A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Council and councillors

Agenda item

OFSTED: NEXT STEPS PLAN

To receive Report No. 99/2017 from the Director for People.

Minutes:

Report No. 99/2017 was received from the Director for People.

 

Dr O’Neill advised members that he would be giving a presentation alongside the report that had been previously circulated.  The presentation would be two dimensional, Dr O’Neill would cover the Action Plan and how it would fit with the National Curriculum and Ms Wilshire would update members on progress in terms of evidence.  He advised members that questions during the presentation would be welcome.

 

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    The presentation noted a Change of QA on the second slide, Ms Waller queried this and Dr O’Neill advised that the person carrying out the Quality Assurance (QA) role for the inspection changed during the inspection with the original (QA) being redeployed to the Leicestershire inspection team. 

b)    The inspection reviewed around 150 cases, Dr O’Neill advised members that this was the majority of the caseload in Rutland, many inspections in bigger authorities would look at 10% of the caseloads, it was thought that looking at the majority was better overall.

c)    That good feedback had been received on the council’s investment in Early Help Services, as this is not a statutory service investment was waning elsewhere.  Rutland’s decision to keep investing in this was welcomed by the inspectors.

d)    Workshops would be held to enable social workers to go back to the basics of recording and capturing what had been done and where a child’s journey was currently at.  Social Workers knew their families well but this wasn’t always successfully recorded in the right way.

e)     Dr O’Neill advised that staff involved in the inspection did a fantastic job throughout an enormously stressful process, this gave confidence that the team would do better moving forward.

 

---oOo---

Ms Curtis left the meeting and did not return.

---oOo---

 

Ms Wilshire introduced the Action Plan and advised members that all actions were on track (amber) or achieved (green).  She noted that actions had been implemented alongside development of the plan; the team had seen a positive move from mainly interim to permanent members of staff.

 

---oOo---

Mrs Youngman left the meeting and did not return.

---oOo---

 

During discussion the following points were noted:

f)     There had been changes to team names within Children Social Care. Teams were no longer numbered and each team had been allocated names, Ms Wilshire advised members that a revised structure chart would be circulated.

g)    Group supervision had been introduced within the team, members asked for some evaluation and feedback from this process at a future meeting, a period of six months was suggested.  Ms Wilshire advised that initial feedback on the process was good, officers felt risk was more shared and there was clearer guidance around practice.

h)   A new Personal Education Plans (PEP) process had been introduced.  Ms Wilshire advised that schools were well engaged in the new process but there was still work to be done on developing and refining the process.  Mrs Stephenson noted that feedback from schools needed to be honest on the ability to deliver the PEP.   There was also a need for a level of understanding between social workers and teachers around the stresses of being in a classroom with responsibility for more than one child. 

i)     Miss Waller asked if schools would receive training around what did or did not constitute neglect.  Miss Caffrey advised that specific training was planned for schools, it was suggested that data on take up for this be feedback.

j)      That the Chair of the Fostering Panel was independent and commissioned. 

k)    That the Agency Decision Maker (ADM) for Rutland was Ms Wilshire.

l)     That the Corporate Parenting Strategy and Terms of Reference was due to be updated, Ms Wilshire advised that members would be able to suggest recommendations for inclusion.

m)  That Corporate Parenting Board (CPB) training was delivered to Mr Foster as a Cabinet member and the intention was to deliver to all members, Miss Waller noted that the action plan did not make this clear, it was agreed that this be amended within the plan.

n)   Miss Waller noted that Mr Foster attended all meetings of the Adoption Panel.  Mr Foster advised that this was not the case, Ms Wilshire agreed to look into this, someone from Rutland should attend four meetings per year and this should be an officer.

 

AGREED

 

That members NOTED the action plan and comments be taken on board by Officers. 

Supporting documents: