Issue - meetings

The appendices for this report are contained in the “Additional Papers” Pack circulated with the Agenda.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and the Board Director, Commissioning (DCS/DASS) submitted a joint report concerning the findings of the Care Quality Commission inspection of health services for children looked after and safeguarding, and Ofsted’s inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers and the review of the effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board, and the actions planned to meet the identified areas for development.

Councillor Fionuala Foley, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, introduced the report and referred to the average numbers of children in Swindon who are on protection plans or being looked after. She noted that this report has been taken to other arenas such as the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board and that the associated action plans will be monitored.

Councillor Jim Grant, Leader of the Opposition, queried if the action plan resulting from the Ofsted inspection will be fleshed out prior to the Scrutiny Committee meeting in September 2014. He also queried how much funding would be required to achieve the improvements requested from the reviews.

Councillor Foley confirmed that all background information pertaining to the action plans is already available, and welcomed that a whole meeting of the Scrutiny Committee be devoted to this. Councillor Foley also noted that improvements will be achieved through restructuring and better recruitment and retention of staff.

            Resolved – (1) To note the findings of the inspections and satisfy itself that the action plans in response will deliver the intended outcomes.

            (2) To note that the Board Director, Commissioning, and the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, have responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the action plans, involving the Health, Adults and Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee in areas particularly important to the Council, including the strategic priorities identified at 4.6.

            (3) To delegate to the Board Director, Commissioning and Cabinet Member Children’s Services the authority to amend the action plans following Ofsted’s review at the start of July 2014.

            (4) To thank the officers involved for their work on the inspections formally.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in this minute and the report to the meeting.