Committee Report NSC

6.5
 
 


North Somerset Council

 

REPORT TO THE children and young people policy and scrutiny panel

 

Date of Meeting: 1st September 2005

 

Subject of Report: Annual Performance Assessment – Children and Young People

 

Member presenting:   Cllr Kehoe, Executive Member for Learning

 

Key Decision: No

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

1.                  Summary of Report

 

To update the Children and Young People Policy and Scrutiny Panel on the Annual Performance Assessment of services for children and young people.  The self-assessment forms part of a formal inspection framework of services for children and young people which directly relates to the Comprehensive Performance Assessment.

 

2.                  Policy

 

The outcomes of the Annual Performance Assessment will influence the emerging Single Plan for Children and Young People, which will be the subject of consultation in the Autumn of 2005.

 

3.                  Details

 

3.1       Members received a report on 12th July 2005 on the process of self-assessment and           how this relates to the formal inspection cycles for children and young people’s             services.

 

3.2       Formal judgements and scores will not be communicated to the Authority until the      end of October 2005.  However, the view of officers is that the self-assessment that     was submitted as part of the inspection process was robust.  Within that self-  assessment, it was considered that both children’s social care services and     education services were good and the capacity for the Authority to improve was also             good.

 

3.3       When the formal judgements are notified to the Authority, Ofsted and CSCI will also highlight those areas arising from the Annual Performance Assessment that should    be the subject of particular consideration for the Joint Area Review.  The Joint Area            Review is on a three year cycle and for North Somerset, will form part of the CPA           between January and March next year.  Given reporting timescales, there would        potentially be as little as 10 weeks between the formal notification of APA outcomes       and the start of the Joint Area Review on-site inspection process.  It is, therefore,      important that members understand the priorities identified by officers arising from        the self-assessment that will form the focus of activity over the Autumn period as part             of the preparation for the Joint Area Review.  These are set out below under the Every Child Matters outcome areas:

 

            Being Healthy

 

·        Teenage Pregnancy conceptions for Under 18s

·        Coordination of services for disabled children

·        Therapeutic services for those expressing emotional abuse and neglect

 

            Staying Safe

 

·        Concerns about bullying

·        More stable care for looked after children with complex needs

·        Children caught up in Domestic Violence

 

            Enjoying and Achieving

 

·        Key Stage 1 writing

·        Added value at Key Stage 4

·        Levels of authorised absence

·        Performance of Looked After Children

·        More affordable leisure activities

 

            Achieving Economic Well-being

 

·        Progression to ‘A’ Level Courses in Weston-super-Mare

·        Education Training Employment opportunities for those in Weston-super-Mare

 

            Making a positive Contribution

 

·        Small numbers of Looked After Children who offend

 

 

3.4       Until the dates for the combined Joint Area Review and the CPA are confirmed, it is             not possible to be definitive about key milestone dates leading up to inspection   over the Autumn period.  However, what will be required is a detailed analysis of performance of children and young people services against some 260 performance      indicators and a further self-assessment that will be considerably more involved than that submitted earlier this year.  It is also worth noting that one of the fundamental             differences between the Annual Performance Assessment and the Joint Area            Review is that the former is only of the Children’s Services Authority and the latter is         of all publically funded bodies providing services to children and young people within   a geographic area.  The Joint Area Review, will therefore, include judgements in     relation to other statutory agencies that are receiving public funding.  The Council           has the responsibility for co-ordinating the inspection arrangements and self- assessment requirements across this range of agencies.

 

 

4.                  Consultation

 

            Not applicable

 

5.                  Financial Implications

 

            Not applicable

 

6.                  Equality Implications

 

            The APA and JAR includes a range of performance outcomes in relation to    vulnerable groups, which include children with disabilities, Looked After Children etc.

 

7.                  Corporate Implications

 

7.1       As part of the APA submission by 31st May 2005, there was also an expectation that            authorities provide a copy of their Strategic Plan for Children and Young People.              The legal requirement for this plan to be produced is 1st  April 2006.  A draft version     of the Plan was produced for the self-assessment, but will be the subject of a wider      consultation    process, which will include children and young people and families and   carers, in the Autumn of 2005.

 

8.                  Options considered

 

            Not applicable

 

Author

 

Craig Bolt

Head of Policy and Quality Assurance

Tel. 01275 884260

E-mail: craig.bolt@n-somerset.gov.uk

 

 

Background Papers

 

 

APA Submission – dated 31st May 2005

Inspection Framework documentation from Ofsted dated 31st March 2005 – available on Ofsted website  www.ofsted.gov.uk

Executive Report – 12th July 2005