Growth and development.pdf

ShetlandThe Council has so far made limited progress in implementing the recommendations of Learningwith Care:• all looked after children have care plans but not educational targets;• guidelines are to be produced to clarify the responsibilities of staff in all agencies involved;• a new post of independent childcare co-ordinator is to keep under review the educationalneeds of looked after children and carry out the six-monthly reviews;• all looked after children are in full-time education or are educated in an appropriate setting; and• some joint training has involved teachers, social workers, school auxiliaries and nurses.Parents are invited and helped to attend reviews of their children and are sent copies of allreports. The educational environment of children and young people in residential or foster carehas been enhanced by providing ICT equipment, additional homework support and study areas.A multi-disciplinary working party is preparing for the new arrangements for care leavers and isdrawing up an action programme, in consultation with other islands councils and national andregional groups preparing for the transfer. A local service budget and the future paymentarrangements required by care leavers living throughout the islands have yet to be worked out.It is intended to develop specific budgets for individual care leavers. The Council is to use itsinclusiveness project to provide training for staff from relevant agencies who need to broadentheir knowledge of the needs of care leavers.4. Performance: Criminal JusticeKey ActivitiesNumber of social enquiry reports submitted to the courts 110 96 62.4 3during the yearNumber of community service orders made during the year 13 15 9.7 4The proportion of social enquiry reports reported to courtwithin target time2000-2001 QuartileProportion of social enquiry reports submitted to the courts 100.0 1by due dateThe time taken to complete community service orders1999-20002000-2001Average length of community service (hours) for orders 220 1completed during the yearAverage hours completed per week 8.3 12000-2001per 10,000QuartileThe rate of social enquiry reports submitted to courts is low, reflecting a low crime rate. Allreports are submitted to courts by the due date. The rate of community service orders made islower than in many other authorities. The average length of orders completed is relatively higherthan in most other authorities, but the orders are completed quickly, with an average of 8.3 hourscompleted per week.The Council is linked to the Northern Partnership (with Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray andHighland) for provision of criminal justice services. Local staff also meet Orkney and WesternIsles counterparts and conduct inter-island arm’s-length reviews. The three services, havingsimilar management and practice, audit each other’s services.229