Apologies for absence were received from Penny Burnside and Leon Butler. 

In accordance with the wishes of the Conservative Group, the membership had been amended for this meeting by including Councillor Brooksbank instead of Councillor Barnby.

The minutes of the meeting of the Board held on the 21 September 2011 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Board considered a report on the Children’s Partnership Improvement Plan.  The Executive Lead Member for Children, Schools and Families introduced the Children’s Partnership Improvement Plan to the Board.  The Board was advised that the Plan would deliver a marked improvement over a two-year period.  The Board was informed that a backlog of cases had been addressed and that caseloads were reduced from more than thirty to approximately twenty per social worker. 

The Acting Director of Children’s Services acknowledged previous assurances given around improvements being made in six months and indicated that improvements would take at least two years.  The Board was advised that the Plan would involve children and young people, a group of parents, and frontline staff from across agencies. The Board was informed of further details of the Plan, including the appointment of an experienced project manager to the project and the formation of a project board.  Arrangements to help learn best practice from high performing Children’s Services at other local authorities were outlined to the Board.  The Acting Director of Children’s Services indicated a need to change culture within Children’s Services and that this was an aim of the improvement plan.

In response to questions concerning social worker capacity and training, the Board was advised that national guidance on the number of cases per social worker was set at fifteen to twenty and that this had informed the improvement plan.  The Board was advised of investment in new staff and new training.  The Board was informed of a continuing national shortage of qualified social workers.

Members asked for details of how many senior social workers were employed and were advised of investment in a career development pathway and the retention of a senior social worker practitioner role.

Members questioned the availability and accessibility of safeguarding training to the community and voluntary sector.  In reply, the Board was advised that training was available.  A representative of the sector advised the Board that further clarity on accessing the training was needed.  The Board was advised that national safeguarding improvement week would take place the week beginning 21 November 2011.

Members questioned the impact on other areas of Children’s Services of £500,000 of extra funding for intensive family support.  Members were advised that savings would be achieved from reduced employment of agency staff.  The Board members were advised of increasing costs of placements for children in care and that alternatives through intensive family support were less costly and would achieve better outcomes. 

In reply to questions concerning the overall financial impact of the improvement plan on Children’s Services and other Council services, the Acting Director of Children’s Services indicated that difficult decisions would need to be taken about the range of services provided currently and whether they focused on improving outcomes for children and young people.  The Board was informed that the Council would look to work in partnership with the voluntary sector.

Members questioned the links and transition for users between Torbay’s children’s social care services and adult  ...  view the full minutes text for item 347.

The Board considered a Councillor Call for Action on the issue of methylphenidate prescriptions for children and young people in the Bay, with a view to determining whether to request the preparation of a full report on the matter for submission to a subsequent meeting of the Board. 

Councillor Parrott outlined to the Board his reasons for the Councillor Call for Action, including his attempts to pursue other avenues to obtain relevant information. 

Resolved:  (i) that the Board be provided with a full report on the matters raised by the Councillor Call for Action, including:

·available information on methylphenidate use in Torbay;

·the numbers of children and young people (that is to say, 0-18 year olds) on Ritalin-type medication in Torbay, in particular 0-5 year olds;

·detail of the increase in Ritalin-type prescriptions within Torbay for the last ten years and an explanation for the increase;

·comparative and contextual information for the above, e.g., comparative prescription rates between Torbay and other areas;

·details of alternatives to medication offered in the first instance to children, including the local protocol for Ritalin-type medication; and

·incidences of misuse by adults of Ritalin-type medication prescribed for children with ADHD as a recreational drug.

(ii)  that Councillor Parrott lead on the issue for Overview and Scrutiny.