in corporate parenting and safeguarding within one month of the election. Refresher training will then take place every year.

The Cabinet Member for Young People and Children’s Wellbeing also wished to bring to the attention of members the Children’s Pledge which is going to be signed at Full Council on 26 September 2014.

Concern was raised by members about children who go missing and how agencies work together to deal with this issue.

The Head of Safeguarding and Review Children advised Police take the lead in this area however the strategic board, of which he is head, make sure all agencies respond. The council is also part of the West Mercia Strategic Alliance, as missing children is a problem that crosses county boarders. It was confirmed work with partners is vital as there is a link between missing children and those at risk of sexual exploitation.

With regard to the inspections of partners, the Director for Children’s Wellbeing confirmed they are not inspected at the same time as the council but are subject to their own inspections. Currently, in different parts of the country, a new programme of multi-agency inspections is being piloted.

The Director of Children’s Wellbeing went on to advise members that the council has a statutory duty to ensure other agencies co-operate with raising issues surrounding missing children. This matter is not just about passing information between partners but ensuring everyone involved in governance, including police and councillors, are clear on strategic issues and procedures. All agencies have to have an awareness of what it is like to be a child in Herefordshire. Members need to question and scrutinise the service in the same way it would do other services.

The Chairman of the Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee confirmed to the cabinet the Task and Finish Group concerning children’s safeguarding was still ongoing. The group is continuing to look at issues surrounding children’s safeguarding and will ensure further questions are raised as a result of this inspection.

In response to questions about the use of temporary staff within the department The Director of Children’s Wellbeing confirmed that in the 15 months following the previous Ofsted report the percentage of interim staff in the department had risen from 4% to 50% for a variety of reasons. There has been since a reduction in staff turnover with a long term view in growing and developing the workforce and use of longer term agency staff. It was also confirmed that all staff are performance managed.

The Chief Executive went on to confirm that the use of intern staff is a national issue and it is important that the culture within the authority is that they are made to feel welcome and not to look upon the use of them as negative.

Resolved:

           (a)        note the outcome of the inspection attached at Appendix 1; 

(b)       approve the action plan attached as Appendix 2 as the response to the areas for improvement identified; 

           (c)       make recommendations for any further actions to be added to the action plan;

(d)       authority be delegated to the Director of Children’s Wellbeing to agree                any final amendments to the action plan following consideration by other  boards including the safeguarding and improvement boards.