Looked After Children Commissioning Strategy April...

Children, Young People & Learning

Bracknell Forest Council

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Annex 1

Looked After Children Commissioning Strategy

April 2013-15

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April 2013

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Looked After Children Commissioning Strategy 2013-15

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Care Matters Steering Group

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Sheila McKeand Head of Service for LAC

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Please contact:

Pol icy and Commissioning Off icer

Children’s Social care

Bracknel l Forest Borough Counci l

Time Square

Market Street

Bracknel l

Berkshire RG12 1JD

Email: sarah.roberts@bracknell- forest.gov.uk

Telephone: 01344 351582

Fax: 01344 351521

Minicom: 01344 352045

Bracknell Forest Council

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Table of Contents (Press F9 to refresh)

1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................1

2 National Context...........................................................................................................1

3 Local Context ...............................................................................................................2

4 Our vision .....................................................................................................................3

5 Needs Analysis ............................................................................................................4

5.1 Demographics................................................................................................4

5.2 Ethnicity .........................................................................................................4

5.3 Age ................................................................................................................5

5.4 Legal status ...................................................................................................5

5.5 Current Placements .......................................................................................6

5.6 Duration of Care Episodes .............................................................................8

5.7 Placement Stability and Permanence.............................................................8

5.8 Health ............................................................................................................9

5.9 Educational Attainment ................................................................................10

5.10 Special Educational Needs ..........................................................................11

5.11 Offending .....................................................................................................11

5.12 Care Leavers ...............................................................................................11

5.13 Participation .................................................................................................12

6 Description of Current Provision for Children..............................................................12

6.1 Supporting Children and Young People on the Edge of Care.......................12

6.2 Multi-agency working ...................................................................................13

6.3 Children’s Social Care .................................................................................13

6.4 Placements..................................................................................................14

6.5 Residential Provision ...................................................................................14

6.6 Foster Care..................................................................................................14

6.7 Leaving Care ...............................................................................................14

6.8 Education.....................................................................................................15

6.9 Health ..........................................................................................................16

6.10 Youth Services.............................................................................................17

6.11 Youth Offending...........................................................................................18

6.12 Training and Employment ............................................................................19

6.13 Accommodation ...........................................................................................19

6.14 Children and Young People’s Participation ..................................................19

6.15 Corporate parents........................................................................................20

6.16 Outcomes of Inspections by Ofsted .............................................................21

7 Recent Changes in Local and National Landscape which may affect

future Commissioning Aims........................................................................................21

7.1 Changing Age Profile of LAC .......................................................................21

7.2 Social and Economic Context ......................................................................22

7.3 Raising of Participation Age .........................................................................22

7.4 Increased funding for Schools......................................................................22

7.5 Benefits Changes (Housing Benefit and Child Benefit) ................................23

7.6 Changes Resulting from LASPO Act 2012 - Remands.................................23

7.7 Family Justice Review .................................................................................24

7.8 Youth Service Restructuring ........................................................................24

8 8 Strategic Commissioning Aims ................................................................................24

8.1 To Support Children and Young People on the Edge of Care ......................24

8.2 To Minimise Delay in Placing Children for Permanency ...............................25

8.3 To Provide Appropriate Placements When Necessary.................................25

8.4 Placement Stability and Effective Care Planning..........................................25

8.5 To Improve Health and Wellbeing ................................................................26

8.6 To Improve Educational Outcomes ..............................................................26

8.7 To Prepare Children and Young People for Adulthood and

Independence ............................................................................................................26

8.8 To Listen to Young People about how they want their

services delivered.......................................................................................................27

9 Challenges and Service Gaps Identified Locally.........................................................27

9.1 To Provide Appropriate Placements When Necessary.................................27

10 Commissioning Priorities ............................................................................................29

11 Annex 1 Graphs and Tables.......................................................................................31

12 Annex 2 Commissioning Strategy for Looked After Children Action

Plan............................................................................................................................37

Commissioning Strategy for Looked after Children and Care Leavers 2013-15

Page 1

1 Introduction

The purpose of this Commissioning Strategy is to understand and plan for the current and future needs of our Looked After Children and Care Leavers to support them in achieving good outcomes and positive futures. This strategy covers the period of 2013 to 2015 and it follows the commissioning principles identified by the Children and Young People’s Partnership in its Joint Commissioning Strategy.

The Strategy has been developed using a range of methods:

• Analysis of national and local data.

• Qualitative and quantitative information from the Life Chances Team to inform a gap analysis.

• Views of young people and of partner agencies.

Listening to the voice of the child

'Bracknell Forest has a well established process of listening to the voice of Looked After Children and Care Leavers through their active participation in the Children in Care Council and other events and activities. The issues raised by young people have contributed to the development and direction of this Strategy. The implementation of this Strategy will be monitored and reviewed with our Looked After Children and young people in age appropriate activities.'

This Strategy incorporates the Bracknell Forest Sufficiency of Accommodation Action Plan, which sets out priorities for action over the next three years to ensure Bracknell Forest Council meet the sufficiency duty, i.e. the requirement to take steps to secure, as far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation for Looked After Children within their local authority area. One of the underlying principles in the Strategy is that all agencies working with vulnerable children have a responsibility to work together to secure good outcomes. We believe that partnership working to support our Looked After Children and Care Leavers is a strength in Bracknell Forest and is key to the successful delivery of the priorities in this Strategy.

2 National Context

At the end of March 2012, there were 67,050 looked-after children and young people in England. Almost 75% of these were in a foster placement and approximately 12% were cared for in residential accommodation (including secure units, children's homes, hostels, residential schools and other residential settings).

The health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people – that is, their physical health, and social, educational and emotional wellbeing – is influenced by nearly all aspects of their lives and the care they receive. Experiences early in life may have long-term consequences for health and social development. Some looked-after children and young people have positive experiences in the care system and achieve good emotional and physical health, do well in their education and go on to have good jobs and careers. However, looked-after children are more likely to have experienced deprivation and poverty as a result of low family income or parental unemployment. About 60% of children and


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young people who are looked after in England are reported to have emotional and mental health problems and a high proportion experience poor health, educational and social outcomes after leaving care. The main reason for children and young people entering care in the year up to April 2012 was abuse or neglect (reported in 62% of cases).

Looked-after children and young people should expect to have the same opportunities as other children and young people, including being healthy and safe. They should be provided with the opportunities needed to help them move successfully to adulthood.

The needs of looked-after children and young people vary, but are often complex, and can be met only by a range of services operating collaboratively across different settings.

The Children Act 1989, the Care Standards Act 2000 and accompanying regulations and statutory guidance provide the legal framework within which local authorities, providers of fostering services and children's homes must work.

3 Local Context

The Borough’s population is 113,200 (2011 Census). The population growth rate has slowed considerably since 2001 from 11.7% to 3.3%. It is now much lower compared to both the South East region (7.9%) and England (7.9%); 26% of the population are aged between 0–19 years of age, this represents 26% of the total population.

Bracknell Forest is one of the least deprived areas of the country (ranked 291 out of 326 local authorities in England on the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2010); the average free school meals eligibility remains relatively low in the national context (8.5% in 2013).

