Social Work And Health Committee - 18/06/2001

At a MEETING of the SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 18th June 2001.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Betty WARD, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 21st May 2001 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MINUTE OF MEETING OF COMPLAINTS REVIEW COMMITTEE OF 22ND MAY 2001

The minute of the above meeting was submitted and approved.

II MINUTE OF MEETING OF REGISTRATION AND CASES SUB-COMMITTEE OF 24TH MAY 2001

The minute of the above meeting was submitted and noted.

III YOUNG PERSONS' UNITS - STAFFING/TRAINING WORKING GROUP

On a reference to Article I of the minute of meeting of the Social Work Committee of 11th September 2000 there was submitted Report No 376-2001 by the Director of Personnel and Management Services detailing work undertaken by the Staffing/Training Working Group.

The Committee agreed that:-

(i)the Young Persons' Units - Staffing/Training Working Group continues its discussions and reports back to this Committee by 31st March 2002; and

(ii)as an interim measure until 31st March 2002 an additional four full-time (equivalent) posts be created as detailed in the report.

IV AUDIT OF CHILD PROTECTION CASES UNDERTAKEN BY THE UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE

There was submitted Report No 399-2001 by the Director of Social Work advising the Committee of the outcome of the audit of child protection cases commissioned by the Director of Social Work and carried out by the University of Dundee in conjunction with the Social Work Department.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)note the contents of the summary report on the audit of child protection cases attached as Appendix I to the report;

(ii)acknowledge the co-operation of all the staff involved in this audit and recognise their openness and continued commitment to the service;

(iii)remit to the Director of Social Work to implement the attached Service Improvement Action Plan; and

(iv)remit to the Director of Social Work to conduct a further audit on the quality of practice in cases of children whose names are not on the child protection register.

V CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK SERVICES - TAYSIDE PARTNERSHIP

There was submitted Report No 398-2001 by the Director of Social Work advising the Committee of the development of a Tayside Partnership for the future delivery of criminal justice social work services.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)note the contents of the report; and

(ii)approve the establishment of a Tayside Partnership for the delivery of criminal justice social work services.

VI JOINT FUTURE PROJECT TEAM

There was submitted Report No 397-2001 by the Director of Social Work advising the Committee of the work undertaken by the Local Authority and Health in progressing and actioning the recommendations made within the Joint Future Report and recommending the formation of a Joint Future Project Team and a Project Co-Ordinator.

The Committee approved:-

(i)the proposals detailed within the report;

(ii)the formation of Joint Future Project Team; and

(iii)the proposal that the Chair of the Health and Community Care Liaison Group chair an interview panel, which will include representation from constituent agencies, to appoint a Joint Future Co-Ordinator (to be seconded, with agreement of their employer, from one of the constituent agencies).

VII PROPOSED EXPANSION TO BARNARDO'S SIDE-BY-SIDE SCHEME (FAMILY BASED RESPITE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES)

There was submitted Report No 396-2001 by the Director of Social Work seeking approval to deploy 56,000 of the Council's 2001/2002 Children's Services Development Fund allocation for the purpose of expanding family based respite services for children with learning disabilities in Dundee.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)acknowledge the work currently undertaken by Barnardo's respite carers in providing a service to children with learning difficulties; and

(ii)approve the deployment of 56,000 in a full financial year of the Children's Services Development Fund monies held in contingency for the purpose of expanding the current Barnardo's Side-by-Side Scheme.

VIII SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL AWARD

It was reported for the information of the Committee that Ms Shona Atkins, Manager of East Port House Probation and Bail Hostel, had won the national award presented by the Social Work Research Association for research into "Defining the Purpose of Supervised Hostel for Offices as a Basis for Evaluation".

The Committee extended their congratulations to Ms Atkins.

IX SUPPORTING PEOPLE

There was submitted Joint Report No 300-2001 by the Directors of Housing, Social Work and Personnel and Management Services advising the Committee of the implications of the supporting people policy and framework for the Council, service users who rely on support services and for providers of services, and recommending actions to be taken by the Council to ensure it is adequately prepared for the implementation of the scheme.

The Committee, insofar as its interests were concerned, agreed to:-

(i)establish a Supporting People Management Group and an Implementation Team as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report;

(ii)identify from within the Council, a team of dedicated officers to carry out the main tasks of implementation as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report;

(iii)conduct a review of local authority sheltered housing and warden service to ensure that any opportunities that arise from the transitional arrangements have been optimised;

(iv)consider the redefinition of some other council properties as amenity housing to increase the scope of the supporting people framework;

(v)conduct a detailed review of more specialist accommodation with support;

(vi)refer inter-agency working and immediate communication issues to the existing multi-agency Community Care Housing Group;

(vii)instruct the Management Group and Implementation Team on formation to prepare an implementation plan for the Council; and

(viii)approve the establishment of temporary posts listed in Appendix 2 to the report up to March 2004.

X STANDARD CHARGES FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY RESIDENTIAL UNITS

There was submitted Report No 400-2001 by the Director of Social Work recommending the level of standard charge to be applied in 2001/02 for local authority residential accommodation for adults.

The Committee agreed the charges as detailed in the Appendix to the report.

XI CHARGES AND RATES OF PAYMENT FOR RESPITE CARE

There was submitted Report No 401-2001 by the Director of Social Work proposing a standard payment to carers for respite accommodation provided under the "Home from Home" Scheme and proposing the charge to be levied on users of all respite care services.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)approve a standard payment of 145 per week to carers supplying respite care to older people in their own homes;

(ii)approve a charge of 55.50 per week for respite care of up to eight weeks in total within the financial year plus 63.30 per week where the service user is in respect of residential allowance; and

(iii)instruct the Director of Social Work to undertake a review of charging policy for respite care during 2001/02.

XII CHILDREN'S PANEL NATIONAL SCHOOL 2001

It was reported that the annual conference for members of the Children's Panel "Children in Trouble: Children in Need" will be held in Dunblane from 9th to 11th November 2001 at a cost per delegate of 270 excluding travel and subsistence.

The Committee approved the attendance of five Children's Panel members.

BETTY WARD, Convener.