Agenda item

2017/18 Quarter 1 Wirral Plan Performance

Minutes:

Ms Deborah Gornik, the Interim Director of Children’s Services introduced her report that provided the 2017/18 Quarter 1 (April – June 2017) performance report for the Wirral Plan pledges under the remit of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  The report provided a description of the progress in Quarter 1 as well as providing available data in relation to a range of outcome indicators and supporting measures.

 

The Interim Director’s report informed the Committee that:

 

·  The take-up of the two year old offer by eligible families had continued to improve with 92.6% at quarter one, compared to 88.1% in 2016-17.

 

·  Challenging targets had been set for women accessing maternity services with the target not achieved at quarter 1.

 

·  Targets had also not been achieved for the three health check and health visitor reviews, although two of the measures linked to Health Visitor reviews show improved performance compared to the previous year. Analysis indicated that take up of reviews in the community pilot areas was lower than overall take up and additional focus was now in place for these areas.

 

·  School Ofsted inspections had highlighted attendance in a number of schools to be in the lowest 10% nationally. Attendance needed to be a relentless focus for all schools.

 

·  Continuous focus on vulnerable children was in place in response to the 2016 Ofsted Inspection. Both the children in need and children subject to a child protection plan rates had increased at Quarter 1. Work continued on developing joint approaches based on the needs of children such as the Strengthening Families Enhancing Futures programme.

 

·  Work was on track towards the creation of an All Age Disability and Mental Health Service in Wirral.  This project was part of the Council’s Transformation Programme and would seek to develop better integration across the disability and mental health pathways. This will lead to improved quality and consistency of service provision and reduce service barriers related to age and eligibility.

 

·  The Safer Wirral Hub had now been established and this was leading to developing improved ways of working across the partnership.  This new, integrated service delivery model was creating opportunities for all agencies to work more closely and share insight to better problem solve, plan and target services more effectively.

 

·  Reporting at quarter one 2017-18 illustrated the complex picture of Domestic Abuse in Wirral. Agencies were working to ensure victims have confidence to report crimes, and reporting had increased in number of cases per adult female and children and young people experiencing domestic abuse. However repeat incidents and high risk referrals to the Family Safety Unit had also increased. New initiatives through the Safer Wirral Hub were being put in place.

 

·  A new Peer Mentor Coordinator had been appointed to support and develop the work of the Domestic Abuse Community Champions.  This will focus on the hotspot areas of Birkenhead, Seacombe and Wallasey.  A new focus for this work will target Children’s Centres to identify young parents and families that may be at risk of abuse. 

 

The Chair thanked the Interim Director of Children’s Services for her report.

 

Resolved – That the report be noted.

Supporting documents: