Children’s
Improvement Plan
2015
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Table of Contents
1.
Our Vision for Children ...................................................................................................................... 3
2.
Aim of this Plan .................................................................................................................................. 3
3.
Background ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Cumbria’s Improvement Journey....................................................................................................... 3
4.
The voice of children and young people, their families and carers and the voice of staff ................ 4
Children in Care Councils (CiCC) ......................................................................................................... 5
CYP Forum of the LSCB....................................................................................................................... 5
Practitioner Forums ........................................................................................................................... 5
5.
What needs to be achieved ............................................................................................................... 6
Leadership and Governance .............................................................................................................. 6
Children Looked After ........................................................................................................................ 6
Working in Partnership ...................................................................................................................... 6
Quality of Practice .............................................................................................................................. 7
6.
Governance (See diagram on page 10) .............................................................................................. 8
Children’s Improvement Board .......................................................................................................... 8
LSCB.................................................................................................................................................... 8
Cumbria County Council Cabinet and Scrutiny .................................................................................. 8
Safer Cumbria Partnership ................................................................................................................. 8
Health and Well-being Board ............................................................................................................. 8
Children’s Trust Board........................................................................................................................ 8
Corporate Parenting Board (Panel) .................................................................................................... 9
Governance Diagram ....................................................................................................................... 10
7.
Reporting and Evidencing Progress ................................................................................................. 11
8.
Detailed plan .................................................................................................................................... 12
9.
Appendix One................................................................................................................................... 19
Ofsted Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 19
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1.
Our Vision for Children
1.1
Our Council Plan number one priority is “To safeguard children and ensure that Cumbria is a
great place to be a child and grow up.”
1.2
Our Vision is that “Together we will achieve the best for every child, young person and their
family in Cumbria”. We will realise this by focussing on the following priorities:
 Placing children and young people at the heart of everything we do and listening to them
 Putting in place the right support at the right time
 Ensuring good quality practice that minimises drift and delay by joining up services and
planning
 The provision of strong leadership and governance
 Effective and accountable partnership working
2.
Aim of this Plan
2.1
The purpose of this plan is improve outcomes for vulnerable children in Cumbria by supporting
the improvements necessary for Cumbria Children’s Services to provide them with services
judged as “Good” and ultimately “Outstanding”.
2.2
This means that children and young people, their families and carers, will receive the right
support at the right time, when needs arise, at the earliest possible time, through good quality
practice and services, whose outcomes are improving.
3.
Background
Cumbria’s Improvement Journey
3.1
In November 2011 the Local Government Association (LGA) carried out a Peer Challenge1 of
Cumbria’s children’s services focussing on Children Looked After. This was followed in April
2012 by an unannounced inspection of safeguarding and looked after children services by the
Care Quality Commission and Ofsted. The overall effectiveness of Cumbria’s safeguarding
children’s services was found to be “inadequate” with only “adequate” capacity to improve
and the contribution of health agencies to safeguarding was also judged to be “inadequate”.
Services for looked after children were seen as “adequate” and “good” in some areas and with
“adequate” capacity to improve.
3.2
Cumbria Council was issued with an Improvement Notice from the Department for Education
in September 2013 and subsequently convened an independently chaired Safeguarding
Improvement Board (SIB) with strategic representation from across partner agencies. The SIB
1
Peer challenge is a proven tool for improvement. It is a process commissioned by a council and involves a small team of
local government peers spending time at the council to provide challenge and share learning. http://www.local.gov.uk/peerchallenge
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monitored the implementation of an Improvement Plan put in place to address the necessary
improvements.
3.3
In April 2013, Ofsted carried out an unannounced inspection of Cumbria’s Child Protection
Services which found that that overall effectiveness of these services remained “inadequate”
and another Improvement Notice was served on the Council.
3.4
Further improvement plans were developed and the SIB was again responsible for their
implementation and for constructive challenge between partner agencies.
3.5
In April 2014 Ofsted introduced a new inspection regime ‘Inspections of Services for children
in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers, and review of the
effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children Board’ It “raised the bar” with the clear
expectation that only ‘Good ‘ is good enough for children and replaced the ‘adequate
’judgement with ‘requires improvement’. Cumbria was the subject of such an inspection in
March 2015.
3.6
Of the five areas of work inspected three were judged to be requiring improvement and two
inadequate as follows _
- Children who need help and protection – Requires Improvement
- Children looked after and achieving permanence – Inadequate
- Adoption performance - Requires Improvement
- Experiences and progress of care leavers - Requires Improvement
- Leadership, management and governance – Inadequate
3.7
The latest inspection report published on 13 May 2015 concludes that despite significant
improvements in many areas, particularly in safeguarding, services for Children Looked After
were now inadequate.
3.8
This is the third inspection that has found children’s services to be inadequate. It is now
imperative that Cumbria evidences significant progress over the next six months to assure the
Minister that services for looked after children has improved and that the improvements have
traction and are sustainable. Some of the more urgent timescales in the plan reflect the need
to gather this evidence.
4.
The voice of children and young people, their families and carers
and the voice of staff
4.1
We believe that it is important for children and young people to take an active role in the
design and development of services provided for them. It is important that all young people
have access to an effective mechanism through which they can influence policies, services and
decisions that affect their lives.
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Children in Care Councils (CiCC)
4.2
Children in Care Councils (CiCC) are in place in all 3 districts. Each CiCC has priorities, projects
and campaigns and they are a consultative body for Children’s Services and its partners.
CiCC’s aim to be representative, accountable and independent. Each CiCC has two Elected
Member Champions acting as an advocate for their priorities and campaigns.
4.3
The Cumbria CiCC meets twice a year bringing the 3 CiCC’s together with Elected Members
and Senior Managers. They have been tasked with reviewing the Corporate Parenting Pledge
(Cumbria’s Promise) and seeking approval for a new Pledge by October 2015.
4.4
Five care-experienced young people have been recruited to undertake an internal assessment
of care services and children’s homes. Young Assessors have committed to 50 hours
volunteering which will include training, planning, service assessment, reporting and
presenting their findings and recommendations to the Corporate Parenting Board2. The
assessment will take place during the summer holidays 2015. The outcomes of this will be
used to ensure appropriate progress and to quality assure some deliverables from this plan.
4.5
The Care Leavers Forum have reviewed and made recommendations to change the Cumbria
Charter for Care Leavers. They have been consulted on accommodation, progression
planning, financial entitlements and the Ofsted report (2015) which has been used to inform
this plan.
CYP Forum of the LSCB
4.6
The Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) Young People’s Advisory Forum includes
representatives from the CiCC’s, Youth Councils and Care Leavers Forum. This group are
consulted and advise the LSCB on key themes and issues. As a result of this forum, the LSCB
has added additional priorities of emotional health and well-being and anti-bullying for the
coming 3 years. Their wishes are reflected in the LSCB Business Plan 2015-18 and within
relevant parts of this Improvement Plan.
Practitioner Forums
4.7
The views and feelings of our staff are very important to us and their voice is something we
value and we will garner their views in a variety of ways – such as through surveys.
Engagement of staff across the partnership will continue through the LSCB.
4.8
There are 6 Practitioner Forums, one in each district area, which give Practitioners the
opportunity to learn from each other and understand each other’s roles and responsibilities.
They give those who work with children and young people the opportunity to meet and
discuss local and national issues associated with their day to day work. Each forum is led and
chaired by a frontline practitioner.
4.9
The Forums bring practitioners together from across the children’s workforce; colleagues from
all levels in organisations are invited. Audit and Practice Development Officers from Children’s
Services attend and connect with the forums to offer support but also to be the link between
the Forums and the LSCB. Casework discussions of take place giving practitioners valuable
peer support.
2
has been known as the Corporate Parenting Panel, the panel is being reconstituted and it is proposed that it will be known
as a Board – it is expected that this decision will be ratified by the Council in July 2015.
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4.10
The forums are linked to the LSCB Communication and Engagement sub group with a clear line
of communication to the LSCB Business sub group. Key learning from serious case reviews and
practice reviews is disseminated understood and acted upon.
5.
What needs to be achieved
Leadership and Governance
5.1
Strategic leadership of the whole system with regard to children – specifically the LSCB and its
role and function, the role of the Children’s Trust Board and linking the work of the Health and
Wellbeing Board, the role of scrutiny and the development and role of the Corporate
Parenting Board.
5.2
The development of a Children Looked After Strategy that will help to ensure that Children
who are Looked After by Cumbria are the right children, in the right placements, receiving the
right support at the right time.
5.3
The successful recruitment and retention of front line social work staff to ensure stability of
service delivery. This has proved problematic particularly in West and South Cumbria. All
strategic organisations have a role in ensuring the workforce is appropriately recruited,
retained and supported.
5.4
Ensuring that commissioning decisions are based on a robust and good quality Joint Strategic
Needs Assessment (JSNA) that is informed by the intelligence that exists across all systems and
designed with children at its heart.
5.5
Developing a consistent and cohesive understanding across the partnership of thresholds for
early help and social care intervention and ensuring that responses to requests for services
and practice are consistent across the county.
Children Looked After
5.6
Developing strong and effective Corporate Parenting arrangements to ensure that the
strategic priorities and intent for Children Looked After are given sufficient priority.
Working in Partnership
5.7
Continuing to develop Cumbria’s Early Help Offer through a shared leadership approach to
early help arrangements across partner agencies supported by the development of the JSNA
and commissioning intentions based on the service gaps identified by Early Help assessments.
5.8
Ensuring effective and timely Early Help Assessments and ‘step up’ and ‘step down’ processes
between Early Help and social work intervention.
5.9
Evaluate and evidence of the impact of Early Help and the fiscal impact of these interventions.
5.10
The Council and its partners have developed a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (front-door)
which has evolved from the County Triage Service. We need to deliver further improvements
to the Hub to expand the offer and ensure further improvements in practice.
To work collaboratively together as a strong partnership to ensure that:
5.11
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o