These headline figures mask significant pockets of deprivation. For instance, eleven primary schools have free school meal eligibility in excess of 10%; 11% of 0-16 year olds in the borough are living in poverty, compared to a national average of 21.6%. However, there are six wards in the borough that have child poverty rates higher than the regional average with the highest ward rate being 23%.

Educational attainment of children and young people has improved significantly between 2001 and 2012. Results show that the proportion of young people obtaining 5 or more GCSE grades A* - C including English and mathematics improved from 59.6% to 61%, the highest ever.

The proportion of young people achieving the other main measure of attainment at Key

Stage 4 (5 or more GCSE grades A* - C) has risen by 2%.

Between 2001 and 2013 the proportion of school pupils from Minority Ethnic Groups

increased from 6% to 17.9%.

9.6% of pupils have English as an Additional Language (EAL) and 79 different languages

are spoken in our schools (Jan 2013 School Census), although many of these in very small

numbers.

The 2011 Census showed that 84.9% of the population is ‘White British’ and the Black;

Minority Ethnic (BME) population is 15.1%.


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Services for Looked After Children and Care Leavers were judged to be good by Ofsted in the Inspection of Safeguarding and Looked after Children Inspection in November 2011.

4 Our vision

This LAC Commissioning Strategy supports the delivery of the vision and priorities set out in

The Children and Young People’s Plan “Creating Opportunities – a joint strategic plan for

children and young people in Bracknell Forest 2011 – 2014”

The vision in the plan is to:

“Enable all children, young people and families to lead healthy and fulfilled lives, to play an

active role within their community and realise their aspirations and potential through the well

coordinated provision of support and services”

The Plan identifies four outcome priorities, and six underpinning priorities, which partners

and stakeholders believe to be the key priorities for improving outcomes for children and

young people.

Outcome Priorities

OP1 Raise levels of attainment and pupil progress across all phases of learning for

all pupils

OP2 Improve physical and emotional health and wellbeing from conception to birth

and throughout life

OP3 Safeguard and protect children and young people

OP4 Improve outcomes for all children and young people, especially the more

vulnerable groups

Underpinning Priorities

UP5 Support children and young people through key transitions in their lives

UP6 Embed prevention and early intervention into the routine delivery of all

services to children, young people and families

UP7 Close the gap between children from low income backgrounds and their

peers

UP8 Strengthen parents and families through effective family support and

engagement

UP9 Support children and young people to become active citizens within their

communities

UP10 Ensure good quality service provision through effective commissioning


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In addition to supporting the priorities in the Children and Young People’s Plan, this Strategy

also supports the delivery of the Sustainable Community Strategy (Nurturing the Next

Generation) and the Council’s Medium Term Objective (support our younger residents to

maximise their potential).

5 Needs Analysis This section provides a summary of the analysis of the data and information available for our

Looked After Children and Care Leavers. Annex 1 provides more detailed breakdowns of

information shown in graphs and tables.

5.1 Demographics

Number of Looked After Children in Bracknell Forest

Mar 08/09 Actual

Mar 09/10 Actual

Mar 10/11 Actual

Mar 11/12 Actual

Mar 12/13 Actual

Number of Looked After Children

82 88 87 100 103

Bracknell Forest rate per 10,000 U18 population

30.5 32.7 32.0 37.6 38.7

South East rate per 10,000 U18 population

42.0 45.0 46.0 47.0 N/A

England rate per 10,000 U18 population

55.0 58.0 59.0 59.0 N/A

Bracknell Forest Council historically has a lower rate of Looked After Children in relation to

the South East and England population. Although the rate has remained low, the rates over

the past two years are indicative of the increased intervention leading to more children being

taken into care. The rate increased significantly between 2010/11 and 2011/12, but has

remained more stable between 2011/12 and 2012/13 with an increase of three children.

The flow of children who come in and out of care remains fairly stable and this is shown in

Table 1 in annex 1.

5.2 Ethnicity

Mar-10 Mar-11 Mar-12 Mar-13

White British 72 72 83 78

White Irish 1 1 0 0

Any other White background 0 1 5 8

White and Black Caribbean 2 1 4 6

White and Black African 2 2 4 2

White and Asian 0 1 0 3

Any other Mixed background 0 1 0 0

Any other Asian background 4 2 2 2

Caribbean 0 0 0 1

African 5 4 1 2


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Any other ethnic group 2 2 1 1

Total number of looked after children 88 87 100 103

The table shows that the representation of children from BME and shows that 75% of the

LAC population is White British, 8% any other white background and 17% from a range of

BME backgrounds. This is largely in line with the general population.

The small number of children from BME groups provides additional challenges to ensure that

the cultural needs of individuals are met appropriately an example is the small number of

Unaccompanied Minors from abroad who are placed outside the area in communities where

their cultural needs can be better met.

5.3 Age

Number of Looked After Children by Age and % change

between 2010 - 2013 Mar-10 Mar-11 Mar-12 Mar-13

% change 2010 - Mar 13

0 - 4 12 12 24 22 83%

5 - 10 9 14 21 22 144%

11 - 14 25 24 24 28 12%

15+ 42 37 31 31 -26%


Rate per 10,000 of population 32.7 32.0 36.8 37.9

• The number of children aged 11– 4 has remained fairly stable with only a small increase.

• The number of young people aged 15+ has reduced significantly.

• The numbers of younger children in the 0–4 and 5–10 age brackets have seen the

highest increases; this includes an increase in care proceedings.

This increase in care proceedings has implications for resources in terms of time needed for

Court work, assessments; and demand for permanent substitute placements in adoption or

long term foster care.

The demand for over 16 year olds requiring accommodation through S20 of the Children’s

Act has reduced and does not appear to have had a significant impact.

5.4 Legal status

Number of Looked After Children by Legal Status between 2010 - 2013


Interim Care Orders (C1) 11 7 18 13

Full Care Orders (C2) 25 27 29 32

% of looked after children on care orders 41% 39% 48% 45%

Placement Orders (E1) 2 5 8 18

Section 20 (V2) 50 48 44 39


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Other (inc L1 etc) 0 0 1 1

Total number of Looked After Children 88 87 100 103

The table above shows the legal status of looked after children between 2010 and 2013. It

shows an increase in the numbers of children in legal proceedings, and an increase in

children on placement orders, and a decrease in voluntary accommodation under Section

20.

Legal Status of Looked after Children by Age Group (as at 31st March 2013)

Interim or Full Care order

Single period of accommodation under Section 20

Placement Order

Other i.e. youth justice codes etc

Total

0 - 4 8 3 11 0 22

5 - 10 10 5 7 0 22

11 - 14 18 10 0 0 28

15+ 9 21 0 1 31

Total 45 39 18 1 103

This table shows the legal status of children by age as at 31 March 2013.

• The majority of children with Care Orders are aged 11 years and over.

• Children who are in care proceedings are made the subject of Interim Care Orders until

the conclusion of the hearing.

• There has been an increase in the number of Placement Orders made during 2012-2013

but there is a slight reduction in Interim Orders over this period which may indicate a

downward trend, or levelling out of the number of children we can expect to require

permanency during the 2013-14. The number of children accommodated under S20

Children’s Act has been reducing.

