Agenda item

To consider the outcome of the recent inspection of children’s social care services at the Council and the action plan arising from it.

Beverley Hendricks, Assistant Director for Safeguarding and Social Care, presented a report on the recent Ofsted inspection of children’s social care.  She highlighted the change of culture that had taken place, with staff now feeling confident of speaking to inspectors.  In addition, there was now better retention of practitioners, which provided greater stability.  She also highlighted the challenge of moving away from exporting children to other areas to building the Council’s own in-borough provision.  The draft post Oftsed Action Plan was included in the papers for the meeting and any comments on it would be very welcome.

In answer to a question, she stated that Independent Review Officers (IROs) had been established following national serious case reviews.  Their role was to provide independent scrutiny and challenge in respect of the experience of looked after children (LACs).  Although they were contracted to the local authority, they were treated as independent and managed at arm’s length.  There were currently 7 in Haringey.  They had caseloads of around 60 children each.  They undertook visits, met parents, carers and young people and raised any concerns with the Council.  Life story work referred to a record of significant events from a child’s life, which would typically be put together by parents for their children.  These could be beneficial to a person’s sense of belonging, especially those who had been separated from their families.  There were psychologists within the Children’s Social Care service who worked with social workers to support them in developing therapeutic life stories for LACs.  There were two life story processes.  There were life story books and home books, which were maintained by foster parents and had a diary format.  These processes were built into standards for foster carers.  The area of challenge was where there was a lack of stability in placements, which could include residential homes.  There had also been issues with compliance.  Children’s commissioning had recently been transferred back into the Children’s Service and contracts had been reissued, including the requirement to undertake life story work.  IROs were expected to check that it was taking place.  There could be issues relating to life story books when children came into the care system at a late stage of their development as parents and carers could be very distressed and reluctant to pass on information.  The inspection had picked up on the fact that more work was required on life stories.

In answer to another question, she stated that there was the aspiration to set up an Excellence Board so that the very best that could be provided for Haringey children should be provided.  There was support across the service’s senior management team, who shared the ambition, aspiration and vision.  The aim was for excellence but they would settle for outstanding for children. 

In answer to a question regarding siblings, Ms Hendricks stated that the service’s current policy was weighted towards keeping them together.  When the oldest of siblings placed together was nearing the age of 18, there would be negotiations with the foster carer.  Young people could remain in a placement to up to 21 and beyond if agreed with the placement.  Stability was aimed form.   The service did its very best to keep siblings together but it could sometimes be very difficult.  Where it was not possible to place them together, they aimed to maintain frequent, quality contact.  Ms Graham commented that a lot of progress had been made since the introduction of the concept of corporate parenting in 1998, as part of the “Quality Protects” initiative.  The body that monitored corporate parenting in Haringey was called the Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee (CPAC).  This had recently been reconfigured to facilitate greater Member involvement.

AGREED:

That an annual update on progress with the implementation of the Ofsted Action Plan be provided to the Panel.