Agenda item

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

This report has a non-public appendix, which will be circulated in the separate ‘Appendices Pack’.

The Sub Committee received a report of the Executive Director, Community and Children’s Services, which presented the self-evaluation for the City of London Corporation’s Children and Families Service for 2022. It also set  out the Service Development Plan (SDP).

Whilst it would not be prudent to train everyone in every aspect of social care, the officer explained that each member of the management team has at least 10 years’ experience.  Each professional has a lead area; i.e. – unaccompanied minors; gangs etc. and this  enables social workers to develop expertise in a particular field.   Regular basic training is provided, and an action learning set approach, with safeguarding at the core.   For example, if a social worker has a case in court, then it is a learning opportunity for all.  Training needs are also picked up as part of the appraisal process and supervisions.   Since the 2020 Ofsted Inspection, the team produce a ‘child in need tracker’, which links to supervision notes.  Some concerns raised about supervision had been unfounded but it was being monitored on the service development plan.

The capacity of the  management team had increased in line with the number of new social workers, and in response to the growing number of  unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

The recruitment and retention policy requires caseloads to be allocated across the service, with resilience built in for leave and sickness cover.   Pan London peer work also enables learning from colleagues in other authorities.  

When a bid was submitted last year, seeking funding for short breaks for parents of children with SEND, it had been unsuccessful as the provision in Hackney was felt to be sufficient.  However, the Team strive to go beyond statutory responsibilities and  submitted another bid this year, seeking an additional support worker and a project manager.  Pre-paid cards and bank accounts had been introduced to give families more flexibility

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.