Issue - meetings

(a)  Children’s Social Services Annual Report 2019-20

Report of Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

(b)  Learning from Complaints

Report of Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

(a) Children’s Social Services Annual Report 2019/20

The Committee considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People (Schedule 1 to the signed minutes) informing them of the Customer Feedback and Complaints Service – Children’s Social Services Annual Report 2019/20 (schedule 1 to the signed minutes). Preliminary consideration had been given to the report at their meeting 5 November 2020. However, the Cabinet Member had undertaken to provide background details of its contents, including lessons learned from complaints, to assist the Committee in providing full and detailed scrutiny. 

The Annual Report had been prepared in order to comply with the Authority’s statutory duty under the Children Act 1989 Representation Procedure (England) Regulations 2006 to publish details of (i) the number of complaints recorded regarding children’s services; (ii) the outcome of each complaint made and; (iii) whether relevant statutory timescales had been adhered to. As such, it provided a historical snapshot of the Authority’s performance during the year.  

The Committee noted that during 2019/20 there had been a total of 324 complaints investigated through the various statutory and Corporate Complaints’ procedures of which:- (i) 124 dealt with under Statutory Stage 1 (Local Resolution) procedures; (ii) 12 dealt with under Statutory Stage 2 (Independent Review/Investigation) procedures; (iii) 1 dealt with under Statutory Stage 3 (Complaint Review Panel) procedures; (iv) 187 dealt with under Corporate Complaints Stage 1 (Local Resolution) procedures; (v) 18 dealt with under Corporate Complaints Stage 2 (Internal Review/Investigation) procedures and (vi) 47 investigated by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO). However, there had also been 225 complements received by the Authority relating to Children’s services.

During the discussion which ensued, Members queried the Authority’s performance by reference to the above-mentioned statistics, the majority of which had shown significant increases when compared to those for the preceding year (2018/19). Stage 1 Corporate Complaints had increased by 49% whereas the number of complements received from service users had decreased by 6%. In addition, complaints referred to the LGSCO had increased by 62%. In reply, the Cabinet Member explained that many of the Stage 1 Corporate Complaints received had been in respect of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) service. However, the backlog of cases which had largely arisen owing to staff shortages had both been addressed. Also, it was anticipated that the appointment of a new SEND Complaints Officer within the Corporate Complaints service would enable early resolution of issues, in the future, as they arose. Further measures were being implemented in order to manage expectations although complainants retained their right to refer matters to the LGSCO in the event they remained dissatisfied with the outcome of both statutory and legal investigations/reviews.

Members also raised the impact of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic on the figures for the year which they acknowledged was likely to be minimal although performance for the current year might be significantly affected.

In response to a question from a Member regarding some of the outcomes of the Independent Investigations/reviews included in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

The Committee gave preliminary consideration to a report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People informing them of the Customer Feedback and Complaints Service – Children’s Social Services Annual Report 2019/20 (schedule 2 to the signed minutes).

The Annual report had been prepared in order to comply with the Authority’s statutory duty under the Children Act 1989 Representation Procedure (England) Regulations 2006 to publish details of (i) the number of complaints recorded regarding children’s services; (ii) the outcome of each complaint made and; (iii) whether relevant statutory timescales had been adhered to.

Members noted that during 2019/20 there had been a total of 137 complaints investigated through the various statutory complaints’ procedures comprising:- (i) 124 dealt with under Statutory Stage 1 (local resolution) procedures; (ii) 12 dealt with under Statutory Stage 2 (independent investigation) procedures and; (iii) 1 dealt with under Statutory Stage 3 (Complaint Review Panel) procedures. In addition, a further 187 complaints had been dealt with under the County Council’s own Corporate Complaints Procedures and 47 investigated by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. However, there had also been 225 complements received by the Authority relating to Children’s services.

The Cabinet Member undertook to provide further details of the matters contained in the report including lessons learned to their next meeting for full and detailed scrutiny could be provided.

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received and noted.

(b) That the Customer Feedback and Complaints Service – Children’s Social Services Annual Report 2019/20 be brought to their next meeting for further consideration.