To consider the contents of the report.

Members were reminded that the Council had set a number of performance indicators to monitor service area performance. Overall 95 per cent of indicators were on target, above the national average of 70 per cent. Of the performance indicators relevant to the Panel, 12 were meeting their target, one was just off target but within an acceptable range, and two required improvement.

The Director of Children’s Services advised Members that the performance indictor relating to the percentage of children subject to a child protection order for two years or more was off target due to an unusual circumstance where three children in the same case were all subject to the same order, which had inflated the percentage figure. The Director of Children’s Services advised that these three children were no longer subject to a protection order and stated he was confident there was nothing systemically wrong. He stated that cases were constantly reviewed, and at 18 months serious consideration had to be given to continuing a protection plan beyond the two year target or ceasing it. He said that in this case of the three children, the social work team were satisfied that it would be prudent to allow the order to continue beyond two years.

Members were informed that in the first quarter the indicator for assessing or reviewing carers over a 12 month period was 48.4 per cent, below the target of 60 per cent. However Members were advised by the Director of Adult Services that the target was now being met, although it remained to be seen how the average balanced out. This was attributable in part to a need to fill vacancies. The Director of Adult Services informed Members that two social workers had recently left after receiving their full training in order to pursue employment opportunities nearer to home.

The Director of Children’s Services reminded Members that 91 per cent of schools in the Royal Borough were rated good or outstanding, and none were rated as inadequate or had been placed into special measures. He also said that the 81 per cent of eligible children receiving a 6-8 week review within the correct timeframe was significantly higher than the average for the south east. It was noted that the percentage of delayed transfers of care was nearly zero. Members were informed that this was important as delayed transfers of care could, in some cases, lead to increased patient frailty and subsequent increased care needs.

The Director of Children’s Services said however that there was increased demand for services, which had led to additional agency resources being used. The sustainability of this was something for the Panel to consider in future. The Lead Member for Adults, Children and Health stated that recruitment and retention of social workers could be considered at a future meeting, and that a long-term approach was needed in order to reduce the reliance on agency staff usage. Cllr Da Costa asked if more could be done to reduce the cost of housing for care staff in order to make the Royal Borough a more attractive proposition for people looking for employment. The Director of Children’s Services said there was a pressure on housing, although there were some properties available where rents were 80 per cent.