Contact: Steve Love ext: 7284

1 Introduction

1.1 Hampshire Children's Services were the subject of an inspection completed by the Social Services Inspectorate, (SSI), in January 2003. The inspection was part of a national programme and focussed on two of Hampshire's areas: Alton / Aldershot and The New Forest. It covered all of Children's services and involved service users, partners, both area and head quarters staff and the Children's Senior Management Team. The report received in July 2003 is appended to this paper.

1.2 In April 2003, the department undertook a self audit of services, a national requirement, in response to the practice recommendations of the Victoria Climbié Inquiry. Evaluation of this audit was completed by the Department of Health at the end of May 2003. The submission is appended to this paper.

1.3 This was followed by an invitation from Hampshire to the SSI to inspect its services to Children in Need. This took place in July 2003 and focussed on the department's response to Children in Need in two areas: Basingstoke and Havant/Petersfield. The draft report is appended to this paper.

1.4 Further work has included internal performance assessment, which culminated in the Delivery and Improvement Statement, (DIS), submitted to the Department of Health in May 2003. This showed the Hampshire's performance in the 37 children's performance indicators and set targets in order to improve outcomes for children.

1.5 The SSI's January inspection concluded that Hampshire was serving "some" children well but that prospects for improvement were "uncertain". The evaluation of the Climbié audit in May found Hampshire to be serving "some" children well with "promising" prospects. The follow up inspection in July concluded that Hampshire was serving "most" children well with "promising" prospects.

1.6 A detailed Action Plan (Appendix I) which draws upon the findings of the Inspection and Self-Evaluation is in place. This outlines the service improvements which has been underway since January 2003 in order to improve the service provided to children and families.

1. Recommendations

A. Executive Member

i) Executive Member - Social Care accepts the SSI Inspection of the Children's Services Report January 2003, the Victoria Climbie Self-Audit April 2003 and the SSI Evaluation July 2003 of the County Council's response to Victoria Climbie Audit and welcomes the improvements that have been achieved between the first and third inspections and the external validation of the remodelling of the Social Services Department

ii) Executive Member - Social Care agrees the Action Plan in response to the above inspections and requests a report on recruitment and retention in three months time

iii) Executive Member - Social Care requests the Social Care Policy Review Committee to consider the inspectors' reports and the action plans.

B Policy Review Committee

i) The Social Care Policy Review Committee considers the reports and the action plan.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

None

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act