Contact: Natalie Trentham ext: 7166 email: [email protected]

1 Purpose of report.

1.5 This report updates members on the progress of stage one of the Best Value review of support for children and young people in the community

2 Background.

2.5 The review project brief was agreed by the Social Care PRC on 14 March 2003. In the light of the remodelling of family support services, members endorsed the proposal to carry out the review in two stages. Stage one includes the following front-line services:

- Reception and assessment teams;

- Out-of-hours services to children and families within Social Services Direct;

- Inclusion (school-based) social workers.

2.6 Stage two of the review will focus on family support services and care leavers' teams.

2.7 Stakeholders agreed the following vision for the review;

`all children will have the best start in life through the provision of a range of locally based, accessible, child and family-centred services which are responsive to and supportive of their needs. Services should work in partnership to ensure the most effective use of resources and improved outcomes for children and families.'

3 Stage one progress.

3.5 Approach.

3.5.1 The work of the review team has been carried out by a core team and three working groups comprising representatives from social services, partner agencies and elected members (see appendix A).

3.5.2 The review team lead managers developed a framework for evaluation of the service incorporating the key strategies (equalities, crime and disorder, sustainable development, e-government), the `excellence' model, and the stakeholders' vision.

3.6 Challenge.

3.6.1 Challenge is an integral part of this review as stakeholders are represented on the core review team and working groups. Additionally an initial stakeholders' event, held in January identified nine key issues to be addressed by the review:

i. Better outcomes for children

ii. Accessibility of services

iii. Maximising participation (community, children and families)

iv. Effective partnerships at all levels

v. Commonly agreed referral, assessment and planning processes

vi. Effective and efficient use of all resources, including staff

vii. Effective communication and information sharing

viii. Effective monitoring and evaluation

ix. Direction and leadership.

3.6.2 Further challenge has been provided by feedback from internal and external comparison; findings from the SSI Inspection of Children's Services, January 2003; outcomes of the audit of child protection procedures and subsequent inspection of services to children in need, July 2003.

3.7 Consultation.

3.7.1 There has been wide ranging consultation with internal and external stakeholders. This has included:

- A review of existing local and national consultations, evaluations and inspections completed within the last five years

- Direct consultation through: on site visits, postal and telephone questionnaires, focus groups, interviews and informal feedback (see appendix B).

3.8 Comparison.

3.8.1 Working groups have compared objectives, capacity, working practices and performance of the three services under review through:

- statistical analysis of results from national PAF/DIS performance indicators;

- benchmarking with Best Value reviews carried out by other local authorities;

- visits and telephone contact with Devon, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, West Sussex and Bolton local authorities;

- internal analysis of job descriptions, exit information, staffing profiles (see appendix B).

3.9 Competition and collaboration.

3.9.1 Competition and collaboration in this review has included:

- measuring cost effectiveness of services;

- statistical analysis of cost and activity (Children in Need Census);

- considering alternative models of delivery for elements of the service;

- identifying duplication and overlaps in service provision.

3.9.2 The review chose to combine competition and collaboration in line with the stakeholders' vision of greater integration of children's services (see summary, appendix B). In addition, the Green Paper identifies `accountability and integration' as one of four key action areas.

3.10 Corporate strategies.

3.10.1 Working groups identified strengths and areas for improvement in relation to the corporate strategies; equalities, crime and disorder, sustainable development and e-government. Findings are listed in appendix B.

4 Summary of emerging findings.

4.1 All services under review.

4.5.1 The review has identified examples of good practice and positive outcomes for children and families in all of the services, reviewed in stage one. Strengths and improvements of each service are summarised below and set out in ore detail under the `Excellence Model' headings; appendix C. Key issues to be addressed in developing options for improvement are equity of access, consistent service delivery, efficient processes, integration and collaboration. Stakeholders will be considering alternative models for the future development of the three services under review at a consultation event on 20 November 2003

4.5.2 Inclusion Social Workers.

4.5.3 Findings indicate that this service is highly valued and effective. It is seen as an excellent model of preventative practice. The workers have established integrated working between social services, schools and families. In surveys conducted in mainstream and EBD schools, 90% of pupils rated the service they received as good to excellent. It is perceived as a less stigmatising and accessible service which offers valuable support at times of transition. It provides fast tracking to appropriate services for children and young people. Schools report a positive impact on reducing school exclusions and pupil behaviour. There is also evidence of a reduction in referrals to social services.

4.5.4 Further improvements to the service could be achieved by addressing inconsistency in working practices and processes across the county. Workers are currently managed by a range of managers within different services in both social services and the education departments. Workers express dissatisfaction with these arrangements, which clearly impact on cohesion and identity of the service.