5.5 Current Placements

5.5.1 Type of Placement


Placed for Adoption 0 2 3 4

Foster Care (Bracknell Forest approved carers)

34 43 47 50

Fostered with relative/friend 6 5 8 7

Agency Foster Care 8 11 19 18

Secure Unit 0 0 0 0

Residential Homes/Hostels 12 11 13 12

Placed with parents 7 0 3 5

Independent Living 12 7 4 1

Residential Schools (SEN and Other) 10 8 3 5


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Other 1 0 0 1


L140 - % children looked after placed with BFC foster carers, adoption or with parents

51.1% 57.5% 61.0% 64.1%

The table above shows the number of children placed with Bracknell Forest approved foster

carers has increased steadily over the past three years. However the increase in demand

has also meant that some children have been placed with Independent Foster Agency

carers.

5.5.2 Children Placed outside of Bracknell Forest.


Total number of children placed outside the LA

39 36 39 41

Of this, number of children placed OLA within Berkshire (excluding those placed for Adoption)

14 11 11 12

% of children placed OLA within Berkshire (excluding those placed for Adoption)

35.9% 30.6% 28.2% 29.3%

Total number of children placed within Berkshire (excluding those placed for Adoption)

63 60 60 70

% children placed within Berkshire (excluding those placed for Adoption)

71.6% 70.6% 61.9% 70.7%

The table above shows the children placed outside of Bracknell Forest for many children it is

in their best interests to be placed in homes near to their family and home community so that

they can maintain contact with their family and friends and continue to attend the same

school.

Some children are placed outside the Borough but within Berkshire, enabling their education

and health needs to be met by local resources. Bracknell Forest does not have residential

accommodation, apart from a short break respite unit for disabled children.

Children who require specialist placements are placed outside the Borough.

5.5.3 Quality of Residential Placements

As of the 31st of March 2013 there were 14 children in residential placements. All the homes except one have been inspected by Ofsted with the following outcomes: 4 Outstanding 9 Good homes None were Adequate One home is awaiting an inspection currently.


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A monitoring system ensures that every residential home has robust policies for managing children who abscond and for those who may be at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation. The providers are asked to complete a questionnaire as well as provide these explicit policies, which are then disseminated to the allocated social worker for information and reference.

5.6 Duration of Care Episodes

Number of Looked After Children for 12 months+

Mar-10 Mar-12 Mar-13

0 - 4 3 5 13

5 - 10 4 12 15

11 - 14 19 15 21

15+ 33 27 24

Total 59 59 73

There has been a significant increase in the number of younger children becoming looked

after and remaining in care for over 12 months. The majority of these children will be the

subject of care proceedings and may remain in the care system until plans for permanency

are finalised.

5.7 Placement Stability and Permanence

5.7.1 Stability

Placements: Number Mar-10 Mar-11 Mar-12 Mar-13

Number of LAC with 3+ placements 17 7 10 12

Number of LAC (exc. Short term placements) 88 87 100 103

% of LAC with 3+ placements 19.3% 8.0% 10.0% 11.7%

Placements: Stability Mar-10 Mar-11 Mar-12 Mar-13

Number of LAC in current placements for 2 years+ 8 9 16 13

Total LAC aged under 16 and in care 2.5 years+ 16 15 21 19

% in long term stable placements 50.0% 60.0% 76.2% 68.4%

The stability of placements is measured by the number of children who have been looked

after for longer than two and a half years and who have been in their current placement for

more than two years. These figures only relate to children under 16 years so do not reflect

the stability of young people between 16 and 18 years. These are critical years for

developing independence programmes for young people as they move towards

independence.

The number of placement moves for some children is high. The data, includes children who

have had more than three moves of placement for a number of reasons, including those

missing from placement for more than twenty four hours, or those who have moved to a


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respite placement whilst their foster carers take an extended holiday. The national average

for three or more placements is 11%.

5.7.2 Permanence

09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13

Adoptions Orders Granted 3 0 3 5

Special Guardianship Orders (SGO) 0 0 2 3

LAC 6 months plus (i.e.183 days) 66 66 80 84

% LAC ( for 6 months+)adopted or subject to SGO

4.5% 0.0% 6.3% 9.5%

Residence Orders granted 2 2 1 2

Permanency for children can be achieved through adoption or Special Guardianship. Over

the past two years the number of children being placed for permanency has increased

significantly.

5.8 Health


Number who have had Health Assessments on time (regardless of how long looked after)

74 65 88 97

% of Health Assessments on time (excluding newly looked after)

87.1% 83.3% 92.6% 97.0%

Number refusing to have a Health Assessment

2 3 3 3

Number of newly looked after (i.e. less than 28 days before end of March each year)

3 9 5 3

Number with Health Assessments overdue 9 10 4 0


The Berkshire East Health Team for looked after children are responsible, in conjunction

with the child’s social worker for ensuring that initial and review health assessments are

completed. A health plan is formulated as a result of the health assessment and details how

the child’s health needs will be met. There has been a significant improvement in this

performance since the Life Chances Team was established in 2011 and the appointment of

the Life Chances Co-ordinator. At 31st March 2013, 97 children had received a health

assessment on time. As at 31st March 2013, 91 children had received dental checks on time.

This is a positive figure and shows that health is a high priority for looked after children.


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5.9 Educational Attainment

Outcomes for LAC and Care Leavers (Academic Year 2011–12)

• 78% of looked after children gained at least 1 or more GCSE A* - G grade with 7 out of 10 in the Year 11 cohort securing a qualification which enabled them to access further education. Two moved onto apprenticeships. These results are on par with those from other Berkshire LA’s for the same period.

• There were 5 pupils in the Key Stage 2 cohort of which 3 were not entered for their SATs exams due to being statemented and working below level 3 across assessed areas. The remaining 2 pupils secured level 3 in reading, writing and mathematics.

• Collaborative working between the LACES team with other members of the Life Chances Team, has led to a 50% reduction in the number of education related issues for Looked After Children (source Life Chances Team annual report [2012–2013], this equates to 12 cases in January compared to 6 in December).

• Partnership working with Bracknell and Wokingham College has resulted in the provision

of courses accessible to Looked After Children in the last year of their compulsory

education and beyond. In July 2012 one Care Leaver successfully completed a Degree

in Sports Science. As at December 2012, two Care Leavers are in the second year of

Degree courses and a further two are considering higher education options during their

second year at college.

Predicted outcomes for LAC (Academic Year 2012 – 13)

The 2012/13 cohort consists of 5 looked after children. 100% of the young people are expected to gain at least 1 GCSE A* - G grade. However, this is an estimate and final grades will be confirmed when issued.

The table below shows that there have been no permanent exclusions from school for a

Looked After Child since 2005/06, and a small number who missed 25 days schooling.

There are strategies in place to support schools to avoid the need for permanent exclusion

of looked after children and for monitoring attendance.

