Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services.

To be read in conjunction with the non-public appendix at agenda item 22.

Members received a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services relative to the Service Development Plan. In light of the Excellent and Outstanding ratings from last year’s Ofsted inspection, the plan looks at how these standards can be maintained. The plan also factors in the impacts of the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement which impacts many of the children and families that use these services. Some examples of work that was underway in relation to the plan included the family therapy programme with Kings College London.

In response to Members’ questions on how excellent standard was being maintained for LAC and care leavers, one example was the sleep support which involved sleep packs and working with psychologists and social workers to ensure young people sleep well to maintain wellbeing, along with diet and exercise.

In response to Members’ questions on how the ‘good’ Ofsted judgement for children and need and children in need of protection was being addressed to establish excellent practice, these children and families were prioritised for the Kings College London family therapy clinic. Systems were also in place to support management oversight and assessment of risk for CiN and CP. For example, a CiN Tracker meeting had been established; the case closure and risk management panel continued to meet; the oversight of the performance data in the performance meetings enabled close tracking of new contacts and referrals, and there had been several audits undertaken which included threshold reviews.

RESOLVED, that – the report be received and its contents noted.