Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the meeting held on 6th July, 2009 be approved as a correct record.

Deborah Johnson, Performance Manager, presented the submitted correspondence from Ofsted and document relating to the above. The inspection, carried out under Section 138 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, sampled the quality and effectiveness of contact, referral and assessment arrangements and their impact on minimising the incidence of child abuse and neglect.

The inspection contributed to Ofsted’s annual review of the performance of the Authority’s children’s services, for which they would award a rating later in the year and feed into Rotherham’s CAA organisational score.

The inspection identified three areas for priority action and a number of areas for development. A draft action plan was submitted.

Discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were covered:-

-                      timeframes in relation to areas for priority action and areas for development

-                      utilisation of social work time

-                      budget issues

-                      use of agency staff

-                      increased demand on services

-                      recruitment and retention of social workers

-                      development of locality boards

-                      identifiable problems

Resolved:- (1) That the information be noted.

(2) That a comprehensive progress report, incorporating financial and staffing issues, be submitted in two months.

Stuart Booth, Director of Central Finance, updated the meeting on the latest position, regarding the Use of Resources scores, indicating that the final outcomes had not yet been received.

Indicative scores had been moderated and resubmitted by the Audit Commission.

The difficulties of achieving level 4 scores were highlighted.

Resolved:- That the information be noted.

Matt Gladstone, Assistant Chief Executive, presented the submitted report which gave a brief overview of the work undertaken to date and highlighted further key timescales for the assessment process in accordance with national timescales.

The Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) Framework officially became effective from 1st April, 2009.

The report covered:-

-                      What has been done?

-                      Update Area Assessment

-                      Area Assessment Issues

-                      Update Organisational Assessment

-                      CAA Timescales

Discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were covered:-

-                      Assessment timescales

-                      CAA lead : feedback issues

-                      financial implications

Resolved:- That the information be noted.

Resolved:- That the next meeting be held on Monday, 23rd November, 2009 at 10.00 a.m.