Issue - meetings

Update on the performance of the Disabled Children’s team for completing child protection visits .

 At the previous meeting the committee had considered the findings of an audit into the quality of recordings of child protection visits which had covered all teams that were responsible for child protection visits. This had included the disabled children’s team. The committee had requested further information on the number of visits completed by the disabled children’s team, frequency of visits understanding if the visit was included the assessment of a sibling group and measures to be taken to improve the timescales for visiting families.

The report put forward by the Head of the Disabilities Team and the committee noted that there were 11 children subject to child protection plans and   ten of this case is subject to fortnightly visits and one to weekly visits there were seven children with disabilities and three of these children have siblings totalling five children.

The committee received information about the frequency of visits made over a 6 month period and an analysis of the child protection recording for January showed that this was appropriate.

Although the Disabilities Team were only responsible for a small number of children subject to child protection plans, assurance was given that all social workers in the team were fully aware of the importance of seeing children within timescales   and collectively as a tea, the made sure that  there was cover for these visits if for any reason a social worker is unable to make their visit.  All staff had been made aware that when visiting a sibling group there needed to be a separate case note for each child. A recent supervision meeting had highlighted the need to induct  new or temporary members of the Disabled Children’s team with an induction to completing the template for CP visits and this would be taken forward.

 In response to committee questions about managers ensuring visits were undertaken, it was noted that managers were able to review diaries of staff to   ensure visits were being completed.

The  committee remarked on the small proportion of disabled children subject to CP plans in terms of the wider number o children on plans and would receive a later presentation about the work to ensure that the health’s service and partners w ere picking up on children that were known to the social care and ensuring that their needs were assessed.

 In terms of recording of visits a wider question was put forward to the Director of Children’s services about the   whether there was the right proportion of administrative staff in place to support social workers to ensure they were not spending valuable time on completing appear work instead of meeting with families. It was also important to point out to members when making any budget  reductions any knock on effects   in the reduction of staff so that they were clear on on the merits and drawback to  what they were approving.  The Director would be making an assessment in the coming year about the proportion of administrative staff working in the service.