Agenda item

This report sets out performance data and trends for an agreed set of measures relating to looked after children.

The Committee were asked to consider performance figures and trends for an agreed set of measures relating to looked after children to the year up to August 2012.

OP457 (Number of Looked after Children who ceased to be looked after who had been looked after less than a month) The performance in this area  was markedly better than this time last year. This  change was associated with the use of targeted intervention and  change in emphasis to   managing risk and getting  early  help to families  One  example of this  was  targeting youth service resources to help young people in families  that are at risk of going into care.

OP389 (Children in care including unaccompanied asylum seeking children)

The numbers of children in care were steadily reducing with the safety of children and young people still a paramount to this strategy.  The Director of Children’s services  was factoring the impact that the housing and council tax benefit  changes would have on families  as the pressure increases on household budgets and there were plans to mitigate  against the risks posed by the benefits reforms.  Reports close to these matters had been compiled for the LSCB and it was agreed to supply Cllr Brabazon with   this information after the meeting.

HY32 (Percentage of Children placed in Haringey provision) The committee heard about the initiatives to broaden the range of foster carers available to the council. This was though training carers to increase their range of abilities. The Head of Commissioning and Placements was confident that the service was better at matching children and young people to foster carers to ensure that placements were stable  and sustained.  With regards to  the number of Young people and children placed outside of the borough and those placed in the borough by other local authorities, the Director for Children’s services was starting a dialogue with private residential providers to ensure that Haringey children are prioritised for private  placements available in the borough to enable them to stay local as far as possible.

Some Members expressed frustration at the perceived  lack of improvement to the number of foster carers recruited in the borough and  performance  relating to reducing the number of Looked after children placed outside of the borough which was still felt, despite improvements, to be high.  These members continued to question whether past actions agreed by the committee in relation to these areas had been followed through. 

Understanding was sought on whether there was an inherent problem with the  internal processes followed by the service and why the council  was different to other local authorities,  In response to these concerns, The Head of Commissioning and Placements  advised of the increase  in the use of independent  foster carers  and a few placements had been made this way. Also a new framework agreement was being worked on by  North London Fostering Consortium and the Head of Commissioning and  would look further at how this agreement can still  better facilitate the placement of children with foster carers in the borough. The Committee were assured that, although the majority of looked after children were placed outside the borough, they were often in neighbouring boroughs and close to the  border with Haringey

The Committee sought further assurance  on  how the required momentum to  increase foster carers, and decrease LAC could be sustained given the  decrease in  top level management  in the Children’s service .The Committee were advised that the streamlining of management would improve the speed at which decisions were taken in the Children’s services, in turn assisting  these key areas.