Improving Data on Looked After Children in East Renfrewshire CHCP

1. Improving Data on Looked After Children in East Renfrewshire CHCP Presentation to Early Adopters Seminar Erik Sutherland – Planning and Performance Manager Alastair Handley – Senior Project Officer Management Information System 9th September 2008

2. Introduction • Brief survey of context. • Practical process in taking forward locally. • Outcome of process. • Emerging issues. • Next steps.

3. Context • Learning with Care - the Education of Children Looked After Away From Home By Local Authorities report (2001) • For Scotland’s Children (2001) • It’s Everyone’s Job to Make Sure I’m Alright (2002) • Still a Bairn? A Study of Throughcare and Aftercare Services in Scotland (2002) • More Choices, More Chances: A Strategy to Reduce the Proportion of Young People not in Education, Employment or Training in Scotland (2006) • Extraordinary Lives - creating a positive future for looked after children and young people in Scotland (2006) • Getting It Right for Every Child (2006) • Joint Inspection of Children’s Services and Inspection of Social Work Services (Scotland) Act 2006. • Looked After Children and Young People: We Can and Must Do Better (2007) • East Renfrewshire Integrated Children’s Services Plan 2004-2008 (2004). • East Renfrewshire Corporate Parenting Policy (2007) • Management Information System Programme Board Workplan

4. Process • CarePlace module not implemented within core management information system. • Parallel spreadsheet-based data collection to produce CLAS with manual data checking. • Proposal to become early adopter presented to CareFirst Programme Board. • Early adopter status secured – benefits of inter-authority and Scottish Government communication. • Project plan developed and agreed with OLM – senior and team manager buy-in. • ‘Health Check’ provided by MIS provider. • Data collection, clean-up, collation, and entry. • ProcXed useful tool in quality assurance. • Electronic transfer achieved successfully.

5. Issues • Technical issues – some slippage in timescales but prioritisation in place to ensure rapid handling. • Scottish Government data specification versus management information system requirements to produce data items. • Throughcare and aftercare – laborious data collection process data extract does not distinguish between discretionary and compulsorily supported people. • Management of short break information – how best to record placements?

6. Outcome • More comprehensive and better quality data. • Improved accessibility and ownership of data for regular reporting at all levels. • Data into information for planning, policy and practice development, e.g, stability of placement, attendance, exclusions, attainment, homelessness, health assessment, immunisation, appointments. • Enabling information sharing for better outcomes, e.g., education, NHS, housing. • Strategic fit with local and national direction, e.g., GIRFEC and Corporate Parenting, Viewpoint. • ScotXed funding key enabler.

7. Next Steps • Securing wider ownership and operational implementation. • Proactive use of data in relation to performance management in children’s services and Corporate Parenting Policy.