Issue - meetings

The Panel considered the report of the Scrutiny Manager recommending that the Panel consider and challenge the performance of Children’s Services and Learning in Southampton.

Councillor Winning – Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and Robert Henderson - Executive Director Wellbeing (Children & Learning) were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed a number of points including:

• The increase in referrals over a period of time. Conversations are being held with partners to ensure referrals are appropriate and data is being interrogated.
• The number of assessments is high compared to Southampton’s statistical neighbours.  An audit is being undertaken to understand this and why 50% of referrals currently result in no further action.
• Levels of re-referrals are too high questioning whether cases are being closed too early, plans are not working effectively, or social work professional have been too optimistic in their decision making.  A deep dive audit of re-referrals is being undertaken.
• The potential effect of the recent Ofsted inspection on the latest performance figures.
• How longer term data would enable the Panel to identify trends more effectively in performance, especially when the results may be affected by a seasonal issues.
• The Service’s use of a forward plan schedule for internal audit to identify areas in need of improved performance.

RESOLVED

1. That, to enable trends to be identified, performance data outlining the rate of re-referrals over a longer time period is circulated to the Panel.
2. That, to enable key issues to be identified, a highlight report is attached to the monthly performance dataset presented to the Panel.
3. That the Children’s Services forward plan of audit activity is circulated to the Panel to help plan future agendas of the Panel.