Mar

05/06 Mar

06/07 Mar

07/08 Mar

08/09 Mar

09/10 Mar

10/11 Mar

11/12

% with permanent exclusion from school

2% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

% who missed at least 25 days schooling

12% 12% 16% 15% 0% 6% 0%


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5.10 Special Educational Needs

25% (26) of all Looked After Children (at 31st March 2013) have a statement of special

educational needs. A small number are placed in residential provision in order to meet their

education needs but the majority attend mainstream or specialist day schools.

5.11 Offending

At the end of March 2013, 5 (5%) looked after children (regardless of how long they had

been looked after) had offended during the year. Of that number, 4 had been looked after

for 12 months or more

5.12 Care Leavers


Eligible 31 27 16 18

- % in suitable accommodation 100%

- % in Education, Training or Employment 78%

- % with Pathway Plan 100%

Relevant 8 4 10 8




Former Relevant 33 53 57 61




Total number of After Care clients 72 84 83 87

Pathway Plans are introduced in place of Care Plans from the age of 15 ½ years for all

eligible young people. Pathway Plans focus the young person and carers on the skills and

knowledge that will be needed for the young person to move into independence.

‘Eligible’ young people are 16 & 17 year olds who are still Looked After but have met the

criteria for Care Leaver support. Of the 18 young people within this cohort 10 are female

and 8 are male.

‘Relevant’ young people are those between 16 & 17 years old who were looked after for

thirteen weeks, including their 16th birthday. Of the 8 in this cohort six are male and two are

female. They have left care to either return to live with family; to live independently with

friends or in the semi-independent housing schemes of Holly House or Rainforest Walk

‘Former relevant’ young people are those over 18 years who were previously either

‘eligible’ or ‘relevant’ For these young people the measurement of their accommodation and

, EET status is made around their 19th birthdays.

54 Care Leavers are living within the Borough whilst 33 live outside, some of these are at a

distance because they were placed in a residential or foster placement in that area and wish

to remain and some to live nearer their family members.


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At the end of March 2013 two Care Leavers were in Higher Education.

Young people who are not in Education Employment or Training are referred to the

Participation Panel and progress is reviewed at the Virtual Care Leaver’s team monthly

meeting.

5.13 Participation

A total of 277 Statutory Reviews were completed by Independent Reviewing Officers

between 01/04/12 – 31/03/13

All young people over the age of 4 years participated in all of their reviews throughout the

year. This is excellent performance and equates to 82 young people taking part in 174

reviews - this includes 71% physically attending and speaking for him/herself; 23% not

attending but conveying feelings via a facilitative medium etc.

A further 48 reviews were for children Under 4 at the time of review and their participation is

not measured.

6 Description of Current Provision for Children

6.1 Supporting Children and Young People on the Edge of Care

As part of the prevention and early intervention strategy for all children, we aim to work with

other agencies that will both prevent family breakdown and improve outcomes for children.

Bracknell Forest local authority partners work together to proactively target support to

children on the edge of care that are very vulnerable. Services include:-

• The Family and Adolescent Support Team (FAST) provide a service to families with teenagers in crisis. This provides a solution focussed approach to families in crisis, targeting young people on the edge of care and uses the Signs of Safety approach to help analyse risk and improve planning so that resources can be targeted most effectively.

• Family Group Conferences (FGCs). Family Group Conferences are being used at an early stage, but there is a clear indication that FGCs are now also being used more than previously in higher threshold cases where there is a serious risk of the child becoming looked after, and where the child and their family are receiving support under the Child Protection Procedures.

• Short break respite care for children with disabilities. Further targeted recruitment of carers and use of shared care arrangements is continuing, with a designated social worker from the Family Placement Team managing the scheme.

• Aiming High Behaviour Support Team provide a service to parent/carers with children or young people with special educational needs and significant challenging behaviours. Through a period of assessment using functional analysis, this service is proactive in working directly with families, carers and other professionals to address and improve behaviours to stop family and/or placement breakdown.


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• A monthly multi-agency Edge of Care panel, chaired by the Head of Service, LAC enables social workers to present the cases of young people who are considered to be on the verge of becoming looked after. The criteria is that the child or young person must be open to Children’s Social Care and the assessment of need identify that there is a probability of the child becoming looked after should the current or proposed intervention not succeed. Resources are committed to assist in diverting children from care or, where care is seen as in the best interest of the child, make a plan to accommodate them. These discussions enable the Family Placement team to identify the best placement to meet need and, where possible, make planned placements and avoid emergency placements

• The Youth Offending Service offer a preventative programme for children identified as at risk of offending behaviour that for some may lead to family breakdown.

• Section 17 CiN support for children who have left the care system to return to the care of their parent or family.

6.2 Multi-agency working

6.2.1 Life Chances Team

The Life Chances Team (LCT) is a virtual team comprised of representatives from all the

agencies and specialist services in the Children’s Workforce who have a responsibility for

looked after children. The team was established in October 2011. The Life Chances Team

meets on a monthly basis and uses a RAG status to monitor the Placement, Health and

Education progress of all Looked After Children; and agree action plans to address concerns

or improve outcomes. The LCT has significantly improved the co-ordination of professionals

working together for the benefit of individual children and in developing a closer working

relationship across the range of Children’s Workforce. The work of the Life Chances Team

has improved the stability of placements for Looked After Children; supported local foster

carers to care for children with more complex needs and provided more integral support for

children within their educational setting.

6.2.2 Care Leavers Virtual Team meeting

The format of the Life Chances Team has been used to develop a similar model for Care

Leavers from the age of 16 to 25 years who are moving into independence, employment and

education. Again this is a monthly meeting involving those agencies involved with this

cohort.

6.3 Children’s Social Care

All looked after children have an allocated social worker from one of three child care teams;

the Disabled Children’s Team which caters for all children from birth to 18 years and two age

based social work teams. The Under 11s Team includes workers based in the Family Centre

and the Over 11s includes the Leaving Care service. Over the past year the After Care

Team and Over 11s have been brought together, enabling young people to transfer to the

leaving care social worker at a point appropriate to them, and for social workers to continue

to work with some young people beyond 18.


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6.4 Placements

Foster care services are managed by the Family Placement Team. This team is based

alongside the social work teams, enabling close working relationships between the child’s

social worker and foster carer’s supervising social worker. The team recruit, assess and

support Bracknell Forest’s approved foster carers. An Assistant Team Manager monitors

the quality of the Independent Foster Agency provision.

The Family Placement Team also provides for the majority of Bracknell Forest’s Adoption

Agency responsibilities. Other functions are met through the arrangement with the other

five Berkshire Unitary Authorities acting as a Consortium and also through the Berkshire

Adoption Advisory Service (BAAS), hosted by the Royal Borough of Windsor and

Maidenhead who also maintain the Adoption Panel

6.5 Residential Provision

Apart from a unit offering residential short breaks for disabled children there is no child care

residential provision in the Borough. There are a limited number of residential homes within

reasonable travel distance, however none offer specialist education, thus limiting the

children who can be placed with them. Generally residential care is spot purchased

The Authority is part of a project with five other Local Authorities which has successfully

commissioned a residential provider to set up a school and six satellite homes for twenty

young people within a reasonable travel distance of the Borough. Other joint local authority

work is planned to develop other framework agreements with residential providers to

encourage increased residential provision in the area.