4.5 Reception and Assessment.

4.5.1 The audit of services to children in need (in response to the practice recommendations of the Victoria Climbié inquiry) and follow-up inspection in July 2003 found that children's services in Hampshire were serving most children well with promising prospects. The inspection visit to Hampshire included a file audit of two reception and assessment teams and a site visit.

4.5.2 The Best Value working group's review of the seven reception and assessment teams across the county, found the key strengths to be the committed and dedicated workforce and strong local leadership. A telephone survey of service users who had recent contact with the area teams, found a high level of satisfaction including third party referrals where the service was unsought.

4.5.3 The care management manual introduced this year, provides a framework for streamlining reception and assessment processes.

4.5.4 However, the working group concluded that there is a need for improvement across the seven teams. The most critical issues are consistency and equity of access to services and capacity.

4.5.5 Resource and staffing levels, in part because of recruitment and retention problems, constrain the capacity to provide an efficient and effective service at all times and to meet the required timescales for assessment.

4.5.6 Last year, performance in relation to timescales for completing initial assessments was poor with an average of only 30% being completed within the government target of seven working days. However, this was the first year this data has been collected. Performance against new criteria in April-September 2003 has improved with an average of 44.5% initial assessments completed within 9 calendar days. Timescales for completing core assessments have also improved from an average 45% completed within 35 working days in 2001/2002 to an average 59.1% completed within 42 calendar days for the period April-September 2003. Both of these figures are significantly below the national and shire averages. Progress towards completing 100% reviews within prescribed timescales is being closely monitored and it is expected that it will continue to improve with reduced variation between areas.

4.5.7 Further improvements are needed to streamline business processes, to enable the transfer of ongoing work to family support teams and to increase collaboration with other agencies.

4.5.8 Work has begun to look at alternative models to address these issues which could be piloted or introduced across the county.

4.6 Out of hours services for children.

4.6.1 Out of hours services for children and families are provided within Social Services Direct. Social Services Direct is a `trailblazer' in implementing service centre technology and providing 24 hour public access to information and advice. The service has recently undertaken a review of staffing arrangements to improve efficiency and flexibility. This has included ensuring the availability of qualified childcare social workers to meet peak demand.

4.6.2 Out of hours services operate as a single county-wide service based in the South East of the county with limited capacity for social workers to make visits to children and families. Consultation showed that there is a lack of clarity about the level of service that can be provided out of hours. Substantial investment would be required to develop more localised, responsive services across the county and to ensure greater continuity between day-time and out-of-hours services.

4.6.3 The review has identified the following areas for improvement that need to be addressed to provide an effective service to children and young people:

- access to client information out of hours;

- processes for transferring client information both ways between out of hours and day time services;

- access to social workers for other professionals;

- quality of management information available, accuracy of data inputting and monitoring activity in relation to children.

5 Conclusions and next steps

5.1 This is a time of change, not only for the department but for the County Council and partner agencies. We are in the middle of the consultation period on the green paper, "Every Child Matters", which runs from September to December 2003. The green paper includes the government's response to Lord Laming's enquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié and sets out a framework for wide-ranging reforms. It focuses on four main areas:

- Early intervention and effective protection;

- Supporting parents and carers;

- Accountability and integration (locally, regionally and nationally);

- Workforce reform.

5.2 The Best Value review is responding to the national context in three ways. Firstly, by mapping the recommendations of the working groups with the green paper recommendations. Each working group has been tasked with identifying areas for further improvements in accordance with the green paper. Secondly, by enabling stakeholders to consider the implications of the green paper at the consultation event on 20 November. Thirdly by working with the Best Value review of education other than at school, (EOTAS), in order to identify joint proposals.

5.3 Work is already underway to address some of the areas for improvement identified by the review. Where further improvements are needed, these will be brought to the attention of the relevant managers prior to the options report.

5.4 The review team propose to present the options report to PRC in March 2004. A revised project plan is set out in appendix D. Further consultation is required regarding arrangements for stage two of the review which includes family support teams and care leavers' services.

6 Recommendations

6.5 For members of the Social Care Policy Review Committee to comment on the emerging findings of the review.

6.6 For PRC members to endorse plans to extend stage one of the review until May 2004.

6.7 For PRC members to agree plans to bring together this review and the EOTAS Best Value review.

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.

Project Brief Best Value Review Support for Children & Young People in the Community, Social Care Policy Review Committee, 14 March 2003.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

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

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