(i)         To review the effectiveness of the Council’s approach to workforce development for Children’s Services, including the recruitment and retention of staff.

(ii)        To review the effectiveness of the arrangements for fostering and residential care, including the options for meeting the needs of children and young people with complex needs who require specialist provision within Torbay.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Law, outlined the submitted report on the effectiveness of the Council’s approach to workforce development for Children’s Services.  Members noted that since the Learning Academy opened last September the vacancy rate for social workers has reduced by 10%, turnover has reduced by 11% and the use of agency staff has reduced by 23%.  These improvements were as a result of investment and financial support for Children’s Services last year.  The Council now had in place established and clear pathways for professional development of staff, who know that they are valued and there is a proper structure for them.  This includes development of an Advanced Social Worker role and structured development opportunities for first line managers.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Director of Children’s Services, Nancy Meehan, responded to questions in relation to the following:

·                     what is the Learning Academy and where is it based – the Learning Academy is based in the Town Hall, Torquay with a training room and reflection rooms which had not been able to be properly utilised as a result of Covid-19 restrictions.  This is not a social worker academy as the Council wanted a learning academy that looked wider, the head of the academy has a nursing background.  Initially the focus was on newly qualified social workers, now it includes development for first line managers, advanced social workers, YOT induction process and has clear links with South Devon College, CPD (continuing professional development) modules and mentorship award.  The Learning Academy was enhancing the Council’s ability to retain staff going forward;

·                     what is the workload of clients for ASYE (Assessed and Supported Year in Employment) newly qualified social workers – during the first year they start with 2 or 3 children which is gradually increased to 10 over the first year, in the second year it increases gradually up to 15 or 17 depending on their development needs.  An automated report is produced each week and sent to the Director/Senior Officers to track how many children each worker is supporting;

·                     do they have mentors – yes they have a Practice Educators, ASYE lead, an Advanced Social Worker and Team Manager and also work in teams to ensure that they are well supported.  In previous years some of the newly qualified social workers were struggling with the number of families they were supporting and this is one of the reasons for the Learning Academy and increased capacity to support lower numbers of children in the early years;

·                     there has been a real turnaround in the service over the past year, where do you see the Learning Academy in five years time – to increase the capacity of the Academy and involve wider partners, support the Senior Leadership Team with relevant course, work on succession planning, leadership to ensure that we retain and develop our staff.  To reduce the amount of change in the workforce and for all people to understand the child friendly approach we want for Torbay;

·                     what does it mean for children in our care – this will help with stability, children form a relationship with their social worker, it is disturbing for them to keep retelling their stories, we are creating the relationships between the families and the Council and the social workers are the window to families and those who are in crisis.  We want to invest in our children as they deserve a trusted relationship with their social worker and for this to remain consistent; and

·                     we are employing one experienced agency social worker per two newly qualified social workers – this is being done in order to maintain lower cases for new social workers, if more social workers are retained there will be less need for so many newly qualified social workers and this can be reduced in time.

The Board acknowledged the positive progress made in recruiting and retaining staff and the future ambitions for the Learning Academy.