Agenda item

To consider a progress report on individual risks identified in the Council’s Strategic Risk Register.

The Committee considered a deep dive into the Strategic Risk “Operations” which included the sub-risks (a) Failure of Children’s Social Care and (b) Failure of Adults Social Care.

(a)    Failure of Children’s Social Care

Ms Victoria Gent, Director of Children’s Services presented an update in relation to sub risk (a). She explained that following Ofsted awarding the Council a rating of “Requires Improvement” in 2022 work continued towards achieving a rating of “Good”. A key part of this work was the submission for funding from the Department for Education (DfE) for the creation of a multi-disciplinary team within Children’s Social Care (CSC). The team would focus on working with parents and families to prevent children entering into the care system and it was recognised that time would be need to embed this new approach and new ways of working.

It was hoped that this team would also support the work being undertaken as part of the Children’s Services Improvement Plan with work to establish a team complete by the autumn of 2023. Ms Kate Aldridge, Head of Corporate Delivery, Performance and Commissioning, added that the DfE funding for the team would be for its establishment not it ongoing operation, funding for which would be needed for elsewhere.

Partnership working was also highlighted as a key area of work for CSC, with a draft partnership plan being developed. Local safeguarding arrangements were also reported as undergoing change with a return to a place based approach, starting 4 September 2023, from the Pan-Lancashire working that had been operated. This would allow a greater focus from partners on work being undertaken within Blackpool in areas such as domestic abuse and neglect.

The Council had also worked with partners to establish Early Help family hubs in the north, south and central areas of the Blackpool. This work had been achieved with support from services across the Council and would represent a significant improvement on the early help offer of CSC.

Looked After Children (LAC) was a significant challenge and work had been undertaken to reduce the number of children being cared for in this way. Ms Gent explained that this had to be undertaken in a safe and proportional way but that officers were confident that the number of LAC could be reduced in line with comparable local authorities. Mr Chris Coyle, Assistant Director Children’s Services (Children’s Social Care and TiS) explained that although a small number of Blackpool’s LAC were placed outside of the town, where possible CSC sought to keep children within Blackpool. He also added that there was no financial benefit to placing children outside of Blackpool as the cost of their placement was still the responsibility of the Council.

The Committee noted that the overall gross risk score had fallen to 15 from 25 and queried in light of the ongoing overspend within Children’s Services, if this was realistic. Ms Gent responded that although major challenges existed the work that had been outlined in the report and the overall change in the approach to CSC meant that the reduction in overall gross risk score was a realistic reflection of the level of risk.

(b)   Failure of Adult Social Care

Ms Kate Aldridge provided an update on the work being undertaken in relation to this sub-risk. She informed the Committee that the main mitigation was to ensure closer working between Adult Social Care (ASC) and health partners. This work involved the delivery of wrap around services and the need to control the level of demand experienced. Work with partners included engagement with third sector organisations in areas where it had been recognised that ASC and health services could not operate. This allowed for a “Home First Approach” aimed at assisting adults within their own homes and limiting the need for them to access hospital services.

Resolved: That the update be noted.

[Ms Gent, Mr Coyle and Ms Aldridge left the meeting following this item].