o
o
children who are at risk of or involved in Child Sexual Exploitation (and those who are
going missing) are appropriately identified and supported and their outcomes improve
we have a recognised partnership approach to Domestic Abuse where professionals
are supported to identify and manage risk
there is appropriate support available and offered when a young person presents as
Homeless and improved outcomes for Homeless young people
Quality of Practice
5.12 In order to improve outcomes for Children, Young People and their families we need to be
confident that we are delivering consistent, high quality and reflective practice which has
appropriate management oversight
5.13
We also need the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) service to be operating effectively,
adhering to the statutory guidance in the IRO handbook, and actively being the champion for
children to ensure our children get the best outcomes they can possible achieve.
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6.
Governance (See diagram on page 10)
Children’s Improvement Board
6.1
The purpose of the Board is to ensure effective, cross-partnership challenge and oversight of
the Children’s Improvement Programme, enabling it to deliver the requirements outlined in
the Improvement Notice and the Ofsted reports. The Board is chaired by the Department for
Education Advisor, and meets every month to oversee progress, challenge agencies and hold
the partnership to account for improvement in this plan.
LSCB
6.2
In order to provide effective scrutiny The Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) is an
independent body as defined in Working Together 2015.
6.3
Through the Board structure the LSCB provides the strategic and operational direction of
safeguarding and continuous monitoring of performance in Cumbria.
Cumbria County Council Cabinet and Scrutiny
6.4
Cumbria County Council Cabinet is responsible for delivery of the Council’s priorities, the
improvement of services and the oversight of performance including Children’s Services and
the delivery of this plan.
6.5
Cabinet is held to account through Scrutiny – CYP Scrutiny Advisory Board reviews and
scrutinises the performance of the Council in relation to Children’s policy objectives,
performance targets and/or particular service areas.
Safer Cumbria Partnership
6.6
The SCP is responsible for producing the annual Community Safety Agreement which is based
on the findings of the Community Safety Assessment (SA) and the SA’s from the four
Community Safety Partnerships. Building on previous successes in crime reduction the focus
remains firmly on Anti-Social Behaviour, Reducing Reoffending and addressing Domestic and
Sexual Abuse/Violence.
6.7
The key accountability and responsibility for Domestic Violence rests with this group, and
takes account of the impact on Children living with Domestic Violence.
Health and Well-being Board (HWB)
6.8
The HWB exists to deliver the Cumbria HWB Strategy which is concerned with the Health and
Wellbeing Board of the whole population. It is responsible for producing the Joint Strategic
Needs Assessment (JSNA), which will identify and set the commissioning priorities including
Children.
Children’s Trust Board
6.9
The purpose of the CTB is to provide overall strategic direction for the work of all partner
agencies working to deliver services for Children and Young people in Cumbria. The Children’s
Trust Board has established 3 areas of work:
o
o
o
Children with disabilities
Child Poverty
Emotional well-being
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6.10
This is ensuring that these “whole” population issues are appropriately sited.
Corporate Parenting Board (Panel3)
6.11 The Corporate Parenting Board (CPB) is the Leadership forum for setting the priorities and
strategy for Children Looked After, monitoring the outcomes and providing assurance that we
can deliver good outcomes for our looked after children.
3
CPB has been known as the Corporate Parenting Panel, the panel is being reconstituted and it is proposed that it will be
known as a Board – it is expected that this decision will be ratified by the Council in September 2015.
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Governance Diagram
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7.
Reporting and Evidencing Progress
7.1
Progress against this plan will be reported to the Children’s Improvement Board4 (ChIB) which
meets on a monthly basis and is where agencies will be constructively challenged and held to
account for progress or the lack of it. The independent chair and the representative from the
Department for Education, who is also a member of the board, both independently assure
themselves of progress and report directly to the Minister. The latter will provide a short
update report after each ChIB and a more comprehensive report on a quarterly basis. The
chair of Cumbria’s Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) is also a member of the Children’s
Improvement Board and reports on the progress made by the LSCB.
7.3
There is Shadow Improvement Board (ShIB) which is made up of staff from all across the
Children’s Services internal workforce and is chaired by the Principal Social Worker, the
Corporate Director also attends. The ShIB was established as part of the Improvement
Programme to help to develop an open, honest and transparent culture.
7.4
The Board also takes internal ownership of the Improvement Plan and challenges the delivery
and direction of the actions contained within the Improvement Plan to ensure that
improvements are sustainable and they report how it feels “on-the-ground” – this is then
reported through to the ChIB.
7.5
Progress against the plan will also be reported to Children’s Scrutiny Advisory Board of the
County Council.
7.6
In addition, external scrutiny will be used to evidence progress:
a. Ofsted are supporting Children’s Services through monthly auditing and case tracking,
the results of which are reported to the senior management team following each
monthly visit. Each quarter, Ofsted will report formally to the ChIB.
b. The Local Government Association is facilitating a Peer Review of Children Looked
After Services in December 2015.
c. The Department for Education will carry out a formal review of progress in January
2016
7.7
We are clear that all of the above will need to evidence progress in order for Cumbria to avoid
further and more serious intervention by the DfE.
7.8
An Ofsted progress inspection is expected in May/June 2016 – approximately 12 months
following the publication of the Ofsted Report.
Contact: Fiona Musgrave. [email protected] (Senior Manager – Improvement)
4
The Children’s Improvement Board was previously known as the Safeguarding Improvement Board. The name has been
changed to reflect the fact that the improvements needed are wider than just safeguarding.
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Detailed plan
(Inc.
Ofsted
rec.
number)
What we are trying to
achieve
Actions
Timescale
Expected measure of
Action
Lead(s)
Expected measure of
impact
Impact
BRAG
No.
Progress
8.
A
A
G
R
1. Leadership and Governance
Well-coordinated and joined up
activity across the LSCB and
partnerships to ensure that children
are safeguarded and their well-being
is promoted



