Social Work And Health Committee - 25/06/2012

At a MEETING of the SOCIAL WORK AND HEALTH COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 25th June, 2012.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Ken LYNN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 23rd April, 2012 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I CASES SUB-COMMITTEE - RECONSTITUTION

On a reference to Article I of the minute of meeting of 19th August, 2002, there was submitted Agenda Note AN102-2012 reporting that the Committee required to set up a Cases Sub-Committee, the remit of which would be to consider and decide on the provision of care packages exceeding agreed authorised limits and act, in all individual cases, in terms of the relevant legislation and policy across client groups including:-

- The assistance of older people or those with disabilities or illness and other individuals in need.

- The supervision and care of individuals on probation or release from prison or other forms of detention.

- The care of individual children in need including all arrangements for dealing with individual children in the care of the Council.

The Sub-Committee would comprise three members on the basis of two members of the Administration, and one member of the Labour Group (where practicable).

The Committee agreed to the reconstitution of the Cases Sub-Committee on the terms as outlined in the note.

II CASES SUB-COMMITTEE - MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minute of meeting of the Cases Sub-Committee held on 1st May, 2012, was submitted for information and record purposes, a copy of which is attached to this minute as an Appendix.

III ROSEBANK CARE HOME CLOSURE/REPROVISIONING

Reference was made to Article V of the minute of meeting of this Committee held on 26th September, 2011, wherein an action plan had been agreed to manage the implications of Four Seasons Healthcare's decision to close Rosebank Care Home.

There was submitted Report No 238-2012 by the Director of Social Work appraising the Committee of the reprovisioning arrangements for Rosebank residents.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the outcome of the reprovisioning of care and support arrangements for the residents of Rosebank Care Home as a consequence of Four Seasons Health Care's decision to close the home; and

(ii) to note the positive outcomes for people who had moved from Rosebank to more personalised circumstances.

IV STANDARD CHARGES FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY RESIDENTIAL UNITS 2012/2013

There was submitted Report No 239-2012 by the Director of Social Work recommending the level of standard charge to be applied in 2012/2013 for local authority residential accommodation for adults and older people.

The Committee agreed standard charges for local authority residential accommodation as laid out in Appendix 1 of the report.

V OPTIONS APPRAISAL - ELMS SECURE UNIT

There was submitted Report No 241-2012 by the Director of Social Work on the Elms Secure Services outlining the background, history and drivers culminating in this Options Appraisal Report. The Options Appraisal Report attached as an Appendix to the report detailed three options and sought agreement to the preferred option.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to acknowledge the Options Appraisal Report attached as Appendix I of the report;

(ii) to the contents of the report and the preferred option as outlined in the report to change the use of the secure unit and use alternative secure care providers and create further intake provision to operate alongside Drummond House which was part of the Elms Complex, this new resource having a specialised multi-agency approach;

(iii) that the Director of Social Work bring forward a further report outlining the way forward for the preferred option; and

(iv) the phased change of use of the Secure Unit at the Elms over the next six months.

VI RE-DEVELOPMENT OF THE ELMS SECURE RESIDENTIAL SERVICE

There was submitted Report No 240-2012 by the Director of Social Work outlining the proposal to design a new service which was committed to strengthening the Social Work Department's work with young people in collaboration with partner agencies and other departments. The report detailed the proposed actions and planning to progress the preferred option as outlined in Article V of this minute.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) that the Director of Social Work set up a Multi-Agency Development Group to progress the development of a new service from the Elms Residential Unit. This would be led by the Head of Children's Services; and

(ii) that this group report back to Committee by November, 2012 with the detailed proposals for a new service and an implementation plan.

VII FISCAL WORK ORDERS

There was submitted Report No 242-2012 by the Director of Social Work providing an update on progress in implementing Fiscal Work Orders.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note progress made in the implementation of Fiscal Work Orders and ongoing measures being taken with the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service; and

(ii) to instruct the Director of Social Work to provide a further review of progress in twelve months.

