Agenda item

The Committee considered the performance challenge report of the Doncaster Children’s Services Trust for Quarter 3 2021/22.

Transition to Mosaic – Members heard that the Trust and the Council continued to work closely on improvements to the Mosiac case management system. It was reported that staff training compliance (in respect of Mosaic) had been an issue in the past, and targeted training for staff has already been implemented by individual service areas.  It was reported that the major risks to progress remained the lack of high quality performance dashboards, which allowed managers to interrogate both compliance and quality.  Members heard that individual service areas have created localised performance information to ensure that managers and leaders maintain line of sight, and this complimented by the completion of learning reviews, audits and the interrogation of audit information to identify practice issues and trends .  One of the best developed localised systems sits within the care leaving service IFT, which was has supported improvement in this area of practice.

However, the combined aim of both the Council and Trust leadership is to ultimately negate the requirement for localised systems, by continuing to engage and develop Mosaic with the support of all stakeholders and to maximise the usage of the existing system through rigorously monitored staff training, which is regularly reviewed.

Concern was raised by a member of the Committee around the potential problems from running 2 separate systems.  Members were informed of the previous decision taken to have a single case management system, and it was acknowledged that the transition has not been smooth.  It was commented that Mosaic should provide the appropriate capability once transition has taken place.  Members head how there was concern that performance through the system could not be reported effectively which was more apparent because of safeguarding element within the Trust.  Members were assured that work was being undertaken to amend the forms and make sure that pathways and workflows worked effectively. Need to make sure that reporting was undertaken to pull information from input by Social Workers and that the risk was being managed and overseen by Ofsted.  Members were informed that there was a Rapid Improvement Plan in place.  Going forward, it was hoped that performance would be in an improved position by Quarter 1 2022/2023.

Clarification was sought on whether home-working during the pandemic had created any further issues.  The Director of Learning, Opportunities and Skills noted that demands on Social Workers during this present time was immense, dealing with potentially quite complex number of cases safeguarding cases as well as trying to navigate a new system.  It was acknowledged that by not working next to colleagues would have some impact on implementing the system quicker.  It was recognised that this was not the only factor and other issues needed addressing such as report writing.

16+ Children in Care Placements – Concern was raised about the cost and increase of 16+ Children In Care.  Clarification was provided that the average weekly rate was c. £3.7k of the 18 expensive packages and with all but one less than £5.2k per week.  Members heard how in-house there was a small 16+ provision, which at full occupancy was £125K per year, (the current forecast actual cost was £129K per bed) compared to the current forecast actual of £262k per bed for Out of Authority (OOA) placements and £136k for external placement for 16+ specifically.

Members heard how the Future Placement Strategy aimed to build more homes in Doncaster or purchase brand new children’s home.  It was explained that it was difficult to purchase properties and repurpose due to restricted covenance.  Members were informed of the some of the potential options available to take this forward.

It was explained that locally figures had risen by 150 Looked After Children based on demand in 2019 and significantly increased.  It was noted that there were more young people were coming into care later on which brought with it greater complexity.  Regarding the recruitment for more foster care, Members were told that this would be continuing and transferring back to Doncaster Council.

RESOLVED that the progress of the DCST performance outcomes and the contribution that the Trust makes to support the Council’s strategic priorities be noted.