Agenda item

The Chair invited Clair Pyper, Strategic Director for Education and Children Services, to introduce the report. She explained that the report did not refer to the Minister’s response to the Safeguarding Improvement Plan which had been received on 23^rd November, the day before the Panel meeting.

In response to Members’ questions the following comments were made

1. The Council’s Performance Indicators show only 60% of core assessments were completed in 2011 within the recommended 35 days, compared with the 80% target. The indicators do not show the quality of the assessments.
2. The Council will be recruiting more permanent staff to reduce reliance on agency staff, a key weakness Ofsted had identified in their inspection. Lower staff turnover will also help in implementing the Improvement Plan.
3. Most local schools have a good understanding of Child Protection issues, and local police make a positive contribution to the work of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. The new Board Chair, Paul Burnett, is working with the Council to improve NHS involvement.
4. Slough has its own integrated child record ICS system for tracking cases within the borough, but for children who come from outside Slough it relies on information from other authorities to find information. The new Government had abandoned the national ‘Contact Point’ system introduced by the last Government which was meant to act as a national system for tracking children.
5. The fall in referrals to statutory social care can be seen as a positive sign early intervention is working better.

Councillor Natasa Pantelic, Commissioner for Education and Children, said she would ask for the Minister’s letter to be sent to Panel Members.

Resolved:-

1.  To thank Clair Pyper for her report and update and to ask her to convey to Children’s Services social workers the Panel’s appreciation for their hard work and dedication in achieving positive outcomes for the children with whom they work.

2.  To commend the effectiveness of the Communications Plan in improving staff involvement and support for the changes needed.

To ask the Chair to consider the need for an additional report when Members have read the Improvement Plan and the Minister’s letter.