Dept of Health pages in lieu of appendices: Quality Protects Progamme or guidance - includes LAC98/28 in pdf format; Guidance to Children Act 1989 (Annex C);  Daycare Services for Children

AGENDA ITEM   BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL    SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE     DECEMBER 7 1998

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH INITIATIVE: 'QUALITY PROTECTS': BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL RESPONSE

(Report of the Director of Social Services)

Purpose of Report

1. This report provides information about Bristol City Council's proposed response to the Department of Health's Quality Protects initiative in relation to local authority services to children. The overall purpose of this initiative is to ensure that local authority social services are well managed and effective.

Background

2. Over the past few years there has been increasing national concern about the quality and effectiveness of many services to children. Whilst there has been much good practice nationally and locally, policy makers and professionals have acknowledged that local authorities have not always adequately safeguarded the welfare and care (including the education and health) of children, and particularly that of children looked after by the local authority.

3. A number of national reports have highlighted deficiencies in current policy and practice. Of particular relevance are:

• Sir William Utting's report People Like Us: Report of the Review of Safeguards for Children Living Away from Home. This drew attention to the need to improve policy and practice in relation to the welfare of all children living away from home. Bristol Social Services Committee received a report on People Like Us in March 1998.

• The Department of Health's Social Services Inspectorate report 'Someone else's children' (September 1998). This summarises key issues arising from inspections of services to children looked after. Of particular concern was inconsistency in practice, service delivery, planning and placement of children.

4. Government established a Ministerial Task Force to examine how issues raised in People like Us should be addressed. Its response to this Children's safeguards review was published on 5 November 1998 and sets out a comprehensive programme of policy and management changes the Government will make to meet the criticisms made by the Review (see appendix 1).

5. Members will also be aware that Government established a Judicial Tribunal of Inquiry into the events which led to the conviction of people in North Wales for sexual and other crimes against children looked after. The North Wales Judicial

Inquiry is due to report shortly (probably early in 1999). Its report is likely to have a significant bearing on local authority services to children looked after.

6. Finally local authorities also received a circular this summer Adoption: Achieving the right balance. Information about this circular will be included in a report to Committee early in the New Year on the Review of Bristol's adoption service.

7. There is then a strong commitment by Government to drive forward initiatives which will deliver more effective and safe services to all children in need, but particularly to children looked after by local authorities who, arguably, constitute one of the most needy and socially excluded groups of children in society.

Quality Protects Initiative

8. Frank Dobson, Secretary of State for Health, announced the Quality Protects programme initiative on September 21 1998. Members should by now have received a copy of the Secretary of State's letter to all local authority elected members about this initiative. This letter stresses the corporate responsibility of local government, and specifically the pivotal role of all elected members in ensuring that high quality services are delivered to children looked after in order to enable them to have a good start in life. It is important to note that Government guidance describes this three year programme as being designed to transform the management and delivery of children's services.

9. Government requires all local authorities to submit a Quality Protects Action Plan to the Department of Health by 31 January 1999. Government guidance regarding the format and framework for Quality Protects Management Action Plans (MAPs) which all local authorities must produce by January 31 1999 was issued by the Department of Health on November 12 1998.

10. Government has identified eight core national objectives for children's services in a document Objectives for Social Services for Children (see appendix 3). These national objectives relate to services to all children in need within the terms of the Children Act 1989 (including children looked after, disabled children and children with protection needs). Copies of Department of Health information (including guidance on the format and framework for Quality Protects MAPs) are available in the Members’ room and in the Records Office (Room U29, Council House) for public inspection.

11. Some of these objectives have been enhanced by specific targets which also appear in Modernising Health and Social Services: National Priorities Guidance 1999.00 - 2001/2 (see appendix 2). This identified local authority social services as the lead agency for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of socially excluded children, and particularly of children looked after by local authorities. Government has also identified sub-objectives and is seeking comments to ensure that they are useful, realistic and measurable.

12. A key element of the Quality Protects initiative is the children's services special grant which is being made available to ensure that local authorities have the resources available to achieve the necessary improvements (see paragraphs 16-18 below).

13. Government emphasises that the Quality Protects MAPs should be primarily regarded as management rather than strategic planning documents, however they should nonetheless be based on a clear strategic vision and goals for children's services over the next three years. MAPs thus should consequently complement the Children's Services Plans.

Guidance on Quality Protects Management Action Plans

14. Authorities are asked to take the following action:

• submit any comments on the sub objectives to the Department of Health by 31 January 1999.

• nominate a Quality Protects lead officer who will take responsibility for implementing the Quality Protects programme within the authority. It is proposed that this should be the Director of Social Services.

• submit a Quality Protects MAP by 31 January 1999, and following the format set out in the guidance. The Department of Health requires that the authority's MAP is supported by a letter from the Chief Executive and Director of Social Services showing that the plan has been endorsed by the Leader of the Council and by the Chairs of the Social Services and Education.

• include plans for spending the special grant allocation for 1998-9.

• submit to the Department of Health by 31 January 2000 a report on progress in implementing Quality Protects, and an updated MAP for the next two years.

15. The recently issued guidance also emphasises a number of other important aspects of the Quality Protects programme, including:

• the important role of local councillors in delivering the programme, and of partnerships between local and central government. The Department of Health will, including via the appointment of eight regional development workers, support and monitor the work of local authorities to deliver the requisite improvements.

• the programme has a particular focus on children looked after but services to all children in need must also be addressed in MAPs. There is not yet, however, a clear Department of Health definition as to which groups of children should be considered as children in need.

• the need for local authorities to appraise honestly and accurately their position in relation to Government's objectives. We are expected to set out our strategic vision and goals (our 'aspirations) for children's services, provide baseline information (against indicators described in the guidance), to analyse our relative strengths and weaknesses, and to state clearly how we will achieve national and local objectives.

