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SOCIAL SERVICES NORTH WEST
MEETING ON 21 DECEMBER AT WARRINGTON
REPORT OF THE CO-ORDINATOR
AND THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES, KNOWSLEY
(LEAD DIRECTOR ON CHILDREN & FAMILIES, ADSS NW
CHILDREN’S SERVICES
1. Matter for Consideration:
Measures to enable member authorities to continue working together and to share and develop good practice in children's services.
2. Introduction
In response to members' concerns about the cost and value of out of borough placements for children, further work has been done to look at how best to ensure that the most effective residential services are being provided. Member authorities find themselves paying considerably more for external placements and are keen to look at ways of acting more co-operatively to address these issues.
3. Information
3.1. Social Services North West is working closely with ADSS(NW) to maximise co-operation amongst member authorities in sharing good practice and ensuring high quality, cost effective residential placements that meet the specific needs of children and young people. In particular, officers of SSNW have continued to work closely with Anita Marsland, Director of Knowsley in her capacity as Lead Director Children and Families for ADSS(NW) and Chair of the Quality Protects Reference Group. Two significant developments have occurred since the previous committee meeting in September.
3.2. One is the setting up by ADSS NW of an event for Assistant Directors in children’s services to consider commissioning and other key issues. This is to be held at the Lowry Centre in Salford on Monday 28 January and Al Aynsley -Green, Nuffield Professor of Child Health has agreed to give the keynote address. This development has been warmly received by the Assistant Directors, who are keen to explore further opportunities for co-operation.
3.3. Officers of SSNW have also carried out a trawl of Best Value Reviews carried out in the relation to children’s residential placements in the Region to date. All member authorities have responded with information about Best Value Reviews completed or planned. Bolton, Knowsley, Manchester and Oldham in particular have sent detailed information on their reviews of residential services: these are outlined below. It is clear from the information provided that those member authorities that have reviewed their children’s residential services are looking at ways to provide more in-house placements in small 2- 4 bed residential units with high staff ratios. Greater emphasis is also being put on looking at outcomes to judge which placements are most effective.
Bolton:
are looking to replace an existing crisis and respite unit with three small houses, one as a reception unit and two as longer term units offering planned placements. Each will provide two placements. Designated service managers will take responsibility for each unit. Expressions of interests are to be invited from external providers. Plans are also afoot to reduce out-of-borough placement costs through more efficient placement decisions.
Knowsley:
are analysing financial and management information and developing accurate outputs and costings for residential services with a view to developing more effective provision. The Best Value Review on children looked after is due to be completed this month.
Manchester:
are looking to achieve a net reduction of 2% in the number of children looked after in public care each year from 2000 –2005. Options on alternative models of provision and comparative cost benefits are to be explored. Residential units are to be reviewed. 10% of looked after children are currently in residential care; a small percentage of these are purchased externally and Manchester has 45 in-house beds. Manchester is in the upper quartile for costs of residential care but is not one of the most costly. It is recommended that the residential service market-test the viability of other models of service delivery through partnerships with other agencies.
Oldham:
The main findings of its Best Value review included:
- changing the purpose and function of their homes away from short term to allow young people to stay until they are ready to move, rather than a planned programme of moves;
- young people will be looked after in smaller groups of four with a more consistent staff team;
- full consultation will occur with Health and Education on meeting targets for looked after children and to look at alternative ways of keeping young people safely in their own communities;
- developing a more flexible approach to in house residential provision and the development of smaller units along with a reduction in out of borough placements;
- savings made in providing more flexible services will be re-invested;
- there will continue to be a recognition of the value of residential provision for some children.
Young people consulted were positive about the idea of living together in smaller units where boys and girls lived together with consistent staff support.
3.4. A number of Best Value reviews are due to be completed in the near future including ones on looked after children from Knowsley, Rochdale and Sefton and it is intended that the results will be reported to the committee in due course.
4. Recommendation
Members are asked to note the above report and consider a further report at the next meeting on other completed Best Value reviews and on the Lowry seminar in January 2002.
Best Value Reviews - Children’s Residential Service
Authority: Best Value Reviews: Completed by:
Blackpool
Children’s Social Services - October 2003
(including looked after )
Bolton
Children’s Resources - completed
Knowsley
Children’s Short breaks and Residential care - completed
Children looked after due December 2001
Manchester
Children’s Placements – completed
Quality Protects
Children’s placements - due 2005
Oldham
Quality protects - completed
Residential care/field work completed
Rochdale
Looked after children - March 2002
Sefton
Looked after children - due January 2002
Stockport
Residential care - completed 2000
Tameside
Looked after children - due mid 2002
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