Social Work And Health Committee - 20/08/2012

At a MEETING of the SOCIAL WORK AND HEALTH COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 20th August, 2012.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost Bob DUNCAN

 

Depute Lord Provost Christina ROBERTS

 

BAILIES

 

Willie SAWERS

Helen WRIGHT

Ian BORTHWICK

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Ken GUILD

Ken LYNN

Laurie BIDWELL

John ALEXANDER

Vari McDONALD

Lesley BRENNAN

Jimmy BLACK

Craig MELVILLE

Georgia CRUICKSHANK

David BOWES

Gregor MURRAY

Tom FERGUSON

Bill CAMPBELL

Alan G ROSS

Brian GORDON

Kevin CORDELL

Kevin KEENAN

Richard McCREADY

Will DAWSON

Mohammed ASIF

Norma McGOVERN

Stewart HUNTER

 

Fraser MACPHERSON

 

Councillor Ken LYNN, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 25th June, 2012 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

No declarations of interest were made.

 

II MINUTE OF MEETING OF CASES SUB-COMMITTEE

 

The minute of meeting of the Cases Sub-Committee held on 8th August, 2012 was submitted and noted for information and record purposes, a copy of which is attached to this minute as an Appendix.

 

III SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - SERVICE PLAN REVIEW

 

There was submitted Report No 266-2012 by Director of Social Work reviewing and concluding the performance of the Social Work Department in relation to its Service Plan 2010/2012.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note the contents of the Social Work Department Service Plan Review; and

 

(ii) to note that a new department service plan was being drawn up based on the Council's new plan structure. These would be presented to the Social Work and Health Committee at a later stage.

 

IV COMMISSION ON WOMEN OFFENDERS

 

There was submitted Report No 291-2012 by Director of Social Work informing the Social Work and Health Committee of the Government response to the recommendations of the Commission on Women Offenders, current arrangements in Dundee and longer-term potential national and local developments. The Commission on Women Offenders was established by the Government to consider the evidence on how to improve outcomes for women in the criminal justice system and make recommendations for practical measures to reduce re-offending and imprisonment.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note the Government response to the recommendations of the Commission on Women Offenders;

 

(ii) to note current arrangements in Dundee and the longer-term implications of the recommendations, particularly in respect of leadership, structures and the delivery of services; and

 

(iii) to instruct the Director of Social Work to provide an update report in 12 months on the implementation of the recommendations and the outcomes of ongoing work streams.

 

V HIGH RISK OFFENDERS SELF-EVALUATION

 

There was submitted Report No 292-2012 by the Director of Social Work updating the Social Work and Health Committee on progress made on the implementation plan of an improvement plan developed following a high risk offenders self-evaluation exercise carried out between November, 2010 and April, 2011. A previous report outlining the findings of the exercise and the contents of the improvement plan was approved by members in June, 2011.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note progress made in the implementation of the High Risk Offender Self‑Evaluation Improvement Plan; and

 

(ii) to endorse ongoing arrangements for the risk assessment and risk management of high risk of harm offenders and their oversight through the Sex and Violent Offender Advisory Group.

 

VI FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICE REVIEW

 

Reference was made to Article III of the minute of this meeting held on 28th March, 2011, wherein it was noted that the Director of Social Work would submit a report on further proposals regarding the future shape of Family Support Teams.

 

There was submitted Report No 296-2012 by the Director of Social Work providing an update on the review of the Family Support Services in Dundee. Further work had been undertaken to review current provision and this report outlined proposals to amalgamate the functions of Family Support Services with those in locality social work teams to create integrated, locally based teams providing a wide range of social work services throughout the City.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note progress made in reviewing the Family Support Service;

 

(ii) to the proposal to integrate locality based social work teams and Family Support Services;

 

(iii) to the proposed requirement for Team Managers in the new integrated teams to be registered social workers; and

 

(iv) to instruct the Director of Social Work to implement the review including any changes to the staffing structure as identified.

 

VII KINSHIP CARE, CUSTODY AND ADOPTION AGE ALLOWANCES 2012/2013

 

There was submitted Agenda Note AN127-2012 reporting that the Social Work Department was in consultation with foster carers regarding the level of allowances payable. A report reflecting the outcome of this process would be presented to Committee at a later date.

 

There were a number of allowances which were unaffected by this process and it was recommended that the undernoted rates for 2012/2013 be paid, and were backdated to take effect from 9th April, 2012.

 

1 KINSHIP AND RESIDENCE ALLOWANCES

The amount paid was the equivalent of income support rates. It was recommended that these allowances were increased in line with relevant income support rates.

 

2 CUSTODY ALLOWANCES

It was recommended that Custody Allowances were unchanged in 2012/2013, in line with staff pay scales.

 

3 ADOPTION AGE ALLOWANCES

It was recommended that Adoption Age Allowances be increased by 1.25% in line with budgeted provision. (Adoption Age Allowances were stated, and paid, net of child benefit).

 

Summary of Recommended Rates and Allowances Note

 

 

 

2011/2012

Weekly Rate

2012/2013

Weekly Rate

1

Kinship Carer Allowance

62.33

64.99

1

Residence Allowance

62.33

64.99

1

Kinship and Residence Family Premium

17.40

17.40

 

 

 

 

2

Custody Allowance

96.75

96.75

 

 

 

 

3

Adoption Age Allowance 00-04

69.44

71.31

3

Adoption Age Allowance 05-10

81.03

82.04

3

Adoption Age Allowance 11-15

104.12

105.42

3

Adoption Age Allowance 16-18

136.53

138.24

 

The Committee agreed the terms of the note.

 

 

 

 

Ken LYNN, Convener.

 

APPENDIX

 

At a MEETING of the CASES SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIAL WORK AND HEALTH COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 8th August, 2012.

 

Present:-

 

Councillor Ken LYNN

 

Councillor Alan G ROSS

 

Councillor Ken GUILD

 

Councillor Ken LYNN, 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 items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

 

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

No declarations of interest were made.

 

II PURCHASE OF HOME CARE EXCEEDING AGREED LIMITS

 

There was submitted Report No 301-2012 by the Director of Social Work seeking authorisation to purchase care at home services for one service user which exceeded the agreed authorised limit of private nursing home rate.

 

The Sub-Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to authorise payment in respect of this care arrangement; and

 

(ii) to note that the cost of the proposed care package exceeded agreed authorised limits but would meet current needs appropriately and would be subject to regular review and adjusted, as appropriate, should circumstances change.

 

III PURCHASE OF PLACEMENT WHICH EXCEEDS THE APPROVED NATIONAL CARE HOME RATE

 

There was submitted Report No 302-2012 by the Director of Social Work seeking approval of funding for additional services required to facilitate discharge of one service user from a hospital, to a community placement at a nursing home.

 

The Sub-Committee agreed that the placement be funded, on a permanent basis, to facilitate the service user being discharged as a long-term patient, from a hospital setting and move to a community based placement in an appropriate nursing home.

 

 

 

 

Ken LYNN, Convener.