Agenda item

To receive a report which outlines the draftChildren, Young People and Education Directorate Business Plan 2017-18.

(John Reilly (Strategic Business Adviser) was in attendance for this item)

1.    John Reilly introduced the report which outlined the draftChildren, Young People and Education Directorate Business Plan 2018-19.The Plan provided a summary ofthe services that made up the CYPEDirectorate, the key priorities and performance measures and the resources available to deliver the desired outcomes for 2018-19.

a)    In response to a question, Matt Dunkley referred to the Children, Young People and Education’s strategic documents and said that they could be streamlined, staff in Kent were working together in staff forums to build a new vision for the department. He said that although the strategic documents contained a lot of operational detail, consolidating the documents would make it easier for Members to track the key, high level aspects.

b)    In response to a question, Matt Dunkley said that Kent sought to move towards a whole system approach that integrated support and a reduced number of referrals into Specialist Children’s Services.

c)    In response to a question, John Reilly said he would ensure that work was undertaken to include, at the beginning of Section 3 of the Business Plan, a consice introductionary paragraph, setting out the complexity of the education environment.

a)    In response to a comment, Sarah Hammond said that the national average time for a social worker’s career in front line child protection was 8 years. She said that Kent’s ‘Grow Our Own’ social work programme had been working well and Kent were maintaining nearly 90% of newly qualified social workers. Kent were looking at ways in which a post-qualifying professional development programme could be developed to ensure that social workers in Kent were able to progress at a pace which was suitable and to ensure that social workers had the right level of caseloads.

b)    In response to a question, Matt Dunkley said that Kent had recruited social workers from other agencies but had not lost a large number of social workers recruited in Kent. Kent were working towards ensuring that a single referral route was in place for referrals and the Early Help and Social Workers would ensure that correct procedures were followed for each case.

c)    In response to a question, John Reilly said that the Children, Young People and Education Directorate Business Plan was a draft and that Members had the opportunity to make comments and suggestions to refine the plan.

1.    Matt Dunkley said that he and Mr Gough had agreed that there would be scope for a different approach to the content of the strategic documents and policies within Children’s Services, Members of the Committee supported this review.

2.    The Chairman suggested organising a Members briefing to give Members the opportunity to express ambitions and ideas relating to the strategic documents within Children’s Services, Members of the Committee supported this proposal.

3.    The Chairman suggested that the item be added to the work programme for 2018-19 for discussion in September 2018, Members of the Committee supported this.

1.    At the end of the debate, the recommendation was put to the vote.

4.    RESOLVED that the report be noted, subject to a briefing being held for Members of the Committee to consider a review of the Children, Young People and Education’s plans and strategies.

(Dr Sullivan asked that her vote against the proposals set out in the recommendation be noted in the minutes)