Growth and development.pdf

3. Performance: Children and FamiliesBalance of care – Looked afterchildren (aged 0-17)At home 55 2.3 4 60 2.5 3With friends/relatives/other community 12 0.5 3 19 0.8 3With foster carers/prospective adopters 32 1.3 4 34 1.4 4In residential accommodation 16 0.7 4 20 0.8 4Total 115 4.8 4 133 5.5 4Key performance indicators1999-2000actual1998-1999actual1999-2000per 1,0001998-1999per 1,000QuartileQuartile2000-2001actual1999-2000actual2000-2001per 1,0001999-2000per 1,000QuartileQuartileChild protection (CP) referrals 38 1.8 4 71 3.3 4(aged 0-15)Children subject to a CP case 16 0.8 4 23 1.1 4conference (aged 0-15)Children placed on CP register 5 0.2 4 6 0.3 4(aged 0-15)Adoption applications in year 7 0.3 3 7 0.3 3(aged 0-17)Stranger adopter applications 2 0.1 4 4 0.2 3(aged 0-17)The rate of child protection referrals almost doubled between 1998 and 2000, but remains lowerthan in many other authorities. The rates of children subject to a case conference and childrenon the child protection register are also lower than in most other authorities.The rate of looked after children has increased between 1999 and 2001, but remains lower thanin most other authorities. The rate of looked after children living in residential accommodationor with foster carers is low. Numbers of looked after children are significantly affected by drugmisuse – estimated at 90% of caseloads.The recommendations of Learning with Care are being progressed on a number of fronts:• multi-disciplinary assessment and care planning processes are fully implemented;• each school has a named co-ordinator to ensure that every looked after child has a personaleducation plan containing specific targets: two full-time support teachers help to achievethis aim, reviewing plans, and checking that they include provision for communication withparents;• most looked after children have full-time educational placements, although a small numberhave part-time intensive support programmes;• the Council has published an inter-agency strategy for looked after children, which outlinessupport requirements, procedures for inter-agency communication, and the Council’s dutiesas corporate parent; and• inter-agency training has taken place and more is planned.The Council has established and equipped an IT study base in its one residential unit andprovided IT and other educational equipment to all foster placements. The computerised systemsof education and social work (SEEMIS and SWIS) are being integrated.236