1.1
(LSCB)

Develop the LSCB Annual Report 2014-15 and
refresh the 3 year Business Plan into a 2015-18
Plan based on the Ofsted Review 2015, national
best practice and intelligence sources available
Deliver the LSCB Business Plan (2015-18)
actions
Review the role of the Children’s Trust Board
and explore the need to develop an
overarching Children and Young People’s
Strategy for 2016-19.
Refresh the LSCB Business Plan and produce a
2015-16 LSCB Annual Report
31 July 2015
LSCB Chair

CTB Chair

Plan runs to
Summer 2016
Plan developed
by December
2016

Refresh 31 July
2016

A Strategy that leads to good
outcomes in all aspects of the lives of
Children looked After through quality
assessment, planning and
interventions at the time when needs
arise.


1.2
(Ofsted –
1)
Develop a Children Looked After Strategy that
defines the shared vision and strategy for
Cumbria and articulates:
o
The current position
o
priorities, core principles and values
o
aspirations for driving improvement
Review strategy in 6 and 12 months – following
any Ofsted progress inspection
23 July 2015 –
sign off by
Cabinet
AD – Corporate
Governance


Annual Report 2014-15 signed
off by the LSCB and reported
to the Leader of the Council,
the Chief Executive and The
Police and Crime
Commissioner and the Health
and Well-being Board
Business Plan 2015-18 signed
off by the LSCB
Actions managed and
monitored through the LSCB
Business Group with any
mitigating or remedial actions
identified and controlled –
reported to the ChIB
Develop a Children and Young
People’s Strategy by April
2016
A strategy that is clear and
succinct – based on the
feedback from strategic
leaders at their summit on 25
June 2015.
A plan that defines what good
looks like
 PMQA Framework developed
as part of the LSCB Business
Plan will show improvements
across the whole suite. To be
reported to the Improvement
Board on a monthly basis.
 CLA Reviews - all reviews in last
year held in timescale will
improve from 67.5% (June
2015) to 90% by November
2015
 CLA Reviews - latest review up
to date will improve from
94.0% (June 2015) to 98.0% by
November 2015
 CLA review participation will
improve from 82.7% (June
2015) to 92.0% by Nov) 2015
 CLA Statutory Visits will
improve from 94.0% (June
2015) to 96% by November
2015
Red=barriers or risks exist or more than 10% target; Amber=delayed or slipped but with good plans in place or between 10 and 5% from target; Green=progress as expected or between 5% of/or on target; Blue = Complete or above target
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What we are trying to
achieve
A strong Corporate Parenting Board
with good governance systems and
processes that can hold professionals
to account
1.3
(Ofsted –
10)
Actions



An appropriate and effective
Children’s Workforce that is wellsupported



1.4
(Ofsted –
3)
Governance arrangements review
implemented (including the review of MultiAgency Looked After Partnership (MALAP) and
the Corporate Parenting Board)
o
New Chair of the Corporate
Parenting Board (CPB) to be agreed
by Council in July 2015
o
Complete the review of Terms of
Reference of the CPB and present
report to the County Council in
September as part of the
Constitution Review
Children in Care Council (CiCC) to refresh ‘The
Pledge’
o
Complete round of communications
and engagement to publicise the
new pledge, and to promote it, led
by CiCC and Care leavers forum
using advocates and champions, will
have been completed
Appoint a Local Government Association Peer
to work with CPB Chair and Members
Implement the Social Work Academy, starting
with the first cohort in September 2015.
All staff in Children and Families to receive
appraisal
Continue the emphasis towards becoming a
“learning organisation” by:
o Demonstrating changes in practice in
response to lessons learned
o Systematically and honestly celebrating
success
o Giving “permission” to Staff to reflect
Timescale
30 September
2015
Expected measure of
Action
Lead(s)
AD – Corporate
Governance


30 October
2015
AD – Early Help
and Learning

New Terms of Reference
implemented that include
clarity with CPB within the
overall system with other
governance and assurance
mechanisms in place
Regular CPB meetings where
members of the Board are
able to hold professionals
working with CLA to account
in the delivery of the strategy
and performance measures
Communications and
engagement to publicise the
new pledge, will have been
completed
31 December
2015
AD – Children
and Families
30 August 2015
30
September
2015
31
December 2015
Principal Social
Worker


