Growth and development.pdf

AberdeenshireAn implementation and review group of health, education, social work, voluntary and userrepresentatives is driving change in sensory impairment services. Measures are being taken toimprove co-ordination between social work, health and education on needs assessment.Aberdeenshire and its health partners have made good progress by establishing jointmanagement arrangements, to be called the Aberdeenshire Partnership for Health and SocialCare. These arrangements will consist of a high level committee, a senior management group,local management groups and locality teams.Resources will be aligned at the outset, rather than pooled. The services and functions to beincluded in the joint resourcing pot have been identified.3. Performance: Children and FamiliesBalance of care – Looked afterchildren (aged 0-17)1999-2000actual1999-2000per 1,000Quartile2000-2001actual2000-2001per 1,000QuartileAt home 191 3.6 3 176 3.3 3With friends/relatives/other community 21 0.4 4 20 0.4 4With foster carers/prospective adopters 118 2.2 3 112 2.1 3In residential accommodation 39 0.7 4 35 0.7 4Total 369 6.9 3 343 6.4 3Key performance indicators1998-1999actual1998-1999per 1,000Quartile1999-2000actual1999-2000per 1,000QuartileChild protection (CP) referrals 569 11.8 1 736 15.5 1(aged 0-15)Children subject to a CP case 124 2.6 3 91 1.9 3conference (aged 0-15)Children placed on CP register 105 2.2 2 78 1.6 3(aged 0-15)Adoption applications in year 30 0.6 1 33 0.6 1(aged 0-17)Stranger adopter applications 13 0.2 1 11 0.2 2(aged 0-17)Although Aberdeenshire has a comparatively high rate of child protection referrals, the rates ofchildren subject to a child protection case conference and placed on the CP register are lowerthan in many other authorities.There are low proportions of looked after children in residential accommodation, living at home,living with friends or relatives or living with foster carers. The number of children in residentialunits has been significantly reduced but a number continue to be accommodated in residentialschools. The children in the residential units present increasingly complex and challengingbehaviour. In 2001-2002 residential units provided default placements for a number of childrenfor whom no other care placement could be found.Aberdeenshire’s manual “Guidance for Foster Carers and Social Workers” covers the legal andprofessional context of fostering, the needs of children and a wide range of issues for Carers.Easily updated, it has contributions from a wide range of sources. Now in its 3rd edition, theManual has been well received by carers in Aberdeenshire and other authorities.19