Decision details

A significant safeguarding investigation is taking place within the Borough focused on a provider of Children and Adult’s services. There is a joint adult and children’s governance
arrangement in place with a Strategic Management Group overseeing the investigation, making decisions and ensuring that it is adequately resourced. The Investigation Management Group coordinates the overall response and meets on a regular basis with the other Local Authorities who had children placed with the provider and CCG’s to keep
them informed. In order to complete the work within a timely way which will support the wider Police and multi-agency investigations we need additional experienced staff
capacity to support the work. At the moment the resourcing needs of the investigation are as follows:


Care: Lead Senior Manager, Team Manager, 8 social workers, 2 x LADO’s, 2 x SPOCS and a HOS Health: 8 nurses, designated safeguarding nurse (funded by CCG)
Police: 8 police officers and SIO

The expected costs to the Council of the additional staffing capacity and resource up to 31st October 2021 are £807,000 broken down as follows:

Lead Senior Manager £58,340
Team Manager & 8 SW’s £569,380
Head of Service (50% of time) £47,780
Additional Doncaster Children’s Services Trust costs totalling £131,500 for LADO’s,
SPOC’s, Business Support, Subject Matter Expert and Project Consultant.

It is anticipated that the current arrangement will need to continue for at least 6 months, but more likely 12 months +.
Previous ODR 2122001 titled “Social Care Support Grant“ approved the planned spend of £2,975,000 for additional Social Care Support grant, which is delegated to the Director of Learning, Opportunities and Skills and Assistant Director of Finance (Section 151) in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Skills. The planned spend included up to £795,000 to Doncaster Children’s Services Trust (DCST) for additional Social Workers during 2021/22 and £640,000 Social Care costs contingency to be used for service reviews and any in year demand pressures on the Care Ladder. The £640,000 contingency is now to be used for the additional staffing capacity and resource required, and the remaining balance of the expected costs of £167,000 will be funded from the £795,000 for additional Social Workers as this allocation will not be fully spent in 2021/22 due to the timings of when appointments are to be made.

To approve the expected costs of £807,000 up to 31st October 2021 for the additional staffing capacity and resources required are to be funded from the £2,975,000 Social Care Support Grant delegated to the Director of Learning, Opportunities and Skills and Assistant Director of Finance (Section 151) in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Skills.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED & REJECTED:
Release internal staff without backfill
It has become apparent as the scope and complexity of the situation has been revealed that it is not a sustainable approach. Within the current staffing capacity of the
directorate there is not the level knowledge and expertise which we can take off line to focus without backfill.

Mutual Aid from other authorities
Due to the number of placing authorities this would prove to be extremely difficult to enact in practice in terms of oversight and accommodation (office space).