SSRG Annual Workshop 2011: How can the Children in Need census help to improve children’s services and outcomes? Monday 7 th March Birmingham Isabella Craig

Children In Need (375,900) Our data collections Child Protection Plan (39,100) Children Looked After (64,400) Secure Accommodation (260) Privately Fostered (1,590)

Why do we collect CIN data?  To give LAs and the department a better understanding of the characteristics of their children in need populations and the types and volumes of services that they provide for these children.  To help ensure consistency in data across LAs.  To enable comparability and benchmarking which will support public accountability as well as professional learning.  To aid LAs in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of their local services, improve working practices and improve the outcomes of some their most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.  Child level data maximising the usefulness of this data for researchers and for developing and evaluating policy  Ministers attach a high priority to ensuring that England remains in line with other leading European countries in terms of the data collected

Content of the CIN census There are five data modules in the CIN census which include the following data items (from onwards): 1Child identifiers: -LA Child ID -Unique Pupil Number (UPN), Pupil’s Former UPN, UPN Unknown Reason -Date of Birth, Expected Date of Birth -Gender -Date of Death 2Characteristics: -Ethnicity -Asylum-Seeking Child, Date child ceased to be an Asylum-Seeking Child -Looked After Child Adopted -Disability type

Content of the CIN census 3Children in Need details: -Referral Date -Primary Need Code -CIN Closure Date, Reason for Closure -Initial Assessment Effective Start Date, Initial Assessment Target End Date, Initial Assessment Effective End Date -Core Assessment Effective Start Date, Core Assessment Target End Date, Core Assessment Effective End Date -Section 47 Enquiry Effective Start Date, Target Date for Initial Child Protection Conference, Date of Initial Child Protection Conference -Date of Initial Child Protection Conference (transfer in cases) -Initial Child Protection Conference Not Required -Referral No Further Action -Open Case Information (Looked After Child, Residence Order, Special Guardianship Order, Transition Plan, Cared for by a relative, Privately fostered, Young carer, Short break settings, Direct payments)

Content of the CIN census 4Service provision: -Service Type -Service Provider -Start Date -End Date 5Child Protection Plans: -Child Protection Plan Start Date -Initial Category of Abuse, Latest Category of Abuse -Number of Previous Child Protection Plans -Child Protection Plan End Date -Plan Review Date

Key findings from the CIN census  There were 375,900 children in need at 31 March 2010, a rate of 341 per 10,000 children. At LA level, this rate varied from 135 in Herefordshire to 896 in Haringey.  There were 694,000 episodes of need throughout the year: 377,600 episodes of need started between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010 and 318,200 episodes of need ended.

Key findings from the CIN census

Key findings from the CIN census Age of CIN by Primary Need

Key findings from the CIN census

Many initial assessments were completed on the same day as the assessment began (13%) and a further 12% of cases were completed 7 working days after the assessment began.

Key findings from the CIN census Most core assessments were completed in 35 working days, with nearly twice as many assessments taking 35 days compared to any other duration.

Key findings from the CIN census  The age breakdown of children at referral is very similar to the age of children at the start of the initial assessment, core assessment and section 47 enquiry.  The breakdown at the start of the CPP is however quite different, with a higher proportion of younger children and a much smaller proportion of children aged over 16.

Key findings from the CIN census

Data Confidence Indicator (DCI)  Data Confidence Indicators (DCIs) were included for each breakdown published in provisional and final CIN Statistical Releases  DCIs mostly based on data quality checks conducted within DfE, but some DCIs also take into consideration comparisons with previous years’ data and notes made by LAs  Aim that DCIs will enable LAs to make more robust comparisons with statistical neighbours and national averages  Allow those LAs who have invested time and effort in data quality to demonstrate the quality of their information and seek out similar high quality data for benchmarking  Table below gives an indication of our confidence in data for different areas of the CIN return (with ‘3’ denoting the highest confidence and ‘1’ the lowest)

CIN census review  The ultimate aim of the CIN review was to compare costs and burdens of completing the CIN census against the value of the resulting data, allowing for improvements that can feasibly be made, with a view to informing a decision on the future life of the collection  CIN census review Steering Group established including data users and providers; LA reps, IT specialists, Ofsted, charities, external researchers, DfE analysis, DfE policy  Steering Group discussions have included establishing the evidence base, estimating the average LA costs (c£26k) and identifying areas of census which place greatest burden on LAs and DfE.  Final recommendations for and future years have been agreed by Steering Group and are awaiting Ministerial approval.  Terms of reference and Steering Group meeting minutes available at: /children-in-need-cin-census

Further analysis: matching projects Matching to CIN census (January 2011):  Looked at whether data in is comparable with (e.g. do children referred before 1 April 2009 appear in with the same date of birth). Found that the data are not yet consistent enough to allow robust longitudinal analysis. Matching to LAC (January 2011):  Improved matching rate from 76% (of LAC at 31 March 2009) to 79% (of LAC at 31 March 2010). These matching rates were shared with LAs. Matching to 2009/10 NPD (by March 2011):  Aiming to improve UPN prevalence from 82% and matching rate from 70% in (for 4-16 year olds). Aim to disseminate national and local matching rates, characteristics, attainment and absence levels of CIN.