Councillor Fraser Macpherson declared a non-financial interest in the undernoted item of business by virtue of his position as Secretary of West End Sport and Heritage Association which involved him in the preparation of the bid referred to in the report.

VIII COMMUNITY PAYBACK ORDERS

Reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee held on 24th January, 2011, wherein the implications of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act (Scotland) 2012 were outlined, together with the measures put in place to implement it effectively.

There was submitted Report No 243-2012 by the Director of Social Work providing an update on the operation of Community Payback Orders, in accordance with the requirements of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act (Scotland) 2010. The Act imposed a duty on local authorities to submit annual reports on the Order and this was the first such report since the legislation was enacted in February, 2011.

The Act replaced existing community sentences with a single Order and was intended to simplify sentencing options, provide a robust alternative to short-term imprisonment, reduce re-offending, promote community consultation on unpaid work projects and increase community confidence in the criminal justice system, particularly in respect of offender management.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the progress made in the implementation and operation of Community Payment Orders;

(ii) to instruct the Director of Social Work to provide a further report in twelve months; and

(iii) to instruct the Director of Social Work to provide a report on Women Offenders in August, 2012.

IX WHOLE SYSTEM APPROACH TO YOUTH JUSTICE

Reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee held on 27th June, 2011, wherein the implementation of Whole System Approach to Youth Justice was outlined.

There was submitted Report No 244-2012 by the Director of Social Work providing an update on progress made in implementing the Whole System Approach to Youth Justice over the last twelve months.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the progress made in implementing the Whole System Approach in the first year of operation;

(ii) to instruct the Director of Social Work to provide a further review of the approach in twelve months; and

(iii) to instruct the Director of Social Work to implement a plan to reduce the number of children and young people admitted to secure care and custody.

X RESETTLEMENT PILOT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN103-2012 reporting that the Government Reducing Re‑offending Programme focussed on the four key projects of young people who offend, pre-disposal, effective community disposals and community re-integration in order to reduce re-offending rates and short-term imprisonment.

The community re-integration project focussed on improving the re-integration of short-term prisoners, who were more likely to re-offend on release and receive repeat custodial sentences. In Dundee, typically over 300 adult males would receive short-term prison sentences every year with only about a third electing to receive voluntary support on their release.

The Resettlement Pilot would be delivered by Criminal Justice Social Work and HMP Perth to develop a more co-ordinated and pro-active approach. It consisted of six key stages, from information sharing from the point of sentence; an immediate needs screening on arrival at the prison; a comprehensive needs screening once stabilised; custodial case management; a pre-release review meeting; and community case management. Where necessary, a 7th stage would focus on their return to custody.

The pilot reflected existing work between a dedicated Criminal Justice Female Offenders Team and HMP Cornton Vale. Together, this work would ensure that the needs of male and female short-term prisoners were proactively identified and addressed. As part of this, the Criminal Justice Service was also developing relations with Tayside Police to ensure a more targeted approach towards persistent offenders on release from both prisons.

Criminal Justice Services would receive additional funding of 32,000 to contribute towards delivery of the pilot in 2012/2013. The funding would be used to increase capacity within the service; improve information sharing with the prison on offender risks, needs and motivation, enhance engagement with offenders whilst in custody; co-ordinate the involvement of other agencies; and intensify support on release. The pilot would be evaluated and would inform longer-term developments in through care.

The Committee noted the position as outlined in the note.

Ken LYNN, Convener.

At a MEETING of the CASES SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIAL WORK AND HEALTH COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 1st May, 2012.

APPENDIX

Present:-

Councillor Jim BARRIE

Bailie Helen WRIGHT

Councillor Donald HAY

Councillor Jim BARRIE, Convener, in the Chair.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

The Sub-Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

I

 

There was submitted Report No 178-2012 by the Director of Social Work requesting approval of funding for services required to support one service user at a purpose-built care facility. The nature of the facility and the care provision required was detailed within the report.

 

The Sub-Committee agreed that a placement be funded for the service user on a permanent basis at the facility which was required to manage the service users longer-term needs.

 

 

 

 

Jim BARRIE, Convener.