Agenda item

Officer: Kerry Crichlow

Key decision: no

The Leader of the Council has delegated to the Cabinet the power to make the decisions set out below

RESOLVED to

1. Note the progress made in implementing the children’s improvement plan

2. Note the revised Statutory Direction from the Secretary of State for Education directing Croydon to co-operate with Camden Council on peer support arrangements to support rapid, measurable improvement in the delivery of children’s services.

3. Note that the revised Statutory Direction brings the role of the Children’s Services Commissioner for Croydon to an end.

4. Note the progress made in developing the peer support arrangements with Camden Council.

5. Note the outcomes from the second Ofsted monitoring visit carried out in March 2018.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Learning gave a presentation that can be viewed on the meeting webcast. Cabinet was informed that it was the ambition of the council to ensure that young people’s voices were heard across Croydon, and that work continued to progress the implementation of the four P’s (Practice, People & Performance, Partners and Platforms). While the progress made to date had been noted by Ofsted it was recognised that further work needed to take place to ensure the service was performing as it should, enabling families to have all the skills and strategies they require.

Members were informed that there remained a strong commitment to meet the needs of care leavers, and the improvements plans sought to ensure a whole system approach was taken which included all partners.

In response to frontline staff concerns, a new case recording system had been introduced to support their work. Furthermore, business support had been introduced to support social workers and enable them to spend more time supporting families.

The Cabinet Member informed Cabinet that a revised statutory direction had been received, and the council had agreed to quarterly progress checks in addition to the half yearly ones. The peer support arrangements with Camden had also been agreed which had officially begun in April 2018 and would run to March 2019. Work had begun in January 2018 with Camden which had enabled the council to remain on track on its improvement journey, and it was hoped further improvements would be seen at the next monitoring visit on 10 and 11 July 2018. Cabinet concluded by thanking all the frontline staff for their work in ensuring that the families were receiving the best possible service.

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Learning noted there were positive improvements being made, and recommended all Members read Appendix 2 of the report. Queries were raised in regard to managerial oversight which was viewed as variable. In response the Cabinet Member confirmed that managerial oversight was part of the peer support programme, and the council was looking to improve quality assurance.

The Cabinet Member stated that work with vulnerable adolescents was a personal passion as she knew many of them. The Chair of the Safeguarding Board was reviewing the issues faced by vulnerable adolescents and how the council could support them. Furthermore, Members were informed that further work would be undertaken to tackle serious youth violence, with a paper due to be taken at a future Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet Member for Homes & Gateway Services stated that it was fulfilling to see the work that was being undertaken to support care leavers and the council sought to ensure homes were provided for young people when they left home. The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources informed Members that he continued to support those he had fostered as children during adulthood. The council had also introduced resources to enable a step change throughout the service, and the focus was on staff retention and management oversight.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Learning confirmed that there was no complacency and work would continue to improve the service and ensure every young person was supported. To support care leavers the Corporate Parenting Panel would consider a staying put policy which would give young people the opportunity to stay with foster carers after the age of 18. It was confirmed that Members would be kept updated on the progress of creating this policy.

The Leader of the Council delegated to the Cabinet the power to make the decisions set out below.

RESOLVED to

1. Note the progress made in implementing the children’s improvement plan

2. Note the revised Statutory Direction from the Secretary of State for Education directing Croydon to co-operate with Camden Council on peer support arrangements to support rapid, measurable improvement in the delivery of children’s services.

3. Note that the revised Statutory Direction brings the role of the Children’s Services Commissioner for Croydon to an end.

4. Note the progress made in developing the peer support arrangements with Camden Council.

5. Note the outcomes from the second Ofsted monitoring visit carried out in March 2018.