6.6 Foster Care

The number of foster carers approved and supported by the Family Placement Team has

gradually increased over the past three years. At the end of March 2013 there were 59

approved foster carers, the majority of whom live within the Borough and a handful at a

reasonable distance. There are a number of placements that are able to support children

and young people with additional learning difficulties and disabilities.

There has been a significant increase in the number of children placed with Bracknell Forest

carers as has the placement stability of children. This is due to a number of factors, not least

the improved quality of recruitment, assessment, training and support provided to carers

from the Family Placement Team and members of the Life Chances Team.

In 2011 the South Central framework was agreed between eleven local authorities in the

region to manage Independent Fostering Agencies (IFA). This is managed through a project

manager based in Southampton. There are a number of IFA fostering households in

Bracknell Forest and nearby which are used when there are no suitable in-house carers

available to meet the child’s individual needs.

6.7 Leaving Care

Care Leavers are allocated a Personal Advisor from the age of 15½. The After Care Team

has now been integrated with the Over 11s Team to form the Over 11s and Leaving Care


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Service enabling a flexibility of timing for transferring support for a young person to a

personal advisor; and for sharing expertise and knowledge between team members.

Children, young people and their carers need to work together towards developing

independence skills for when they reach 18. However it is recognised that not all young

people are ready to live on their own at this age so a range of options are considered,

including staying on with their foster carers; supported living hostels and as well as private

rent.

Accommodation Support is provided through the Leaving Care service in conjunction with

the Homeless team to source and support care leavers to maintain tenancies. Care Leavers

may, if they meet the criteria, bid for housing when it becomes available. However as the

availability of social housing reduces there is less opportunity for care leavers to move into

social housing. As a result they are required to use private landlords.

6.8 Education

6.8.1 LACES

The Looked After Children Education Service (LACES) works closely with young people as

part of the Virtual School. The Virtual School provides robust challenge to schools with

regard to meeting the educational needs of Looked After Children (LAC). This focus is

further consolidated through a partnership approach with other agencies in aiming to ensure

that LAC receive the best possible provision to minimise any disruption in their learning,

improve school stability and promote the importance of education. The work of the LACES

team covers a number of different aspects such as:

• Arranging outreach/interim teaching and direct tuition for pupils at times of crisis,

disruption or pending identified school placement. This may take place in the foster

home, school or alternative venues.

• Individualised training to support schools and other agencies in building their capacity

to understand and meet the needs of individual LAC. This includes information about

the impact of developmental trauma and stress, classroom behaviours, supportive

strategies and effective intervention.

• Diagnostic assessments and reviews where there are concerns regarding progress

or underachievement.

• Advice, guidance and specific recommendations regarding appropriate intervention

and to inform planning and provision particularly for Designated Teachers in schools.

• Advice and guidance at LAC reviews and planning meetings.

• Arrange and conduct meetings to discuss Personal Education Plan’s (PEP).

• Support with transition at Key Stages in education.

• Liaison with key agencies such as Connexions. This is more relevant from Year 9 to

identify support for LAC across a number of areas. The designated Connexions

worker offers intensive PA support as required to cover aspects of education,

employment, general engagement, mentoring and social issues.

• Pre-OFSTED advice to schools as required.

• Multi-agency governor training on all issues relating to LAC.


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6.8.2 Connexions / Adviza

Connexions are a service delivered by Adviza in Bracknell Forest, Wokingham, Reading and

West Berkshire. The service is responsible for providing impartial information, advice and

guidance to young people aged 13-19 (and up to 25 for those who previously had a

statement of special educational needs), with an emphasis on careers and employability. In

Bracknell Forest has commissioned an Intensive Personal Advisor to focus on Looked After

Children and Care Leavers with a role to overcome barriers and enter in to employment,

education or training. In addition to this, funding has been allocated from the Local Authority

to ensure vulnerable groups (which include Looked After Children, Children in Need and

those on the edge of care) receive intensive support in schools where required.

6.8.3 Education Transition and Progress

Care Leavers can access education and career support from the Learning and Achievement transition worker whose aim is to support young people who may find it difficult to gain training or employment. Young people can receive practical support, as well as information, advice and guidance on further education, training and employment opportunities. Early identification of those in need using internal departments, external partners and data, ensures that the needs of LAC are addressed at the earliest opportunity.

A multi-disciplinary team convenes regularly and is made up of officers from various Local

Authority departments, local colleges, training providers and Bracknell connexions. Individual

cases are brought to the Participation group meeting and their current needs are discussed,

and a plan is formulated to assist with their transition. The appropriate agency will engage

with the young person, who will receive support and be sign posted onto an appropriate

provider. Learners are supported to engage in an activity with the hope of continued

progression.

6.9 Health

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust is responsible for providing universal and targeted health services for Looked After Children within Bracknell. In addition to the provision of universal services such as health visiting and school nursing, there is a dedicated health team for looked after children in both the East and West of the county. The Berkshire East Health Team for looked after children currently covers the three Local Authorities in East Berkshire, including Bracknell. The team consists of a part time Designated Doctor, a part time Designated Nurse; three Specialist nurses and 1.5 administration support workers. One specialist nurse takes the lead for Bracknell Forest. The team aim to assist NHS Berkshire and Bracknell Forest Council to improve the health of children who are looked after. The team coordinate the health assessment process through which health needs are identified and plans implemented to meet those needs. Support is also given to Social Workers, Foster Carers and health professionals to meet the needs of young people in their care. The Specialist Nurses also work directly with young people.


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6.9.1 Mental and Emotional Well Being

Bracknell Forest has a Child and Mental Health service which is commissioned by the

Berkshire Health Care Trust.

Children’s Social Care commission CAMHS to provide a tier 2 mental health specialist

worker for Looked After Children and the Youth Offending Service. This worker is a

member of the Life Chances Team and provides advice and guidance for social workers,

foster carers and other professionals as well as some direct work with looked after children.

Positive Activities All looked after children and their foster carers have free access to leisure

facilities within the Borough. Children placed out of the area are supported to access leisure

activities.

6.10 Youth Services

6.10.1 Universal Provision

• Open access or universal youth work provision is delivered in four areas across the Borough. All of these settings include sessions for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme in addition to the drop in or project work undertaken.

6.10.2 Targeted Youth Work

In addition to the work undertaken under the early intervention model of youth work delivery, in the settings identified in 4.9.1, the youth work staff have changed their focus to work more within a targeted and vulnerable young people’s arena in the following specialist areas:-

• NEET’s Work

• Teenage Pregnancy and Sexual Health

• Disability work

• Substance misuse and alcohol abuse

• Youth Engagement

• And Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme

6.10.3 Commissioned Youth Work Services

• The Wayz

• KID’s – Young Carers

• Youth Line In Year 3 of the youth modernisation programme the development of a youth work commissioning approach will be developed. In the final phase of the Modernisation process (13/14) the service will develop more open access sessions and better quality youth provision using a commissioned approach. It starts with the closure and re-commissioning of Whitegrove and North Ascot (Edgbarrow returned to school usage) youth provision. The announcement on the preferred provider/s is imminent. Then to look at processes, policies and practices of the Youth Service and prepare a Youth Service Commissioning paper to identify the best model that will suit Bracknell Forest.


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6.11 Youth Offending

6.11.1 Preventative Work

Following a comprehensive assessment which considers a wide range of criminogenic

factors, an Individual Support Plan is agreed with the young person and his/her parent/carer

which addresses the risk factors to offending in each case. Young people referred to the

Prevention service receive interventions delivered on a one to one basis, which are most

closely related to their risk factors associated with offending and/or anti social behaviour.

We have a range of resources specifically designed for working directly with young people

which enable our case workers to address issues such as, substance misuse, negative peer

group influences, family relationship difficulties, problems in school, bullying, physical and

mental health, domestic abuse and anger management. The YOS parenting worker, works

with the parents and carers of young people, setting out the plan of work needed to assist

the parents/carers to make a positive impact in reducing their child’s risk of offending. At the

end of the YOS intervention, an exit strategy to follow on from the work done is often

necessary and will involve referral to local partner agencies.

6.11.2 Young People on Remand

Young People on remand are allocated a YOS Case Manager who liaises directly with

Children s Social Care and Education to notify them of the young person’s placement .The

YOS Case Manager in conjunction with the Secure Estate sets up and undertakes an initial

remand review within 5 working days of the remand or sooner if the young person or their

behaviour is causing immediate concern to prison /care staff. During the initial period of

remand the YOS work with services, the young person, their parents and carers, their legal

representative and the secure establishment to consider a Remand to Local Authority

Accommodation or Intensive Bail Support package and present it at the next court

appearance if it is felt safe and appropriate to do so. If the young person is re-remanded

following the their next Court appearance the YOS attend a Remand Planning Meeting

within 10 working days of the initial remand to review bail options and put a remand plan in

place which offers a programme of services from the YOS and the secure establishment to

the young person during the period of remand. During a long period of remand the YOS visit

the young person monthly and attend monthly remand planning meetings. A Policy and

Protocol is currently being developed in response to the Legal Aid and Punishment Of

Offenders Act 2012 and anticipated changes to the Care Planning, Placement and Case

Review Regulations 2010 following the current period of consultation (commenced 9th

January 2013)

6.11.3 Liaison between Children’s Social Care and the Youth Offending Service

The Youth Offending Service Operational Manager and Team Manager of the Over11’s

Team meet monthly to review and discuss all Looked After Children who are currently in the

Criminal Justice System. Looked After Children and children and young people deemed to

be on ‘the edge of care’, identified as being at risk of offending are also discussed to

facilitate referrals into the (YOS) Prevention Service.


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6.12 Training and Employment

Children’s Social Care commission a specialist Connexions worker to provide intensive

support for Looked After young people from the age of 13 onwards, either through direct

work or signposting to other connexions workers within the school.

A representative of the Participation Panel attends the monthly Care Leavers Virtual Team

meeting and all NEET Looked After Children and Care Leavers up to the age of 21 are

considered at the Participation Panel.

6.13 Accommodation

The Housing Options Service provides housing advice and assistance for people with housing issues. The housing options available for LAC include:

• My Choice Housing Allocations System where young people eligible for social housing can bid for accommodation.

• Renting in the private sector. A young person aged 18 or older can hold a tenancy and apply for housng benefit to help meet the cost of the rent. From April 2012, single people under the age of 35 years are eligible for housing benefit for a room in a shared house.

• Look Ahead Housing Association provide 55 units of supported housing for young single people under the age of 25 years. Key workers work with residents to help them develop the maturity and life skills to live independently in the community.

• A floating support service is available to provide housing related support to vulnerable people living in the community, including young people who have previously been in care. The floating support service can work with people living in any housing tenure, including privately rented housing.

• A multi agency Young Persons Accommodation Panel receives referrals of young people including LAC who are in need of housing. The Panel assess each person’s housing and support needs and prioritises referrals to supported housing or the floating support service.

• The Resettlement Service (part of the Housing Options Service) specialises in working with single homeless people and provides the full range of housing advice and assistance for single people including those that have been looked after. The Resettlement Officers work with other agencies to help people access services they may need, and provide on-going support by way of support plans with individuals who need help with resettling into a new home.

6.14 Children and Young People’s Participation

Say it Loud Say it Proud (SiLSiP) The Bracknell Forest Children in Care Council has regular

monthly meetings. The Lead member for Children Young People and Learning, the Director,

the Chief Officer and the Head of Service for Looked After Children attend these meetings

twice a year to hear representations from the young people. SiLSiP members also attend the

Corporate Parenting Advisory Panel annually to report on their achievements. SiLSiP have

negotiated a Service Level Agreement with Senior Managers, with a budget of £5,000 to

enable them to organise participation activities for LAC.

In order to engage children and young people from a wider age range two new groups were

established in 2012/13. The first is a Care Leaver’s group, the second, SiLSiP Juniors, is a


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group for 8-11 year olds aimed at developing an interest participation and “graduating” to

SiLSiP as they get older.

These groups are facilitated by the Children’s Participation Development Officer, who also

coordinates other participation activities, consultations and participation audits and the

engagement of young people in Bracknell Forest recruitment process.

Aiming High, part of the Learning Difficulty and Disabilities Team, commission an annual,

independent consultation with children and young people. The results of this consultation,

together with feedback from parents help shape future development of provision.

In 2013 Looked After Children will work alongside an outside facilitator to develop a bespoke

training package for Bracknell Forest, which they will go on to deliver themselves as a rolling

program. This will cover participation training as well as understanding the experience of

receiving services and care from Bracknell Forest. It will include training modules for:-

• Other Young People, introducing them to the value of Participation.

• New Councillors, as part of their Induction

• New Social Care Staff

• Student Social workers

• Foster Carers

• Participation Advocates

All Bracknell Forest’s Looked After Children are able to access an Independent Advocacy

Service and an Independent Visitor Service.

Key senior managers and elected members are supportive and actively involved in

promoting participation opportunities and celebrating young people’s achievements in this

area.

6.15 Corporate parents

A good Corporate Parent should put its own children first, be a powerful advocate for them to receive the best of everything and help them to make a success of their lives. The Bracknell Forest Corporate Parenting Advisory Panel is comprised of five Elected Members and their substitutes and the Executive Member for Children and Young People as a non-voting member. The lead officers for the Panel are the Head of Service for Looked After Children, the Chief Officer for Children’s Social Care, the Virtual School Head, (or Assistant Virtual School Head) supported by the Policy and Research Officer. The Director of Children’s Social Care also attends. The purpose of the Panel is to ensure that the Council is carrying out its responsibilities as a good Corporate Parent to children and young people in its care by providing leadership across the Council to promote the health and well being of Looked After Children and Care Leavers, monitoring standards and checking progress on priorities for improvement in this Looked After Children’s Commissioning Strategy.


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6.16 Outcomes of Inspections by Ofsted

In 2011/2012 three Ofsted inspections took place

• The Safeguarding and Looked After Children inspection in November 2011 rated the overall effectiveness of services for looked after children and young people as good. Outcomes in respect of being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving and making a positive contribution are all good.

• In July 2011 the Fostering Service Inspection found that the service was functioning well with children and young people’s individual needs recognised and plans in place to address them. The overall quality was judged as good with some areas outstanding.