• Government recognises that this initiative sets a large agenda and that all the information which is required may not be currently available. Government guidance emphasises that authorities will not be penalised for the openness and honesty of their self assessment.

• MAPs should be based on consultation with the health and voluntary sector locally, and should explain how children have, or will be consulted about their content.

• MAPs should be regarded as public documents.

16. 1998/9 Each local authority will be allocated £32,000 to establish their Quality Protects programmes. It may be spent on a number of different areas, including audit of local services, preparatory work on the implementation of MAPs, the development of management information systems, and enhancing the implementation of the Looking After Children (LAC) system. It is proposed that in Bristol this money be primarily used for generating management information and establishing systems for the collection of data in the future, and for other work associated with the production of the Bristol MAP.

17. For the remainder of the programme (i.e. 1999-2002), the following amounts will be available nationally:

1999/00          £75m

2000/01        £120m

2001/02  £180m

Government has not yet determined how this money will be allocated between authorities; it is understood, however, that authorities will be notified of the grant which they will receive sometime before December.

18. The special grant must be targeted on the following priority areas:

• increasing the choice of placements for children looked after

• increasing the support provided to care leavers

• improving assessment, care planning and record keeping

• enhancing the development and use of management information systems

• improving quality assurance systems

• listening to the views and wishes of children and young people.

Completion of Bristol's Quality Protects Management Action Plan

19. Government's timescales for completing Quality Protects MAPs are extremely tight. It is clear that whilst some of the necessary groundwork has already been undertaken (for example, via Children's Services Planning processes, preparation for the Joint Review and Bristol Education's Behaviour Support Plan), very considerable effort will need to be invested by the City Council in the development of the MAP. Key tasks which will need to be undertaken include:

• ensuring that accurate and relevant management information is available.

• identifying and detailing ways in which the management and delivery of services (including performance management and quality assurance systems) should change and be developed so that we achieve national and local objectives and targets.

• developing proposals about how Bristol's allocated special grant should be spent, taking account of national and local priorities.

• working closely with other City Council officers (most particularly those in Education and Leisure), with the Health Authority and relevant Health Trusts, and with relevant voluntary sector organisations.

• involving Social Services staff and managers in the formulation of the MAP so that they have a clear sense of ownership of the development and implementation of the MAP.

• giving consideration to how children, young people and their parents/carers might be most appropriately consulted on Bristol's MAP.

20. The Department of Health has acknowledged the very tight time constraints which local authorities will be working within, particularly in terms of the need to consult widely on the plan. It is proposed that a half day consultation event be held in mid January to contribute to the process of consulting with appropriate Health and voluntary sector agencies.

21. Officers will therefore be working to develop a draft plan for endorsement by Social Services Committee on 25th January 1999.

Elected Member Oversight of Services to Children Looked After.

22. It is suggested that the Quality Protects initiative, along with other local and national political trends, indicate that consideration should be given to establishing new political structures to assist elected members in the execution of their corporate parenting tasks relating to looked after children.

Appendix 3 outlines potential objectives, tasks and membership for any new political structure. Officers suggest that consideration should be given to establishing a Children Looked After Social Services Sub-Committee. Such a sub-committee could include Social Services Committee members, together with co-opted members from Education, Housing and Leisure Committees or a Children Looked After Policy and Resources Joint Sub-Committee (including representatives of Social Services, Leisure, Education and Housing Committees).

23. It is also suggested that such a sub committee should seek to be inclusive in its style of working in order to promote partnership with, and involvement by children and young people (particularly children looked after) as well as organisations which represent their perspectives. The latter could be via the ex officio membership of organisations such as the After Care Group, NCH Action for Children Advocacy Service, Voice of the Child in Care and any other relevant child care organisation (possibly including those representing disabled children and black children).

Such a sub committee would need to meet at least four times per year.

Lay Review Panels

24. Government Regulations lay down a number of requirements in relation to the lay review panel system for children placed by local authorities in secure accommodation (see appendix 3).

25. It is proposed that a new approach to lay review panel duties be considered so that:

(a) In relation to children and young people placed locally at Vinney Green Secure Unit

• Panel meetings would normally be held at the secure unit where the child is placed.

• The Panel considering individual placements would consist of at least three people, i.e. a person independent of the local authority, an Elected Member and a Social Services Manager.

• The young person, their parents, social worker and any other relevant people would normally be invited to attend and contribute to the meeting (with usual caveats about exceptional circumstances).

• Such an approach would be congruent with policy and practice in most other local authorities.

(b) In relation to children and young people placed at other units further afield

• The current model would continue, ie monthly meetings would be held at the Council House, involving all elected members of the Lay Review Panel plus at least one independent member.

If a Children Looked After Sub Committee is established, then this Sub Committee should receive regular feedback about issues relating to children and young people placed in secure accommodation.

26. The adoption of the approach outlined above with respect of children and young people placed at Vinney Green would assist in engendering more meaningful decision making and encourage a more effective partnership with children, young people and their parent/carers. However, it is not felt practicable to extend this approach to placements further afield because of the inevitable resource implications.

Contact Officer: Annie Hudson (Principal Officer, Children) Tel 903 7790

Appendices

Appendix 1 - LAC(98)27 Government Response to the Children’s Safeguards Review

Appendix 2 - Excerpt from Health Service Circular/Local Authority Circular (September 1998) - Modernising Health & Social Services: National Priorities Guidance 1999/00-2001/2

Appendix 3 - Political Structures for Elected Members Oversight of Services to Children Looked After

Papers Placed in Members’ Room

1. Quality Protects Framework for Action