At least 8 NQSW accepted
onto the SW Academy
Continued recruitment of
experienced social workers
with less reliance on agency
staff and within national
average ratio
Expected measure of
impact
 CLA Reviews - all reviews in last
year held in timescale will
improve from 67.5% (June
2015) to 90% by November
2015
 CLA Reviews - latest review up
to date will improve from
94.0% (June 2015) to 98.0% by
November 2015
 CLA review participation will
improve from 82.7% (June
2015) to 92.0% by November
2015
 CLA Statutory Visits will
improve from 94.0% (June
2015) to 96% by November
2015
 When asked – every Child in
Care - will be able to say what
the pledge (promise) is, and
further, be able to say how the
Council is performing against it

 Summer 2015 will show
improvements from Autumn
2014 survey:
o
The majority of
staff report they
feel well
supported
o
The majority of
staff report that
they understand
the Directorate
priorities and
their role within
them
 Agency staff number/rate will
remain below statistical
neighbours
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Red=barriers or risks exist or more than 10% target or no data available; Amber=delayed or slipped but with good plans in place or between 10 and 5% from target; Green=progress as expected or between 5% of/or on target; Blue = Complete or above target
Impact
(Inc.
Ofsted
rec.
number)
Progress
BRAG
No.
A
R
G
G
What we are trying to
achieve
Strategic commissioning decisions
that are based on good intelligence
Actions


1.5
(Ofsted –
4)
Timescale
Revise the JSNA and consider the experiences
of children and young people – with the
children’s chapters being brought forward to
be concluded by September 2015 Review the Council’s Sufficiency statement to
ensure we have enough accommodation within
the countyto meet the needs of children in our
care.
Expected measure of
Action
Lead(s)
30 November
2015
AD - Early Help
and Learning
30 November
2015
AD – Children
and Families

JSNA completed
Expected measure of
impact
 Sufficiency statement that
ensures we:
o Have sufficient
accommodation in
terms of the number of
beds provided
o Secure a range of
accommodation through
a number of providers
o Have accommodation
that meets the needs of
CLA
Impact
(Inc.
Ofsted
rec.
number)
Progress
BRAG
No.
A
A
A
R
R
R
2. Children Looked After
Social workers and partners are
undertaking good quality
assessments and effecting planning
that identifies and meets the needs
of our CLA





2.1
(Ofsted –
12, 15)

2.2
(Ofsted –
13, 14,
17 & 23)
Resources, capability, systems &
processes are available to make the
right, timely decisions to deliver
quality services and outcomes to
Children Looked After



Implement all the actions for CLA, developed as
a result of the CLA Audit (Barnardo’s)
Quality assurance processes to be developed to
specifically look at outcomes and avoiding drift
for CLA
Development session booked with external
facilitator for CLA Teams
Implement the IRO service review
QA activity to concentrate on the child’s
records to ensure they are up to date and
include clear chronologies, up-to-date plans,
risk assessments and other key documents
pertaining to children’s individual
circumstances
Service Managers to audit / dip sample range
of cases in their district to check adequate
records are in place and chronologies are used
to inform care planning.
Reviews of
cases to be
concluded 31
May 2015
Deliver business case to increase dedicated
family finder capacity
Develop a programme of QA for the
permanence plans
Tighten implementation of PLO flowchart to
ensure permanence options are identified at
start of process.
1 August 2015
AD – Children
and Families


Tracker actions will have been
completed
IRO service review complete
Principal Social
Worker
QA activity in
place by 1
September
2015 (to allow
teams to
concentrate on
moving the
service forward)
1 September
2015
Senior Manager
- CLA and
District Senior
Managers


Review of Legal gateway
Panel concluded and
implemented
Children’s care plans
informed by up to date
assessments, updated
regularly to show changes in
 90% + CLA Plans to be judged
as requires improvement or
better
 CLA Reviews - all reviews in last
year held in timescale will
improve from 67.5% (June
2015) to 90% by November
2015
 CLA Reviews - latest review up
to date will improve from
94.0% (June 2015) to 98.0%
by November 2015
 CLA review participation will
improve from 82.7% (June
2015) to 92.0% by November
2015
 CLA Statutory Visits will
improve from 94.0% (June
2015) to 96% by November
2015
 90% + CLA Plans to be judged
as requires improvement or
better
 The Average number of days
between entering care and
placement with adoptive
family from 649 (May 2015) to
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Red=barriers or risks exist or more than 10% target or no data available; Amber=delayed or slipped but with good plans in place or between 10 and 5% from target; Green=progress as expected or between 5% of/or on target; Blue = Complete or above target
What we are trying to
achieve
Actions




2.3
(Ofsted
2, 19, 20,
21 & 22)
Young people who are Leaving Care
have plans that include appropriate
choices and where appropriate,
continued Foster care for 18+



The emotional health and well-being
needs of CLA are met promptly and
outcomes improve
2.4
(Ofsted –
9)


Participate in the North West Placements
activity as appropriate – to increase the
performance across adoption, and to improve
outcomes for Children and Young People
Review the Legal and Gateway Panel processes
to improve the timeliness of provision
Barnardo’s to conduct a Looked after Children
and Young People practice, process and
pathways review
Develop report systems on ICS to track the
timescales for assessment of adopters and
record reasons for any delays
Identify ‘good’ examples of pathway plans
modelled to develop learning for others
Deliver the development of a foyer in Barrow
Purchase of property in Carlisle going to
cabinet July and plan to develop edge of care
facility and care leaver accommodation on site
Explore with LSCB partners (led by the district
council member) how this could be replicated
across the whole of Cumbria
Meeting with LSCB members scheduled to look
at partnership approach to children looked
after; within which is access to Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Services are to be
sped up, with a proposed dedicated pathway
Timescale
Expected measure of
Action
Lead(s)

