Agenda item

Consideration was given to the Report upon the Independent Reviewing       Officer Performance Management Report, quarter 3, 2022/2023. This report        represents the monitoring and quality assurance of Looked After Children

            who were reviewed during the third quarter of 2022/23.This information                contributes to Members fulfilling their roles as Corporate Parents.

      The information was based on the monitoring forms completed by the       Independent Reviewing Officers (IRO) following each Looked After Children    Statutory Review(LAC Review) and was informed by other performance           information held by Children Services. The report includes National and   Local standards and targets used to measure outcomes for Looked After          Children (LAC) at the time of their statutory review, and includes Welsh       Government Performance Indicators (PI’s) and Local Performance

Targets.

 

    On the basis of the information available and the views expressed during the LACReview Meeting, the IRO makes a professional judgement about the effectiveness of a child/young person’s Care Plan in meeting their needs and may recommend changes to the Plan.

 

During the Review Meeting the IRO considers whether the child/young person who was being reviewed requires assistance to identify relevant other people to obtain legal advice/take proceedings on their behalf. This action was deemed necessary for 1 young person by the IRO in the period

In addition, the IRO has regard as to whether the child/young person’s human rights were being breached in any way and, if so, might make a referral to CAFCASS. This action was not required at any review.

 

      SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS;

• At the end of quarter 3, there were 122 children being looked after

           compared to 112 at the end of Q2.

• 116 children were reviewed in this quarter compared to 63 in the previous quarter. The large number of reviews completed in this quarter was due to the commencement of the Innovate Team in the county. LAC reviews that had been due were postponed to a time in Quarter 3 where there was more capacity with Innovate starting and the children’s cases were reallocated to new social workers who could participate in the review process. 85.3% of children were reviewed in the statutory timescale compared to 88.9% in Quarter 2.
• 8 children left care in this quarter compared to 6 in Quarter 2. 6 childrenhad their Care Orders revoked, 6 child returned home to family, 1 child went on to a When I’m Ready placement and 1 child went to supported lodgings or independent living or in to a shared lives placement.
• The placement provision for the children reviewed during this Quarter

           were 13 in Local Authority foster care, 24 in kinship carer placements

           (19 in county, 5 out of county), 22 were in Independent Foster Agency

placements (7 in county, 15 out of county), 15 children were placed   with parents (12 in county, 3 out of county) and 12 were placed in residential care provision outside of the county.

• 74 children were being cared for under the legal status of a Full Care

Order, 18 were under an Interim Care Order, 4 under a placement order and 20 under Section 76.

• Of the children reviewed in this quarter, 83.6% of children received a

statutory visit. This was compared to 93.7% in Quarter 2.

• 42.9% of the care and support plans were recorded as being in place at the first review. The low percentage this quarter was due to staffing

difficulties within the Planned Care Team which prevented the plans being completed on time.

• There were only 16.7% of children reviewed in this quarter who had a

Permanency Plan in place that had been agreed by the second review. This compared to 57.2% in the previous quarter.

• Length of time in Care for Ceredigion children who are being looked after that were reviewed in Quarter 3 were 27 under 6 months, 9 between 6 –12months, 19 between 1 – 2 years, and 61 over 2 years.
• For children reviewed and their second or subsequent reviews,

permanency plans that were in place were, Long Term Foster Care for

37 children, kinship care for 17 children, twin tracking for 15 children,

placement with parent for 15 children, residential care for 8 children,

adoption for 5 children, independent living for 4 children and rehabilitation back to parents for 1 child.

• The percentage of children (of sufficient understanding) who understand their reason for being looked after were 95.3%
• The percentage of children of sufficient understanding who were involved in or consulted about their review, was 100%
• The percentage of children who were made aware of their right for an

           advocacy service, was 92.5%

• Number and percentage of Looked After Children of school age who had a Personal Education Plan within 20 school days of entering care or joining a new school during this quarter is 95.5%
• Number and percentage of Parents consulted by the Social Workers

           before the review or who attended the review was 100%.

• 17 Pathway Plans were held in this quarter, compared to 33 in Quarter 2.(70.6%) Pathway Plan Reviews were held within timescales.
• The percentage of Young Persons with allocated Personal Advisor /

           Social Worker was 100% during this Quarter.

• The Percentage of Young People Consulted for their Review Meeting

           during this Quarter was 82.4%

 

 

  It was AGREED to note the content of the report as presented.