Briefing: Looked after children inspections May – September 2013 28 May 2013

1. Briefing: Looked after children inspections May – September 2013 28 May 2013

2. Agenda • Context • The future • Plans for the interim • Simplifying the judgements • Key current policy issues • Methodology • Questions/Discussion Add presentation title to master slide | 2

3. Context – what we planned • SLAC programme 2009 – 2012 • Post SLAC plan to implement: • Child protection June 2012 for interim year • Children looked after April 2013 • Multi-agency child protection June 2013 • Gap in LAC inspections July 2012 – April 2013 • DfE content that we continue with LA fostering and adoption until implementation Add presentation title to master slide | 3

4. Context – what we now plan • Decision to launch single “Inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and, care leavers” by September 2013 • Future multi-inspectorate inspection developments continue • “Requires improvement” • Consultation questions: • Description of good • Inadequate key judgements limit overall effectiveness Add presentation title to master slide | 4

5. Context – what we now plan • DfE concerns that the gap for LAC is now 14 months • Need for interim arrangements • Explored the options • Needs to be a published framework • S20 Children Act 2004 vs s136 Education and Inspection Act • LAC aspects of the SLAC Add presentation title to master slide | 5

6. Plans for interim • Continue with LA fostering and adoption inspections up to September • Risk assessment • Small number LAs for interim • Starting very soon • Other priorities will be picked up early in the new single inspection • ADCS advised briefing the sector Add presentation title to master slide | 6

7. Challenges? • Recognising new methodologies • Will the focus on LAC without safeguarding makes a difference? • Profile of partnership working Add presentation title to master slide | 7

8. Simplifying the judgements • ‘Ambition and prioritisation’ and ‘performance management and quality assurance’ subsumed into ‘leadership and management’. • ‘Every child matters’ outcomes have been combined into a single outcome judgement. • Leading to only three judgements: ‘leadership and management’, ‘quality of provision’ and & ‘outcomes for looked after children’ plus overall effectiveness and capacity to improve. • No changes have been made to the existing criteria or which grade they sit against – i.e. the bar stays where is was Add presentation title to master slide | 8

9. Evolution of the framework - 2009 1. Overall effectiveness 2. Capacity to improve Outcomes for looked after children (not graded) 3. Being healthy 4. Staying safe 5. Enjoy and achieve 6. Making a positive contribution 7. Economic wellbeing 8. Quality of provision 9. Service responsiveness 10. Assessment and direct work with children 11. Case planning, review and recording 12. Leadership and management 13. Ambition and prioritisation 14. Evaluation, including performance management, quality assurance and workforce development 15. User engagement 16. Partnerships 17. Equality and diversity 18. Value for money Add presentation title to master slide | 9

10. Evolution of the framework - 2010 1. Overall effectiveness 2. Capacity to improve Outcomes for looked after children (not graded) 3. Being healthy 4. Staying safe 5. Enjoy and achieve 6. Making a positive contribution, including user engagement 7. Economic wellbeing 8. Quality of provision taking into account: • Service responsiveness • Assessment and direct work with children • Case planning, review and recording 9. Leadership and management taking into account: • Workforce development • Partnerships • Effective use of resources 10. Ambition and prioritisation 11. Performance management and quality assurance 12. Equality and diversity (text judgement only) Add presentation title to master slide | 10

11. Evolution of the framework - 2013 1. Overall effectiveness 2. Capacity to improve 3. Outcomes for looked after children with all the criteria from • Being healthy • Staying safe • Enjoy and achieve • Making a positive contribution, including user engagement • Economic wellbeing 4. Quality of provision taking into account: • Service responsiveness • Assessment and direct work with children • Case planning, review and recording 5. Leadership and management taking into account: • Ambition and prioritisation • Performance management and quality assurance • Workforce development • Partnerships • Effective use of resources Add presentation title to master slide | 11

12. Simplifying the judgements • We have very slightly changed some aspects of the health outcomes that CQC would have evaluated. • We have deleted the ‘text’ equality and diversity judgement as these issues are addressed across the existing judgements. • Two criteria have been added: • in quality of practice concerning children placed out of their local authority area; • in outcomes concerning the sexual exploitation of children looked after. Add presentation title to master slide | 12

13. Implications of the two new criteria • Inspection must focus on current concerns • LA responsibility for their own LAC whether they live within or out of the local area AND their responsibility as a host authority with a duty to safeguard and promote welfare for children and young people living in the local area. • Implementation of statutory guidance for children and young people who are missing (www.acpo.police.uk/.../201303-cba-int-guid-missing-persons.pdf) • Local practice in respect of responses to children (looked after) who are absent as well as those who are missing. Is it robust, consistent and focused on the need to protect children (looked after). Add presentation title to master slide | 13

14. Methodology (Conducting) • Documentation has all references to the safeguarding inspection deleted • Not a joint inspection with CQC • Two weeks notice remains • Only one week of fieldwork (Monday to Friday) • Three social care HMI, one Education HMI • Set-up meeting Friday of week one • “Most interviews and meetings will be to explore the issues arising from case tracking and assessment of practice.” Add presentation title to master slide | 14

15. Methodology (Conducting) • Surveys continue • Continue to identify 8 cases for LA to audit in advance (3 of which will be care leavers) • Further 12 cases for case tracking (4 of which will be care leavers) • Judgement (DCS not present) meeting on Friday morning, followed by feedback • QA and reporting arrangements remain the same Add presentation title to master slide | 15

16. Questions Add presentation title to master slide | 16