Cymraeg

ModernGov Councillors and Meetings

cardiff.moderngov.co.uk

Agenda item

Children's Services Quarter 3 Performance Report

To carry out performance review scrutiny of the Children’s Services element of Cardiff’s Social Services

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Councillor Graham Hinchey (Cabinet Member, Children and Families, and Deborah Driffield (Assistant Director, Children’s Services) to the meeting.

 

The Chairperson invited Councillor Hinchey to make a statement.  The report is a warts and all account of the current position, which highlights the need for huge progress still to be made, but advised that 90% of Local Authorities are showing an overspend in this area. 

 

Members of the Committee were provided with presentation.  Performance information was provided in relation to relevant Key Performance Indicators, Strategic Priorities, Well-being Assessments, the Child Protection Register, Case Reviews, Looked After Children and the Workforce.

 

The Committee were invited to comment, seek clarification or raise questions on the information received.  Those discussions were summarised as follows:

 

  •  

The Committee welcomed the transparency of the information contained in the report. 

 

  •  

Members referred to the continued overspend and requested reassurance that the trend will change in the coming years. The Cabinet Member advised that investment is taking place in Social Services, £5.6m of the £7.2m invested in Social Services last year went to Children’s Services.  It was explained that much of the investment was used to change working practices, for example assessments.  More work has to be done to insure that funding is being used more efficiently.

 

  •  

Members noted that the £2m projected savings from last year were unachieved and queried whether the position is likely to be the same this year.  Members were advised that Cardiff was an outlier in its reliance on the private sector, and are, quite significantly, the lowest performing in respect of kinship care.  Both positions are unacceptable but will take time to resolve. It was noted that there was also an overreliance on agency staff.  

 

  •  

Members referred to sickness absence levels and the low percentage of return to work interviews completed and completed personal reviews. Members were advised that Children’s Services were the only part of the Council meeting sickness level targets, and advised that the figures referred to would be considered further, to establish whether they are just a snap shot.  When personal reviews were introduced the completion level was considerably less, but the figure has now doubled.  

 

  •  

Members discussed the reliance on agency staff and the framework agreement that is currently in place and relates to payment rates for staff.  Members were advised that a review of that framework is currently taken place.    Members queried whether there would be any benefit to Cardiff creating its own agency. Some years ago a review took place, most local authorities were prepared to sign up to an agreement however, some refused on the basis that they paid much more in order to keep the staff they had.  It is something that needs to be reviewed nationally.

 

Members queried whether Wales could offer similar bursaries to offered in England to help with the recruitment of Social Workers, and were advised that that would have to be a Social Care Wales initiative but currently 12 secondments to go to university have been offered on the basis that staff will remain with the authority. 

 

  •  

Members referred to previous comments made about the capturing of information, particularly from exit interviews, when the retention of staff has been discussed.  The Assistant Director advised that staff are not under any obligation to attend an exit interview.  Whilst information about the reason for leaving is collected, the account provided is not always accurate.

 

  •  

Members asked about the level of caseloads in the authority and where those levels sit in comparison to other authorities.  It was noted that the average case load is 15 cases, however, every case is different.  A workload management system does need to be introduced.  Managers should be aware of the nature of the case load and workload management should be carried out every 4 to 6 weeks.

 

  •  

Members noted that the recruitment of social workers is difficult across the country but that progress in Cardiff was slow but steady, there is a recruitment plan and weekly meetings take place.  There was a meeting recently with the current final year students, 15 of them and they were all positive about their futures.  Interviews are being arranged as quickly as possible, appointments are being made as social work assistants until they receive their registration.

 

It was explained to Members that the vacancy target for Social Works has been changed, and the Corporate plan amended accordingly.

 

  •  

Members discussed the impact of rotating staff within teams to try and avoid’ burn out’ in staff and were advised that the rotation of staff within teams is not yet in place, however, it is one of the proposals being consider within the Early Help and Intake and Assessment team. 

 

  •  

Members asked for an update on the review of the MASH and were advised that the MASH and the Intake and Assessment Team would be merged prior to a larger restructured.  The Assistant Director will also be chairing a multi-agency meeting to take that forward and a new manager has been identified.

 

  •  

Members requested information about the Chastisement Bill and were advised that the impact the bill will have is not currently known but it something that will have to be dealt.  The Cabinet Member indicated that 47% of calls to the MASH were from the police, it is understood that there will be some retraining as to what is being reported by the Police. 

 

AGREED:  That the Chair writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations discussed during the Way Forward.

Supporting documents:

 

To request a document in an accessible format please e-mail us.

© 2022 Cardiff Council
We use strictly necessary cookies to allow you to have the best experience on our website. These cookies do not track users.