1 November
2015

1 November
2015
1 August 2015
1 August 2015
(for the
property)
1 November
2015 (report on
Countywide
replication)
1 August 2015

Senior Manager
- CLA


their circumstance
District Service Managers will
have clear oversight of
actions and recommendations
made at the Legal Gateway
Panel
Review feedback from
Barnardo’s
Adopter assessments meet
required timescales at stage 1
and stage 2
Bank of examples of good
pathway plans
Barrow Foyer implemented
Expected measure of
impact
Impact
(Inc.
Ofsted
rec.
number)
Progress
BRAG
No.
A
G
A
R
586 (Statistical neighbours) by
November 2015
 The Average number of days
between court authority and
match with adoptive family will
improve from 336 (May 2015)
to 221 days (Statistical
neighbours) by November
2015
 Adopter assessments will be
within timescale of 2 months
for stage 1 and 4 months for
stage 2
 the % of care leavers (Aged 19,
20 and 21) in suitable
accommodation remains above
statistical neighbours
Senior Manager
– CLA
Senior Manager
– Early Help
AD – Children
and Families
And
Chair of Health
Subgroup of the
LSCB

Pathway for CLA into CAMHS
developed and operating
successfully
 Initial health assessments for
children entering care will
improve from 81.3% (May
2015) to 85% by November
2015
 Review health assessments for
children aged under 5 from
68.9% (May 2015) to 85% by
November 2015
 Health assessments for
children looked after for 12
months or more 82.0% (May
2015) to 85% by November
2015
 Dental checks for children
looked after for 12 months or
more (May 2015) 70.4% to 85%
by November 2015
Document1
15
Red=barriers or risks exist or more than 10% target or no data available; Amber=delayed or slipped but with good plans in place or between 10 and 5% from target; Green=progress as expected or between 5% of/or on target; Blue = Complete or above target
What we are trying to
achieve
Actions
Timescale
Expected measure of
Action
Lead(s)
Expected measure of
impact
Impact
(Inc.
Ofsted
rec.
number)
Progress
BRAG
No.
G
R
G
R
A
R
G
R
3. Working in Partnership
3.1
(Ofsted –
7 & 8)
Early Help is more joined up,
comprehensive and linked to the
continuum of need, and it is
considered at the right time for the
right children, provided by the right
professionals, and improves
outcomes for children





Thresholds are understood and
applied consistently across the
partnership


3.2
(Ofsted –
16)




3.3
(Ofsted –
5)
Children who are at risk of or
involved in Child Sexual Exploitation
are appropriately identified and
supported and their outcomes
improve



3.4
(Ofsted 11
Children who regularly go missing are
appropriately identified, assessed
and supported

Early Help Subgroup to use the NW ADCS
“maturity matrix” to assess current progress,
service gaps and resultant action plan
Early Help to be the focus of the CASL
conference focus in June
Early Help subgroup to Identify current unmet
need and link to Joint Commissioning Board
Joint commissioning Board to demonstrate
how this is being used to influence decisions
Commissioning of services initiated
1 August 2015
Early Help Team to work with all partners to
embed role of lead co-ordinator so that
professionals are confident in managing a
SMART Early Help Plan when stepped down
Joint meetings with health providers/ children’s
social care to discuss “step down”
IRO to be informed of plans before Review
Conference so they can consult with child and
ensure adequate step down plan
Complete the “stocktake” of the SG Hub
develop action plan
Implement the further developments of SG
Hub through the Hub Programme Board
Scrutiny Task and Finish work on CSE to report
in September 2015 as requested by the Leader
of the Council in light of the Rotherham report
Governance lessons learned in light of
Rotherham and Oxfordshire to be complete by
July 2015 as requested by the Leader of the
Council.
LSCB Governance refresh to be completed and
signed off by the LSCB by 30 August 2015
1 September
2015
Formalise the commissioning and contracting
arrangements for the return home interviews
(RHI) with all the providers; to include budget,
QA, contract management/monitoring
1 September
2015
AD - Early Help
and Learning


Resultant action plan will be
implemented
Joint Commissioning Group in
receipt of recommendations.
1 November
2015
 LSCB staff survey results will
show improved confidence in
EH and the thresholds
 Early Help closures report at
least 80% satisfactory outcome
 Rate of Early help Assessments
will improve from 8.5 per
10,000 (June 2015) to 9.0 per
10,000 by November 2015
1 February 2016
AD - Early Help
and Learning



31 Aug 2015
30 Sept 2015
Refreshed Early Help Local
Offer Directory
Multi-Agency Hub Service
Manager in place
Plan for the Hub produced
and signed up to across the
LSCB
 Referrals within 12 months of a
previous referral will improve
from 27.6% (June 2015) to 23%
by March 2016
 Rate of Early help Assessments
will improve from 8.5 per
10,000 (June 2015) to 9.0 per
10,000 by November 2015
AD – Children
and Families
31 Dec 2015
AD - Corporate
Governance




