DECISION

1.    To note the contents of the report and approve the submission of the Improvement Plan to the Department for Education by the 20 July 2017.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN’S SERVICES (D. JONES)

(Divisional Director, Children’s Social Care (N. Meehan)

Councillor Amy Whitelock Gibbs, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, introduced the report. She highlighted that support for the most vulnerable children and families was one of the Council’s most important functions and it was important to bring forward the urgently needed improvements.

She explained that the response was built around four specific themes, namely:

·         Leadership, Management and Governance

·         A robust model of social work practice

·         A sufficient and skilled workforce

·         Quality assurance and audit.

It was emphasised that completing the improvement work would take time but that it was important to see changes beginning to work as quickly as possible and indeed that there had already been some signs of improvement.

During discussion a number of issues were raised including:

·         Ensuring errors around thresholds were acknowledged and corrected.

·         Needing rigour around Special Guardianship orders.

·         The need to explore reporting standards around fostering placements.

·         That the improvement plan was a living document and would be amended as required over time.

The Mayor welcomed the report, seeing it as a very important matter to discuss and that would come back again at future dates. He thanked everyone involved in working on the improvement plan. He also noted the questions from Scrutiny and the responses provided. Finally, he agreed the recommendation as set out.

RESOLVED

1.    To note the contents of the report and approve the submission of the Improvement Plan to the Department for Education by the 20 July 2017.

The Committee received and noted a report that followed the outcome of the Ofsted Single Inspection of children in need of help and protection; children looked after and care leavers and the Local Safeguarding Children Board. The inspection took place between 23 January and 16 February 2017 and the overall judgement being that Children’s Services in Tower Hamlets are inadequate. The report provided the Overview & Scrutiny Committee with a summary of that inspection, the findings, the high-level response to date and an outline of the process to agree an improvement plan. 

This was followed by questions and comments from Members which is summarised as follows:

The Committee:

·         Noted that there were many lessons to be learned and the Ofsted inspection had looked at the experiences of some of the most vulnerable children and young people in Tower Hamlets. The inspection found that those children and young people are not always receiving the services they deserve. Therefore, the Council’s response to the inspection findings needs to ensure that vulnerable children and families receive the best service possible;

·         Noted that Ofsted’s  “Framework and evaluation schedule for the inspections of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers and Reviews of Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards” (‘the SIF’) sets out a single assessment framework for assessing local authorities;

·         Noted that a Children’s Services Improvement Board (CSIB) has been established to take forward the improvement work. This will meet every six weeks and for the first time on 24th April 2017. It will be independently chaired by Alan Wood, a former DCLG appointed Commissioner and former Director of Children’s Services. The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services along with the scrutiny lead will also be on the CSIB. The Independent Chair will produce a report to the DfE three months from the date of the Direction and every quarter thereafter. In addition, it was noted that the DfE had appointed an Intervention Adviser, reporting and accountable to the Secretary of State, will be providing reports every six months following reviews to determine progress made improving its children’s social care services; 

·         Noted that the merger of Adults and Children’s Services Directorates  into the Education Social Care and Wellbeing (ESCW) Directorate had, had an  impact upon the ability of ESCW to ensure that purposeful work takes place to protect children in need of help and protection;

·         Noted that social workers and managers must receive relevant training to counter child sexual exploitation, and that children identified as at risk of sexual exploitation are subject to risk assessment and should be offered responsive and appropriate help;

·         Noted that management oversight and supervision must be strengthened and that all work is recorded appropriately to an acceptable standard;

·         Noted that the Council needs the CSIB needs to exercise strong governance over the financial resources within the Children’s Services Directorate. Whilst these finances will continue to be subject to the Council’s normal budget management processes including reporting on a quarterly basis to the Cabinet and affording  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5