Agenda item

7.1

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families, which provided an update on progress in implementing in Sheffield the new requirements created under the Children and Families Act 2014.  The report was supported by a presentation which covered the relevant sections of the Act.

7.2

In attendance for this item were Dorne Collinson (Director of Children and Families), Jon Banwell (Assistant Director, Provider Services), Debbie Mercer (Assistant Director, Fieldwork Services), Dee Desgranges (Assistant Director for Lifelong Learning, Skills and Communities), Cathie Tandy (Assistant Service Manager – Strategy, Policy, Development and Performance) and Anna Brook (Policy and Strategy Officer).

7.3

The presentation was introduced by Dorne Collinson and the officers addressed the Committee in turn on the different parts of the Act.  Jon Banwell spoke on Adoption and Contact, including Fostering, Debbie Mercer spoke on Family Justice, Dee Desgranges dealt with Special Educational Needs, Cathie Tandy referred to Childcare Reform, and Anna Brook covered other relevant parts of the Act.

7.4

Members made various comments and asked a number of questions to which responses were provided as follows:-

7.4.1

Adoption and Contact

·                In relation to Fostering to Adopt, comparison of Sheffield’s performance with that of other local authorities would be sent to the Policy and Improvement Officer for circulation to Committee Members.

·                The length of Fostering Post 18 Placement Support was based on individual needs, but usually lasted for about 18 months. 

7.4.2

Family Justice

·                Changes to procedures in care proceedings had been made as a result of some court cases going on for up to a year.  Whilst officers shared the concerns expressed about the focus being on meeting deadlines rather than outcomes, it appeared that quicker outcomes produced better results.

·                There had been no negative feedback in reducing the time limits on care proceedings from 33 weeks to 27 weeks, but the limit could be extended if necessary and would always be kept under review.

·                Positives resulting from the reduced time limits on care proceedings were that children had been placed with relatives and long term placements had been arranged more quickly.  It was recognised that other local authorities had shorter deadlines, but it was important to focus on outcomes.

·                Outcomes were the driver in the process, with the best interests of the child being of the highest importance.  An independent reviewing service fed back on any issues and Sheffield had good rates of kinship care and adoption, with 25 adoptions having taken place so far this year.

·                The Act designated the Social Worker to be the expert witness in care proceedings, unless the case was particularly complex.

·                The likely impact of Legal Aid cuts would be a rise in Section 7 reports and the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service had reported that this had been the case.

7.4.3

Special Educational Needs

·                The Council was on schedule for the next batch of conversions.

·                It was considered that the Council had adequate numbers of people working on Special Education Needs (SEN), with four staff managing a team of 23 people.  These were split into a Conversions Team, a Support Team and an Administration Team, and there was an Education Health and Care Co-ordinator.

·                Half of the financial resource for Special Education Needs was from a Special Education Needs grant, but this finished in March 2016.

·                The SEN teams were structured according to localities.

·                The Y6 cohort, which was to move through, was bigger than the Y7 cohort last year, so planning was required and there were no extra resources.  Any new schools would need to build for inclusion, with the target being the same offer for all children.

·                More children were coming through with SEN year on year.  This might be down to improved diagnosis, but autism was also providing a spike.

·                Schools at Nook Lane and Birley Spa were supporting children with SEN in mainstream school and it was hoped that this approach could be widened across the City.

·                There was a need for an excellence hub in each location.

7.4.4

Other Parts of the Act

·                The legislation on tobacco, e-cigarettes and smoking elements could be enforced by local authorities and a note on what was being delivered locally would be sent to the Policy and Improvement Officer for circulation to Committee Members.

·                In relation to sexual assaults on children in schools, systems were now in place to identify situations, respond and protect children and young people.  It was emphasised that child protection was the responsibility of everyone as the statutory organisations could only perform effectively with the assistance of the public.

·                Child abusers had become more complicated and, whilst the Social Workers’ job was a difficult but rewarding one, it had become more complex.

·                The City’s Tackling Poverty Strategy, which incorporated duties in relation to child poverty, included links to the Food Strategy.  There had been recent discussions about work on child hunger, with much of this being related to identification involving schools and health providers.  Creative ways of bringing money in to address child hunger were being explored, as well as creating solutions in communities themselves.

·                A small pilot on child hunger in the school holidays had been undertaken in the City during the summer and this had been packaged as a holiday activity to avoid any stigma.

·                Different organisations were looking at food poverty in the City and the role of community businesses in providing food was being examined.  Food banks and advice services were working together and the early feedback was that this had been helpful, particularly in relation to supporting families who were not otherwise accessing help.

·                An invitation could be extended to Committee Members to attend meetings of the Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee where items on obesity and food were to be considered.

·                It was felt that the Council had sufficient Social Workers, with a stable workforce having been built up, without a large agency cover.  It was important that the right environment was created for Social Workers in terms of their education, training and support, and there had been some success in retaining staff.  Final recruitment was now taking place for Social Work Managers.

7.5

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       thanks the attending officers for their contribution to the meeting;

(b)       notes the contents of the report and presentation and the responses to questions; and

(c)        requests that a further update on progress made in implementing the requirements created under the Children and Families Act 2014, be presented to the Committee in 12 months’ time.