Agenda item

The Chair advised that she recently attended a London Councils meeting with other Lead Members for Children’s Services from across London. Colleagues advised that during recent inspection visits Ofsted were keen to speak to members of corporate parenting committees to ensure that the arrangements around corporate parenting were robust and that members were engaged. The Chair emphasised that the she wanted the Committee to be able to demonstrate its engagement if asked by Ofsted and so would be maintaining performance as a standing item on future agendas.

RECEIVED the report on Performance for the Year to the end of August 2016. Report included in the agenda pack (pages 13 to 18). 

NOTED in response to discussion:

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

• 430 children were in careon the last day of August 2016 or 72 per 10,000 population including 32 unaccompanied asylum seeker children. There had been a gradual increase in the level of children in care in comparison to the position at the end of March 2016 - 23 more children in care. However reduction in Haringey’s rate of looked after children in 2015/16 placed LBH within the inter-quartile range of our statistical neighbours (a rate of 69 per 10,000 population), although the current rate remained above the London (52) and national average (60) rates.

• At the end of August, 91% of looked after children had an up to date Care Plan. Performance in this area consistently remained above target since February 2016 as a result of activity tracking in weekly meetings held by the Head of Service for Children in Care.

• At the end of August, 82% of looked after children aged 16-17 had up to date Pathway Plans. Performance in this area dipped slightly since June 2016 where 96% of pathway plans were up to date however completion of pathway plans was much higher than that reported at the same period last year. Although performance remained short of the 90% target, it was hoped that with further effort from the 16+ children in care team, the 90% target would be achieved.

• Performance of PEPs was slightly short of the target (87% up to date at the end of August). This area continued to be a priority of performance tracking.

• 40% of LAC achieved 5 A*-C grades at GSCE including English Literature and Maths. The Committee was informed that no local authority had ever achieved over 38% in previous years. The Committee passed on their congratulations to the Virtual Schools and all of the others involved.

• Indicators around stability of placements for looked after children remained in line with statistical neighbours and targets. In the year to August 2016, 9% of children had three or more placement moves, below the statistical neighbour average (10%). 76% of children under 16 who had been in care for at least 2.5 years had been in the same placement for at least 2 years, slightly above our statistical neighbour average (67%).

• 91% of Children in Care had an up to date review at the end of August, above the 90% target.

• At the end of August, 94% of children in care for over a month had an up to date health assessment, which was above target and continued the positive trend.

• Timeliness of children placed for adoption continued to be positive. In the year to August 2016, children waited an average of 298 days from becoming looked after to being placed for adoption. This compares favourably with the national threshold (426 day average for 2013-16). The Chair asked the Committee to note that Haringey had received a letter from Edward Timpson MP acknowledging Haringey’s positive performance in this area.

• The 2015/16 trend towards the reduction in the number of care proceeding applications had shifted towards an increasing trend in Q1 2016/17. It was unclear what had lead to this increase, however it reflected the national trend. There had also been a significant increase in applications regarding children under 1, from 35% in 2015/16 to 44% in Q1 2016/17. The period April to June 2016 saw an average duration of care proceedings for concluded cases was 37 weeks, slightly higher than that recorded for 2015/16 (34 weeks). Q1 data for 2016-17 shows 10% were concluded under the 26 week statutory timescale.

• 84% of children in care visits were recorded as completed in the relevant timescales in August. Performance in this area has remained below target since October 2014 mainly due to recording issues. This was being tracked at performance meetings held by the Head of Service for Children in Care.  

• 20% of looked after children at 31^st August were placed 20 miles or more from Haringey. Performance was worse than the 16% target however slightly improved since March 2016 end of year position (23%). Although higher than national levels this proportion was only slightly above the average for London and Statistical Neighbours (18%).

• 83% of the current LAC cohort had an up to date dental visit as at August 2016. 

• In the year to August 2016, only 7 permanency orders had been achieved (5 adoptions and 2 special guardianship orders– 10 fewer than the same period last year and the lowest recorded for many years. There were a further 10 adoption orders in the pipeline. Special guardianship referrals continued to be low and it was likely that no more than 15 would be achieved by the end of the financial year.

• Performance on care leavers in suitable accommodation and in education, employment and training for 2015-16 data showed that 45% of all former relevant care leavers aged 17-21 were in EET (57% of those who were in touch with the local authority) 69% of all care leavers were in suitable accommodation or 87% of those who were in touch. 

AGREED to note the report.

The Committee sought clarification on the reasons behind the low number of permanency orders. In response officers clarified that it was due to the judgements handed down in a couple of a recent court cases, which concluded that family members needed to be considered in cases where the child was to be sent outside of the family, and this had significant implications with local authorities increasingly looking to place children within the family. The Head of Service for Children in Care & Placements advised that this had resulted in a sharp increase in Special Guardianship Orders and a dramatic reduction in adoptions. This often led to the child being looked after within the family, often by grandparents, and as a result concerns existed about the ability of older family members to look after the child in the long term. The Committee was advised that Special Guardianship Orders were originally envisaged for babies and young children but were increasingly being used for older children.