Agenda item

RECEIVED the report on Performance for the Year to the end of February. Report included in the agenda pack (pages 13 to 28). 

NOTED in response to discussion:

• An overall improving trajectory in relation to the majority of performance indicators.

• There were 414 Children in Care at the end of February, which was 70 per 10,000 population including 32 unaccompanied asylum seeker children. The reduction in Haringey’s LAC put the authority within the inter-quartile range of statistical neighbours (431 children or a rate of 69 per 10,000 population). Haringey’s rate of LAC remained significantly above the London (52) and National average (60).

• A performance review system put in place by the Head of Service for Children in Care in October 2015 yielded some excellent performance improvements. The meetings with team managers were continuing and would focus on new challenges such as the recording of pathway plans and visits to children in care. At the end of February 2016, 92% of looked after children had an up to date Care Plan, a significant improvement from a low level of 49% at the end of May2015 and now exceeding the 90% target.

• 87% of school aged children had completed and up to date Personal Education Plans (PEP) at the end of February. This was a step change in performance and only 3% short of the expected target. The results from the weekly meeting review on 17 March showed that the 90% target had been achieved. Completion of PEPs would continue to be a priority.

• At the end of February, 85% of looked after children aged 16-17 had up to date Pathway Plans.  Performance in this area is at an all time high having increased significantly compared to the low level (20%) reported in June.

• 93% of LAC had an up to date review at the end of February above the 90% target.

• 85% of Children in Care visits were recorded as completed in the relevant timescales in the period. Performance in this area had improved in recent months and was now just 5% below the 90% target.

• At the end of February, 91% (362 out of 399) of children in care for over a month had an up to date health assessment,a dip from the 97% achieved at the end of January but still above target. The dip in February performance was due to a backlog and a lack of resources as two nurses were off sick during February. Some of these children have now been seen. The service expected to bring levels back on track and health assessments performance should better the 2014/15 outturn of 94%.

• Quarter 3 data reveals that the care proceedings trend towards cases of shorter duration has been maintained with an average duration of 28 weeks and, a considerable achievement of 78% cases concluded in less than the 26 weeks statutory timescale, improved from 35% in Quarters 1 & 2. AD Safeguarding identified that far more work was being done pre-proceedings in order to improve performance in this area.

• 85 children or 21% were placed 20 miles or more from Haringey at the end of February 2016, an additional 11 children since the position at end of January 2016. Performance was worse than the 16% target and the March 2015 end of year performance figure (18%) when 77 children were placed more than 20 miles from Haringey. Although higher than national levels this proportion was only slightly above the average for London and our Statistical Neighbours (18%).

• In the year to February 2016 there were 35 legal permanency orders, 19 adoptions and 16 special guardianship orders (SGO). This equated to permanency being secured for 17% of children that ceased to be looked after but was 18 fewer legal orders achieved compared with the same period last year and behind track by 14 orders against our combined (adoption and SGO) target of 54 for 2015-16. However with three known adoption orders in March, the service would meet the end of year adoption target. 24 adoption orders are expected by the end of the financial year and 22 special guardianship orders putting the service 11 permanency orders, behind the levels achieved in 2014/15. The length of adoption proceedings had increased as a result of a higher number of leave to oppose decisions being made by the courts. The referrals for special guardianship assessments were far less than in past years and less than expected.

• In the year to February, children waited an average of 483 days from becoming looked after to being placed for adoption. This was higher than the national threshold (426 day average for 2013-16) but remained an improvement on the 589 days in 2014/15. However the three children adopted in March were placed for adoption two years after they became looked after and were not included in the 483 days, when these days are added in it will increase the average days reported for our year end 2015/16 figure.

• The Committee noted that the Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Children and Families, Edward Timpson MP, had written a letter to all local authorities who had an average performance figure above a certain level in relation to the average number days from becoming looked after to being placed for adoption. Haringey’s performance for the rolling average for 2012-15 was 691 which was 204 days over the target figure.  The Committee noted that a plan was being developed which would be communicated back to the Minister.

• The plan involved undertaking work to improve permanency planning and to relaunch a more robust policy and set of procedures which would impact on planning. Coram had undertaken an adoption process mapping exercise with the adoption and court team service from which recommendations for reducing delay in the system would be made and implemented.  Haringey were also part of a trial of the Coram permanence tracking tool that will further assist in reducing the number of days from LAC to being placed for adoption. In addition, Haringey had taken the lead with First4Adoption in a recruitment of adopters for children with complex needs which would lead to a greater number of adopters for children who are more challenging to place and whose placements reflected the largest number of days.  

• 91% of LAC children had an up to date dental visit as at 31 March 2015, performance for this measure was on an upward trajectory.

• Children missing numbers were relatively stable in 2015/16 with a recent spike in January 2016. In February, 13 children were recorded as either missing from care at any point during the month. 3 children were away from placement without authorisation and 15 children were recorded as missing from home, a reduction in the number reported missing from home compared to the end of January (31).

• A more systematic way to capture data on missing children in real time was being progressed with work underway to get the recording incorporated into workflow steps on the Mosaic social care system. In addition, a Haringey Runaway and Missing from Home and Care Protocol has been completed by all agencies and is the basis for dealing with children who run away or go missing in the area. Work to capture outcomes from return to care interviews needed to be expedited.

AGREED to note the report.