Issue - items at meetings - Performance Improvement Report

Report of the Director of Children’s Services (Copy attached).

1.       That the data and analysis in the PIR be noted and the action being taken to improve performance be agreed.

2.       That it be agreed that new proposals, to be outlined in the next Performance Improvement Report, be considered which will address/reconcile the requirements to monitor CYPP priority indicators, the CYPP delivery plan, other key strategic plans, the National Indicator Set and the Ofsted Performance Profile.

31.1    The Board considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning the Performance Improvement report, which presented the performance covering the period April to September 2009 and provided the Board with information relating to the agreed priority outcomes for children and young people and the strategic actions that aim to improve performance (for copy see minute book).

31.2    The Assistant Director, Strategic Commissioning and Governance, pointed out that the report covered not only social working, but services across the whole of the CYPT business. He noted some of the good news information, for instance the positive information achieved around child obesity and breast feeding; he also noted some of the challenges the city still faced, such as the increase of NEET and the figures on teenage pregnancy.

31.3    Councillor Fryer noted the information on teenage pregnancy. She sought clarification about the outcomes of the conference that took place last Summer and enquired about the steps the city was taking as a result of it, which it was not being taken prior to the event. She also queried what the situation was in relation to school meals and biometric testing.

31.4    The Assistant Director explained that the city had adopted some action points following the conference. He noted, however, that it was early days to know what the impact of those actions were. He reported that he was working closely with the corporate team and the intention was to report on this matter, and on what had been achieved, quarterly.

31.5    In terms of school meals and biometric testing, the Director of Children Services stated that she was aware that the system was causing concerns.  She explained that the Head of School Admissions & Transport was the officer leading on this matter and, therefore, he would be able to give greater clarification on this issue. She advised, however, that the matter needed to be looked at again.

31.6    The Board referred to the number of children with child protection plan and enquired whether there had been any changes since the ‘Baby P’ incident. The Director of Children Services identified that, following ‘Baby P’, there had been an increase in referrals to social care but the early increase that showed in the report probably related to the fact that the product of integrated Services was the improved identification of children at risk.  

31.7    RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Board accepted the following recommendations:

(1)      That the data and analysis in the PIR be noted and the action being taken to improve performance be agreed.

(2)      That it be agreed that new proposals, to be outlined in the next Performance Improvement Report, be considered which will address/reconcile the requirements to monitor CYPP priority indicators, the CYPP delivery plan, other key strategic plans, the National Indicator Set and the Ofsted Performance Profile.