• In the 2012 the Adoption Service was rated satisfactory, it was acknowledged that many areas of the service provision which are good or outstanding and that recent service developments and changes of personnel have led to improvements in the service which have benefitted adopted children and given further support to adopters.

• Larch wood, which is an in-house short break unit which provides day care and residential short breaks for children and young people with leaning disabilities has consistently received an outstanding grade from inspections and provides an excellent and responsive service.

7 Recent Changes in Local and National Landscape which may affect future Commissioning Aims

7.1 Changing Age Profile of LAC

Historically BFC has had lower numbers of younger children becoming looked after, in

comparison to national and statistical neighbours. Nationally there was a significant

increase in the number of children taken into care following the reports into the death of baby

Peter Connelly in 2009. BFC did not follow this trend until 2011/12 when the numbers of

younger children began to increase, usually through care proceedings. This increase has

been due, in the main, to the growth of evidence of the long term impact of physical and

emotional neglect on the development of children. Where a child has been found to be

neglected the parent’s capacity to understand and change their parenting skills are carefully

assessed and where it is believed there is little prospect of improvement the local authority

will intervene.

The implications for commissioning are that these children need to be placed in permanent

homes as quickly as possible. There is a need to carefully match the child’s needs with

available adoptive or other substitute families; requiring professional time and resources to

achieve this safely and quickly.

Nationally the trend appears to be slowing down and it is predicted that BFC will, in time,

follow the trend. Currently a number of families have a number of children whilst in the

future the early intervention initiatives and expertise in parenting assessments is likely to

reduce the potential for several children to be born before intervention.


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7.2 Social and Economic Context

The current difficult economic climate, coupled with the effects of changes in benefits and reductions in some universal public sector services due to budget savings, may have an impact on the numbers of young people entering the care system. There is an established link between poverty, deprivation and neglect for those on the margins of society, and an increase in economic difficulties can take away the buffer of support for families who are currently managing to keep things together.

Pressures on the availability of social housing; reductions in benefit payments and crisis loans and a general down turn of employment opportunities also puts pressure on young people as they approach independence and leave care.

7.3 Raising of Participation Age

The government’s raising of participation age is now in affect. Those care leavers who were

born after 1st September 1996 will be required to stay on in education or training beyond 16.

(This means if they are due to complete year 11 in 2013 they must continue in learning until

July 2014. If they complete year 11 in 2014 or after, they will need to stay on in learning until

their 18th birthday. ). Employment must include training with the opportunity to gain further

qualifications; therefore many employers will not be eligible for RPA and should therefore not

employ any young people in this cohort.

There will be significant changes to benefits following this, and it is unlikely that any young

people in those cohorts will be able to claim either Job Seekers Allowance or Extended Child

Benefit. However, these changes in benefits will not affect 16 - 17 LAC, and therefore the

incentive to stay in education or training may be reduced.

Early intervention and on-going support for care leavers prior to them leaving will be vital in

this new era. Tracking and monitoring will need to be robust to ensure that vulnerable young

people are identified and given adequate support. The challenge will be in creating a

strategy that will ensure that care leavers and other vulnerable young people are supported

in gaining a sustainable placement, which will enable them to achieve economic well being.

7.4 Increased funding for Schools

Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium is additional funding from central government for schools to support

disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap between them and their peers. The Pupil

Premium is rising to £1.875 billion in 2013-14, with schools attracting £900 per

disadvantaged child; this is a 45% increase on the £623 available per pupil during 2012-13.

Looked after children are eligible to receive the Pupil Premium and the responsible Local

Authorities make payments to schools and academies where an eligible looked after child is

on roll.

The role of the virtual school is important within the allocations process of the pupil premium.

For allocations made to mainstream schools, the local authority will discuss, via the Virtual

School Head working in partnership with designated teachers, how the amount for each

looked after child is to be used by the school in accordance with the looked after child’s

Personal Education Plan (PEP).


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For children in non-mainstream settings, the authority will consult with the setting regarding

how the amount held by the authority will be used. The authority’s Virtual School Head (and

embedded Looked After Children Education Service) will be involved in decisions about how

the amount for looked after children is to be spent to support these pupils in accordance with

a child’s PEP.

The increase in pupil premium funding reflects the view of the Government that the Pupil

Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current

underlying inequalities between eligible children and their peers by ensuring that funding to

tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.

7.5 Benefits Changes (Housing Benefit and Child Benefit)

In addition to the changes to Housing Benefit, other welfare benefit changes being introduced during 2013/14 which will affect families and young people include:

• Benefit Cap. The combined income from all benefits including housing benefit will be capped a £350 per week for single people and £500 per week for families.

• Housing benefit reduction for under occupation. Working age affordable housing tenants under occupying by one bedroom will have a 14% reduction in the housing benefit and a 25% reduction in housing benefit for two bedroom under occupation. This will apply to foster carers.

• Local council tax benefit. Out of work households will receive an 8.5% reduction in Council Tax Benefit. For households in work, the ‘in work taper’ will be increased which is also likely to increase a household’s council tax liability. There will be no second adult rebate.

• Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants. These will become the responsibility of the Local Authority and administered within the Housing Service. Applications will need to be made by a council officer or approved agency.

7.6 Changes Resulting from LASPO Act 2012 - Remands

The LASPO Act places responsibilities on the Local Authority in respect of young people

between t e ages of 12 -18 who are remanded to Youth Detention Accommodation. All

young people will now automatically become Looked After and require much of the same

support as any other looked after child.

A protocol between YOS and Children’s Social Care has been agreed to set out roles and

responsibilities of workers. The social worker for the Youth Offending Service is allocated

responsibility for the case and supervised by the manager of the Over 11s Team. Young

people who have been remanded for more than 13 weeks will be entitled to receive leaving

care services. To date only one young person has been remanded under the LASPO Act

but the longer term resource implications of this legislation is uncertain.


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7.7 Family Justice Review

The Family Justice Review has led to significant changes in the process and timescales for

care proceedings. The requirement to complete care proceedings within 26 weeks has an

impact on resources needed to provide adequate assessment of parents and of the potential

of family and friends to provide permanent substitute care. The benefit of contact for

children will also be scrutinised to ensure that the child’s best interests are met. The

practice details underpinning the requirement to meet the timescales are being developed on

a piecemeal basis with the aim of implementing sanctions for non-compliance from April

2014.

7.8 Youth Service Restructuring

Recent changes to legislation have further defined the Local Authorities’ duty to secure

equality of access for all young people to the positive, preventative and early help (early

intervention) that they need, to improve their well being, this includes youth work. In line with

national priorities, Bracknell Forest Youth Service has set the following priorities to be

achieved in 2012 - 2014:

• To provide specialist support for the delivery of Bracknell Forest’s Early Intervention Strategy.

• To ensure that vulnerable young people have opportunities to access open/universal provision and specialist support to support them in their journey from adolescence to adulthood.

• To provide a range of programmes that are targeted at young people ‘at risk’ of underachieving, specialist worker for Looked After Children has been approved.

• To strengthen assessment, recording and information sharing.