30 September
2015
Chair of LSCB
CSE/MFH
Subgroup
Senior Manager
- Procurement
Senior

Hub phase 2 plan delivered
CSE Governance refreshed
Action plan with SMART
actions – to be reported to
the LSCB
On-going development of
response to CSE based on
increased knowledge arising
from Oversight meetings and
improved practice.
New contracts formally signed
with specific measures
identified
 Quality assurance activity from
the LSCB will show majority of
activity for children with CSE is
“Requires Improvement” or
better
 As awareness grows the
number of reports of CSE will
increase from 60 per quarter
(Dec 2014) to 120 per quarter
(Dec 2015)
 Improvement in the % of
Return Home Interviews that
are held within the statutory
72 hour timescale from 50%
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16
Red=barriers or risks exist or more than 10% target or no data available; Amber=delayed or slipped but with good plans in place or between 10 and 5% from target; Green=progress as expected or between 5% of/or on target; Blue = Complete or above target
What we are trying to
achieve
A recognised partnership approach
to Domestic Abuse where
professionals are supported to
identify and manage risk
3.5
(LSCB)
Actions




3.6
(Ofsted –
18)
Appropriate support available and
offered when a young person
presents as Homeless and improved
outcomes for Homeless young
people




Timescale
arrangements that also demonstrates the
outcomes of children’s plans following their
interview
Children’s Services to participate in work via
LSCB to improve response to domestic abuse
The LSCB, with the Safer Cumbria Partnership –
set up a Task and finish group to:
o
Review current governance
arrangements for Domestic Abuse
to ensure they are adequate to
significantly influence decisions for
children
o
take forward the findings of the
domestic abuse QAG audit in June
to develop a DA work plan
The LSCB to review the current service offer for
Domestic Abuse to help children who either
witness, are victims or are perpetrators of
domestic abuse to ensure appropriate help is
available
The LSCB to implement a Multi-Agency
Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding Children
Policy (informed by the intelligence from the
T&F Group) that sets out the response
expected from all agencies at differing levels of
risk posed by domestic Abuse.
Implement the protocol in the remaining
districts as per the LSCB agreed timetable
(Carlisle – June, SLDC – September and ABC –
October).
Ongoing promotion of NightStop as the first
choice emergency accommodation for 16-17
year olds.
Internal audits focused on YP who present as
homeless undertaken 4 times annually
LSCB to consider thematic audit for 2016
Expected measure of
Action
Lead(s)
Managers –
Districts (3)

31 October
2015
Senior Manager
– District (DV
co-ordinator)
31 October
2015
Senior Manager
– LSCB and
Improvement


30 November
2015
Senior Manager
– Early Help
G
R
G
R
A
R
(March 2015) to 80% in
November 2015
 Improvement across the suite
of performance and quality
indicators for the LSCB with
regard to Domestic Abuse
Senior
Managers –
Districts (3)
31 October
2015
Expected measure of
impact
Impact
(Inc.
Ofsted
rec.
number)
Progress
BRAG
No.




Task and Finish Group
established with TOR and
action plan
QAG Domestic Abuse Audit
complete, reported to the
LSCB – with actions for LSCB
and/or individual agencies
Performance Measures for
the LSCB refreshed to reflect
requirements
LSCB Policy implemented as
part of the 2nd refresh of the
Tri-X manuals
Protocol applied consistently
county-wide (December
2015).
Case study and good practice
evidence will be developed
showing use of potential use
of NightStop
Use of B&B continues to
reduce.
 No internal audits to be graded
as inadequate (December 15).
 100% of internal audits to be
graded good/outstanding (July
16)
 Increase in number of
NightStop households from 5
(July 2015) to 10 September
2015)
Files will evidence adequate
SMART care planning for
children at all stages of social
 management oversight QA
indicators will improve from
72.5% in March 2015 to 85%
4. Quality of Practice
4.1
(Ofsted –
3)
Better outcomes for Children, Young
People and their families through
consistent, high quality and reflective

Review of size of teams commissioned to
inform restructures which will provide
enhanced management at local area level
Statement of
change issued 1
July 2015
AD – Children
and Families

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17
Red=barriers or risks exist or more than 10% target or no data available; Amber=delayed or slipped but with good plans in place or between 10 and 5% from target; Green=progress as expected or between 5% of/or on target; Blue = Complete or above target
What we are trying to
achieve
practice which has appropriate
management oversight
Actions


The Independent Reviewing Officer
(IRO) service to be operating
effectively and actively being the
champion for children




4.2
(Ofsted
6)
“Better Practice Better Outcomes” workstream in Service Plan is focussing on
Management Oversight.
District and Team Managers to work closely
with the IRO service to ensure that inadequate
analysis of risk and / or drift in care planning is
identified and addressed with an agreed action
plan set within the child’s timeframe.
Complete the IRO service review and
restructure
Implement the IRO service plan – which
includes actions to see children between
reviews
Design a survey/feedback mechanism to
measure and monitor the quality of the IRO
service
Appraisals – specifically looking at individual
performance – to be carried out across the
service
Timescale
Lead(s)

