To receive a presentation from Selina Rawicz and Tina Russell.
Minutes:
Tina Russell explained that Through Care Services was a new service which had been created as part of the Children's Services restructure. Smaller social work teams had been created which allowed for more management oversight and smaller workloads for Team Managers oversight.
The Through Care Service would be responsible for one of the work-streams within the Children's Social Care Improvement Plan and would deliver effective 'Through Care' in five areas:
1. Through Care Experience for Children and Young People in care and leaving care
2. Sufficiency
3. Improving quality of care plans
4. Permanency – Care Proceedings
5. Embed corporate parenting strategy
Tina Russell explained she had led a workshop with Through Care Managers in February to look at what we wanted to achieve as a service, what we wanted Children and Young People to experience and how we would measure this.
The commitments and pledge made to Children in Care and Care Leavers was important and the aim was for young people who had been through the care system to feel that they had been supported when they needed to be and that they had been fully involved in their care plan. Young people needed to know that the Council cared, that someone fought their corner and they needed to feel as though they belonged. Young people needed a stable home and then at the appropriate time ensure that they were ready for independent living arrangements.
(see power point presentation)
Selina Rawicz, Manager of the Through Care Services introduced the Team Managers. It was explained that the Council was working with around 450young people and the Social Work Teams had started with caseloads of around 20-22 per social worker and were now at around 17 in the new Through Care Service. Social workers in the new service were now more permanent and there was less reliance on agency workers. New social workers now had more support with the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) and higher numbers were choosing to stay in Worcestershire following their ASYE. Advanced Social Workers also offered support to social workers.
The Team Managers all gave a good news story from their area. These included case examples of:
· pupils who had achieved excellent academic results
· foster carers adopting the children they had fostered and therefore being able to provide a child with a permanent home
· support workers who had achieved good outcomes for children despite very challenging circumstances.
The Care Leavers Team Managers explained that all 16-18 year olds were assessed to see if they wished to move out of their placement. They explained that sometimes young people were more vulnerable as a teenager than when they were younger. Pathway plans were developed but subsistence would be provided until they were 18 and support was provided up to the age of 25 if it was needed or requested.
It was clarified that there were no specific qualifications for PAs (Personal Assistants) they just needed a good understanding of the needs of young people in general and Looked After Children in particular.
ACTIONS
1. The Chairman asked the Team Managers to take back to the individuals involved how impressed the Board had been.