Agenda item - Strategic Risk Focus: SR15 Keeping Children Safe from harm and abuse; and SR17 School Places Planning

Report of the Acting Director, Finance & Resources (copy attached).

1)           That Members note the information provided to address these strategic risks in Appendix 1, Strategic Risk Assessment Report.

76.1      The Committee considered a report of the Acting Director of Finance & Resources which informed Members that the Committee had a role to monitor the effectiveness of risk management and internal control. This included oversight of the Strategic Risk Register which was set and reviewed every six months by the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). Action to manage each Strategic Risk is led by a Risk Owner, a member of ELT. The meeting was attended by the Executive Director, Children’s Services as the Risk Action Owner for SR15: Keeping Children Safe from Harm and SR17: School Places Planning. The Executive Director, Children’s Services provided a verbal update on both Risks and answered Members’ questions based on the Strategic Risk Report.

76.2      In relation to SR15: Keeping Children Safe from Harm, Councillor Sykes noted that there had been an increase in referrals from neighbouring authorities and asked how cross-border movement was monitored.

76.3      The Executive Director, Children’s Service clarified that in cases such as these, the relevant Child Protection Plan (CPP) would be shared by the local authorities. Where the authority was unaware of cross-border movement, help was sought from colleagues in the health and police services.

76.4      Diane Bushell enquired as to reason why the number of Children in Care (CiC) and Children in Need (CiN) were significantly higher than in other authorities. Furthermore, Diane Bushell asked if there was a trend in children in poverty and why only 20% progress had been made in ICT information storage and retrieval processes.

76.5      The Executive Director, Children’s Service replied that the number of children on CPP’s had been at a high level for a number of years which had prompted analysis of the social demographic. This had found there were key issues contributing to the higher numbers: substance and alcohol misuse, mental health and domestic abuse. One of the major changes made in relation to the findings was that the same social worker would stay with children from the point they entered the care system to the point they left. This, amongst other initiatives, had led to a drop in CiC and the number of CPP’s which now was at its lowest level for a number of years. The Executive Director, Children’s Service further explained that the poverty trend in the city was slightly downward although forthcoming changes to the welfare system would present challenges. In relation to the final point, the council was undertaking a major programme to consolidate its ICT records and this would be assisted by the recently agreed digital investment programme.

76.6      Councillor Druitt noted the improvements in the number of CiC and asked if there were lessons to be learned to continue that trend.

76.7      The Executive Director, Children’s Service stated that a part of the reduction had been a joined approach with health services, changes to arrangements with families such as a ‘step-down’ process for CiC which had all contributed to a significantly reduced re-referral rate. Furthermore, regular audits were carried out and the issue was considered thoroughly by the Child Review Board.

76.8      In relation to SR17: School Places Planning, Councillor Robins noted that expansions to increase class size at three schools in Portslade had been carried out in anticipation of school places pressure in the city. All of these schools were now struggling to reach their capacity. Councillor Robins asked how this scenario could be avoided in future.

76.9      The Executive Director, Children’s Services stated that he understood the pressure on places related to the Hove and West Hove area and capacity at the three schools was intended to ensure sufficient spaces over the wider area. The increase in population had materialised in the central Hove area but had been offset somewhat be the opening of the Bilingual School. Although it was difficult to determine entry numbers at primary school level, GP and nursery data was constantly reviewed to ensure effective planning where that could be done.

76.10   RESOLVED- That Members note the information provided to address these strategic risks in Appendix 1, Strategic Risk Assessment Report.