Agenda item

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement outlining progress against improvement priorities relevant to the Board at Quarter 1 2009/10.

The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement submitted a report which presented the quarter one performance results for Children’s Services.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Accountability Reporting Guidance;

-  Children’s Services 2009/10 Quarter 1; and

-  Updated 2008/09 Year End Results.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Councillor Golton, Executive Member (Children’s Services) and Councillor Harker, Executive Member (Learning).

In addition, the following officers attended the meeting:

-  Chris Edwards, Chief Executive (Education Leeds);

-  Keith Burton, Deputy Director of Children’s Services;

-  Jackie Wilson, Chief Officer for Children and Young People’s Social Care;

-  Nicola Engel, Head of Policy and Performance, Learning and Leisure; and

-  Joan Haines, Head of the Sensory Service and Improving Outcomes Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (LDD) (Sensory Service).

Key performance issues were highlighted and in brief summary the main areas of discussion were:

·  Concern about some of the judgements using the traffic lights system, particularly CYPP-P9-3 (the proportion of residential homes judged by Ofsted to be good or better), which had been allocated amber against a predicted full year result of 77%.  The Department advised that the robustness of all indicators was being checked as part of a corporate review.

·  Issues around the inspection of a particular Children’s Home and other ongoing actions.  Members highlighted the need to ensure that sufficient safeguards were in place to protect young people.  The Scrutiny Board agreed to receive a report back at a future meeting. It was noted that this item would be exempt due to confidentiality issues.

·  Officers were thanked for including numbers as well as percentages in the performance report.

·  Concern about NI 103A / NI 103B (Special Educational Needs – statements issued within 26 weeks) and the need for closer engagement with families and carers. 

·  Actions taken to address concerns involving severe and complex cases, including joint working with the Parent Partnership and developing a detailed action plan.  It was agreed to forward copies of the action plan to Scrutiny Board Members.

·  Clarification about the time taken to issue statements beyond 26 weeks.  It was agreed that information relating to statements issued beyond 26 weeks would be forwarded to Scrutiny Board Members. 

·  Confirmation that the two Independent Reviewing Officers posts were being advertised shortly.

·  Concern about NI 59 (Percentage of initial assessments within 7 working days of referral) and NI 60 (The percentage of Core Assessments that were completed within 35 working days of their commencement).  It was reported that a multi-agency project was being undertaken to screen referrals.  In addition, advanced practitioners were being employed to work as mentors and assist with reviewing complex cases.

·  Confirmation that the study in relation to LSP-HW2B(I)A (Number of looked after children) had not yet been completed.

·  Concern about CYPP-P9-3 (The proportion of residential homes judged by Ofsted to be good or better). It was reported that there had been an improvement in Quarter 2 figures.

RESOLVED – That the report and information appended to the report be noted.