1. Children’s Services in Newham
Tuesday 6th February 2018 1 1

2. Where we’ve been 2014 Inspection findings Many Positives
Senior leadership team know strengths and weaknesses
Children in need of immediate protection are appropriately identified
Risk reduces for many children on child protection plans and the independent chairs of child protection conferences analyse risk effectively
Effective and well-attended multi-agency meetings ensure that plans for vulnerable groups are robust
There is purposeful communication and good relationships between social workers and children
LADO arrangements are effective
Improved use of performance information at all levels
Areas for continued development:
Thresholds at the front door were not always consistently applied. Early help services are in development and too many take part in social care assessments that are not needed
There are delays in Triage and Assessment which means that some children did not always receive support at the earliest opportunity
The quality of recording, chronologies and assessment can be variable
Quality of supervision and management oversight
Children experience too many changes of social worker who have high caseloads
Greater focus and analysis for children and young people who are missing
Good – MAPPA and MASE, MARAC - good
Agencies refer too many children to the Local Authority whose problems are at an early stage and who could be better helped elsewhere
The broader single assessment is therefore not being well maintained as a continuing, holistic view of strengths, needs and risks. It does not support reflection on what is the best plan for the child.

3. Our challenges and opportunities
Developing the system conditions
Azeus
Throughput and demand management – Early Help, Triage
Strengthen leadership and governance structure and ensure robust quality assurance and performance
Embedding INW model and Assessment team
Develop a stable and skilled workforce
Managing turnover
Supporting an inexperienced workforce
Ensuring consistent high quality social work
Purposeful use of systemic ideas and approaches
Consistency of approach and outcomes across the neighbourhoods
Strengthen management oversight
Review and strengthen arrangements in place to protect vulnerable groups
CSE/Missing/PREVENT/children criminally exploited by gangs
Domestic abuse
Strengthen partnership working

4. Quality/Practice Improvement
Ensure a continued and sustained focus on improving core social work practice
Ensure that social work practice and decision making for children focus on understanding their lived experiences
Ensure that all children identified as being at risk of harm benefit from effective safety planning
Ensure robust arrangements of Triage
Relaunch the QA Framework
Improve performance management tools and business analysis

5. System Conditions Refresh Children and Young People’s Plan
Strengthen partnership
Strengthen the Learning and Improvement Plan with accompanying dataset
Secure political buy-in (potential changes in political landscape)
Create a sustainable model for Childrens Social Care
Develop a robust workforce strategy
Continued focus on Corporate Parenting