Restructure in
place by 30
September
2015
1 September
2015
Principal
Social Worker




Expected measure of
Action
Expected measure of
impact
intervention.
New Management Oversight
Standards developed and
implemented
by November 2015
 Social work reports for ICPC
shared with family will improve
from 55.6% (June 2015) to 75%
All elements of the IRO
handbook implemented
IRO will be reported as being
‘champions’ of children – by
staff, CYP and families
Increased evidence in
children’s file of IRO and
manager agreement to
address drift.
Delivery of the IRO service Getting to Good Plan”
 CP Reviews - all reviews in last
year held in timescale will
improve from 92.4% (June
2015) to 96.3% November
2015
 CP Reviews - latest review up
to date will improve from
95.6% (June 2015) to 98.0% by
September 2015
 CLA - all reviews in last year
held in timescale will improve
from 67.5% (June 2015) to 90%
by January 2016
 CLA - latest review up to date
will improve from 94.0% (June
2015) to 98.0% by September
2015
 CLA Statutory Visits will
improve from 94.0% (June
2015) to 96% by November
2015
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18
Red=barriers or risks exist or more than 10% target or no data available; Amber=delayed or slipped but with good plans in place or between 10 and 5% from target; Green=progress as expected or between 5% of/or on target; Blue = Complete or above target
Impact
(Inc.
Ofsted
rec.
number)
Progress
BRAG
No.
A
R
9.
Appendix One
Ofsted Recommendations

Below are the recommendations from the latest Ofsted report, that this plan seeks to
address:
Priority and immediate action
Leadership and management
1.
Develop a coherent, overarching strategy and action plan to drive the improvement of the
looked after children’s service. Ensure that robust arrangements are in place to monitor the
progress of the action plan.
2.
Complete the review of the care planning arrangements for all looked after children and care
leavers to ensure that plans are progressing promptly and improving outcomes for children
and young people.
3.
Strengthen the management oversight of all cases to ensure that children’s plans prioritise
risk and that their welfare is promoted. Frontline managers should systematically check and
record that all agreed actions in respect of individual children and young people are followed
up within agreed timescales.
4.
Ensure that performance information and strategic assessments appropriately consider the
actual experience of children and young people in Cumbria.
5.
With partners, review current strategies and action plans for child sexual exploitation to
ensure that plans are progressing with the required urgency.
Looked after children
6.
Ensure that IROs fulfil all aspects of the IRO Handbook. In particular they should track the
progress of care plans between statutory reviews and take prompt action when concerns
arise.
Areas for improvement
Leadership and management
7.
With partners, ensure that professionals are fully aware of their responsibilities to identify
and respond to the early help needs of families.
8.
Review outcomes for children who receive early help to ensure that the help provided is
effective in the short and long term.
9.
Ensure that the emotional and mental health needs of looked after children can be met and
that there is prompt access to specialist services.
10.
Strengthen the challenge role of the Corporate Parenting Panel for looked after children.
11.
Improve the timeliness in conducting return interviews when children and young people
return from a missing episode.
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Looked after children and care leavers
12.
Ensure that reviews for looked after children and young people are timely and informed by
up-to-date social work reports detailing the progress made by the young person. Minutes
and plans should be distributed quickly to relevant parties so that everyone is clear about
their part in supporting the child or young person.
13.
Ensure that when permanency is an option for children, effective systems are in place to
track and monitor the progress of those plans. Where there is a range of different
permanency options for children, these must be considered at the earliest opportunity and
plans expedited to ensure permanency is secured.
14.
Ensure that the Legal and Gateway panel monitors all decisions to their completion to
improve robustness of planning and avoid drift and delay.
15.
Ensure that all looked after children’s records are up to date and include clear
chronologies, up-to-date plans, risk assessments and other key documents pertaining to
children’s individual circumstances.
Help and protection
16.
Ensure ‘step down’ arrangements are applied consistently to meet the needs of children
when child protection planning ceases. This should include consideration of thresholds and
ensuring that the right level of help is provided by the right professionals.
17.
Ensure that decisions to return children to their family home from care are informed by
robust risk assessments.
18.
Fully explore with homeless 16 and 17 year olds the benefits of becoming looked after.
Where they refuse this they should be supported by a multi-agency child in need plan to
ensure that their needs are met.
Care leavers
19.
Improve the quality of pathway plans to ensure that actions are meaningful to young
people and the progress they are making towards independence is clearly charted and
regularly reviewed.
20.
Ensure that all young people who would benefit from remaining with their foster carers
after the age of 18 are able to do so. This includes young people placed in foster homes
which are managed by independent fostering agencies.
21.
Improve the availability of suitable accommodation for care leavers and reduce the length
of time they have to wait to secure it. Provide better support to care leavers to prevent
tenancy breakdowns.
Participation of looked after children and care leavers
22.
Support all looked after children and young people and care leavers to understand their
rights and entitlements and know about the ‘Pledge’. Actively encourage them to
participate in the children in care and care leaver forums, and to be informed of their work.
Adoption
23.
Ensure that the time taken to approve adopters improves to at least meet the current
requirements at stage one and stage two.
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