Issue - meetings

(Verbal update by Mr Ridings, Deputy Cabinet Member for Vulnerable children and Ms H Davies, Director of Specialist children’s Services and Mrs J Wainwright, Director of Commissioning and Partnerships)

(1)         The Chairman asked Ms Davies to begin with her verbal report.  Ms Davies gave a brief update on the position of the CFE Restructuring advising that she and colleagues were currently interviewing for the 12 posts of Preventative Services Manager.  This post would drive the development of the early intervention through bringing together all relevant agencies.  

(2)         The Committee noted that the Special Educational Needs Review had started and would include all provision. The Review would be completed in the Autumn and the initial findings reported to Cabinet in September.

(3)         Ms Davies advised of the ongoing increase in Looked After children (LAC), which had increased by 30 in the last quarter, the struggle to keep those within in-house placements and having to place some of those children in the independent sector.

(4)         In response to the Mr Gilroy’s, former Chief Executive of KCC, Safeguarding Review, Ms Davies explained that work was underway to address the recommendations and would be reported to the October County Council meeting.

(5)         Ms Davies was pleased to inform the Committee that 60 newly qualified Social Workers had been appointed and would be in post by September.  She gave assurances that they would receive an induction and support from senior staff.

(6)         Ms Davies explained that the coalition Government review on child protection by Eileen Munro would be looking at reducing the bureaucracy of the social workers’ role.  Kent would be looking at the Review’s Terms of Reference with staff to look at the ways we deliver Social Work in Kent.

(7)          Members were given the opportunity to make comments and ask questions which included the following:

(8)         Mr Robinson said on behalf of Mr Vye, who sent his apologies for this meeting, that he would prefer summaries of the items in the verbal update rather than bullit points in future and sought a response on Minute 26 (5).  Ms Davies noted the first comment and advised that the Chairman and Leaders of the Opposition would be advised of serious case reports in the future unless there were legal implications that prevented this.

(9)         In response to a follow up question, Ms Davies advised that part of the CFE Directorate restructuring involved the Children’s Centres being line managed from the Autumn of this year by the Preventative Services Managers. The Specialist Services Group were also reviewing the specifications for the Children’s Centres, being mindful of the budgetary constraints that were likely to take place in April 2011 and the coalition government’s message that they anticipate that Children’s Centres would  become a more targeted service.  The review would conclude in the Autumn.

(10)    In reply to questions by Mr Smith, Ms Davies explained that there were 27 social workers recruited from the United States of America and 25 from Europe.  Of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30