Growth and development.pdf

The rate of child protection referrals is relatively low. Though a high rate of children are subjectto a case conference and the rate of children who become registered is higher than in manyother authorities. There is a low rate of adoption applications.The rate of looked after children is high. The rate of looked after children living with friends andrelatives has increased, while the rate living at home has decreased. The number living withfoster carers has decreased and the rate is now low, compared with many other authorities.The rate of children in residential accommodation remains high, although the number inresidential schools has declined, as has the number permanently living in residential homes.Rates and numbers are affected by the impact of drug misusing parents. There has beenconsiderable pressure on foster placements.To develop alternative services to residential school placements, a primary and secondaryschool-age base has been identified and both teachers and children and family supportworkers are to be recruited to them. Surestart Midlothian services have been commissionedand the use of after-school care clubs has been funded for children with special needs.Outreach services from Midfield and the Hawthorn Centres help children and young people inthe community to develop self-esteem and work to prevent them becoming looked after.Outreach is supplemented by increased use of breakfast clubs, after school clubs and holidayplay schemes, with social work making additional contributions to accommodate morechallenging young people.The implementation of recommendations of Learning with Care has still to be completed:• all looked after children have care plans but a number of children cared for by familiesremain without plans;• all but a few children have permanent full-time education;• all schools have a designated senior member of staff to oversee looked after children;• joint training programmes for social work and teaching staff have been undertaken andthere is a programme for future training; and• an audit of social work residential units and foster carers has led to specific funding offacilities for looked after children, including the provision of an education tool kit.The data held by education on the educational attainment and exclusion record of looked afterchildren is collated manually with social work records.Throughcare and aftercare are the responsibility of the children and families team, supportedwhere appropriate by staff in residential units. Future numbers of children leaving care havebeen forecast. Accommodation providers are ready to support young people leaving care, butlack of local further education provision may restrict training opportunities.Since early 2001 Children First has run the Midlothian Young Carers Project, providing supportand advice to meet the individual needs of local young people who care for a dependentrelative at home. Individual and group activities are provided. About 36 young people are usingthe service and new referrals are still being received.164