Agenda item

(To receive a report from Janice Spencer OBE, Interim Director of Children's Services, which invites the Corporate Parenting Panel to consider and comment on the Looked After Children Performance Measures for Quarter 2 2019/20 for the period July to September 2019)

The Panel gave consideration to a report from Janice Spencer OBE, Interim Director of Children's Services, which provided key performance information for Quarter 2 2019/20, which was relevant to the work of the Corporate Parenting Panel.  It was reported that overall, performance for quarter 2 was positive, with only two targets being outside the target set by the services.  The two measures were:-

·         Fostering/Adoption of Looked After Children aged 10 to 16 year olds - The Panel was advised that performance had improved since the last quarter, but still remained under target.  It was noted that there had been an increase in the number of younger children in residential placements in the past year; and that these young children had very complex needs.  It was noted further that there had also been a focus on reunifying children with their birth families during the current year, and some of this group were awaiting revocation of their care orders;

·         Care Leavers, Employment or Training (EETR) – It was reported that there had been a reduction post September, which was common occurrence, as young people often had not found the right course for them; and that attendance fluctuated as young people changed their decisions.  It was highlighted that the situation was being monitored; and that lots of work was being undertaken to increase the number of employment readiness programmes.

Officers responded to questions raised, which included the following:-

·         Language – The Barnardo's representative reassured the Panel that staff were being trained regarding language changes and that whatever was agreed by the council would be mirrored by Barnardo's.  Some discussion was also had regarding the young people themselves and that they needed to be comfortable with any changes; and that the changes needed to be guided by the child;

·         One member enquired as to whether the KPI's were appropriate, as some targets were not being met.  The Panel was advised that there were factors as to why the targets had not been met; one of the most important factor was understanding the cohort of young children; as the service was well aware young people thrived better in a family environment, however, some young people because of the trauma they had experienced, a family was not always the right environment.  Officers agreed that the wording for the fostering/adoption of Looked After Children aged 10 to 16 year olds would be considered further;

·         One member enquired as to how many young people had started in full time education and then dropped out.  Officers agreed that it was very difficult to do comparisons as each individual situation was different;

·         Congratulations were extended to officers for having achieved 99.7 % of Looked After Children with a Personal Education Plan; and

·         A question was asked relating to the Care Leavers in Education, Employment and Training Performance Indicator (55.6%), and whether this indicator was measuring the right data.  The Panel was advised that this was a national indicator; and because of the nature of the indicator it was capturing data at a period of time, and that situations were changeable.  The Panel noted that working was on-going with the Government regarding the indicator.

RESOLVED

That the Quarter 2 Performance Report for Looked After Children as presented be received.