• To improve the commissioning of services for vulnerable and underachieving young people.

• To strengthen systems and capacity for multi-agency working.

• To ensure that young people have access to high quality services, activities and support for seven days a week and 48 weeks of the year across the Borough.

• To strengthen youth engagement, participation and impact on the delivery of services.

8 8 Strategic Commissioning Aims

8.1 To Support Children and Young People on the Edge of Care Bracknell Forest Council has an early intervention strategy including preventative projects to support families to parent their children. Children and Young people who may have experienced a period of being looked after but have returned to their family are also discussed and resources to support them agreed.


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8.2 To Minimise Delay in Placing Children for Permanency

Children benefit from growing up in a stable, consistent home where their needs are being

met throughout their childhood. Where children are unable to return to the care of a parent

efficient processes need to be in place to ensure that the needs of the child are well

understood and they are prepared to move to a substitute permanent home.

The Recruitment and Publicity plan 2013-2015 sets out the plans for the Family Placement

Team to recruit and assess potential adopters and family members to meet a child’s needs

for permanency.

8.3 To Provide Appropriate Placements When Necessary

In accordance with Statutory Guidance on the implementation of section 22G of the

Children Act 1989, published at the beginning of 2010, Bracknell Forest Children’s Social

Care will take steps that secure, as far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation

for looked after children within their local authority area thus meeting “the sufficiency duty”.

The Recruitment and Publicity strategy 2013-2015 sets out the aims and actions to be taken

to recruit foster carers and adopters for Bracknell Forest looked after children.

A framework agreement with eleven local authorities in the South Central local authorities is

in place to commission foster placements from 40 independent foster carer providers.

Bracknell Forest is part of a consortium with five other local authorities which has

commissioned a residential provider to develop a project of six residential units within travel

distance of a specialist education school based in High Wycombe. Further work is being

done in the cross regional group to work with other residential providers to set up homes for

children with complex social needs in the local area.

However there will always remain a need to spot purchase from other providers in order to

ensure that we meet the needs of children with social and complex needs with the minimum

of placement moves. .

8.4 Placement Stability and Effective Care Planning

Our preventive approach means that the children who become looked after tend to be those

with the most complex needs and challenging behaviour. For these children for whom we

are corporate parents, we aim to act positively to promote their life chances and work

intensively with our partner agencies to achieve that.

The basis for improving their life chances is to ensure a stable placement so that continuity

of relationships, community and education is assured and provides the right conditions for

maximising potential.

The Life Chances Team provides practical and effective support for children and their carers

in order to maintain placements or, where a move is necessary, support a planned move to

an appropriate alternative placement.


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8.5 To Improve Health and Wellbeing

We have processes in place to ensure that all Looked After Children have good quality, up

to date health plans. Health plans are monitored through the Life Chances Team to ensure

that the health needs of children are met promptly and effectively.

The longer term health and well-being of children is recognised as a significant aim for all

children and young people. We aim to teach and encourage children and young people to

understand the benefits of looking after their health and embed this into their way of life

As they approach adulthood we will include effective sexual health counselling and

encourage young people to avoid parenthood until they are able to positively parent.

8.6 To Improve Educational Outcomes

In Bracknell Forest, our ambition as a corporate parent is to ensure that all Looked After

Children have access to appropriate high quality educational opportunities that help them to

achieve the highest educational standards possible. This includes supporting their

aspirations to achieve in further and higher education.

Our Pledge to Children in Care and Leaving Care is to ‘help children and young people

achieve their best and support them to learn in and out of school’.

Our aims are that

• Children and young people’s education is not adversely affected by care planning

decisions,

• Looked After Children will achieve grades commensurate with their peers in the

community.

• All the functions of a ‘Virtual School Head’ will be met

• Every school will have a trained Designated Teacher for looked after children

• No Looked After Children will be excluded from school

• Looked After Children will continue into further and higher education

• One to one tuition will be provided through the Personal Education Plan

• Additional support from a Personal Education Allowance averaging £500 per child

will be available for every looked after child at risk of not reaching their expected

standards.

8.7 To Prepare Children and Young People for Adulthood and Independence

We also aim to ensure that young people leaving care are properly prepared for

independence and receive the support and encouragement they need.

• Looked After Children and Care Leavers will be well equipped emotionally, practically

and financially to move on into adulthood


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• Care leavers will be supported to stay on with their foster carers as supported

lodgings placements when appropriate

• Care Leavers will be supported by a personal advisor up to the age of 25 if they are

in education

8.8 To Listen to Young People about how they want their services delivered.

• We will build on our existing high level of involvement of children and young people in

their statutory reviews and personal education meetings to consult them in a variety

of arenas at every appropriate opportunity, including formal and leisure based

activities.

• We will promote the Children in Care Council (known as Say It Loud, Say It Proud’)

as a formal means of listening to the views of our looked after and care leaver

population

• We will ensure that all our looked after children have a copy of the Pledge and will

promote the message that the Council listens to their views and will review and

amend the details of the Pledge accordingly.

9 Challenges and Service Gaps Identified Locally

9.1 To Provide Appropriate Placements When Necessary

Foster care

• There has been an increased demand for local foster placements, particularly for

children under 7 years old and for sibling groups. It is projected that the upward

trend will continue until alternative measures to early intervention plans have been

implemented and embedded. Recruiting sufficient numbers of in-house foster carers

to keep pace with the increasing numbers of looked after children and with the

capacity to meet the complexity of the needs they are presenting with.

• Whilst the number of foster carers approved by Bracknell Forest has increased, it has

not yet been able to meet all the demand for placements and rarely able to give a

choice of placement. The type of local housing stock tends to limit the number of

children a foster family can accommodate, usually having one or two spare

bedrooms. Placing large sibling groups within Bracknell Forest is therefore a

challenge.

Adoption and Permanence

• The number of children needing to be placed for permanence through adoption has

increased significantly and is predicted to continue to remain at high for the

foreseeable future. Recent national initiatives have set demands on Local Authorities

to place children within increasingly reducing timescales.


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• Nationally there is a shortage of adoptive families available to meet the need of all

children waiting for permanence, particularly for children who are older or have more

complex needs.

• Older children or those with complex needs are particularly hard to place for

adoption. Other options, such as long term fostering or special guardianship orders

for existing foster carers may provide an alternative provided that a package of

support, practical and financial, is made available.

• The Adoption Reform requirements place an expectation on Local Authorities to

increase the number of approved adopters, within shorter timescales. Local

Authority adoption agencies are expected to join together to create more efficient

systems of recruiting adopters and provide a wider choice of family to meet a child’s

needs. Work is taking place towards setting up a pan Berkshire adoption service for

recruitment and family finding.

Remand beds

• Historically there have been a low number of demands for remand foster placements

for children who would are held in police cells or remanded to an YDA. These beds

are often required without notice and the nature of the remand limits most standard

foster homes to be able to meet the need. Currently placements are spot purchased

through independent providers but the low demand means that the supply is limited.

Health and Wellbeing

• The use of mephedrone and misuse of drugs and alcohol in general has an impact on the health and wellbeing of young people; also exposing them to exploitation and risk of sexual harm.

• Tracking the health needs of Care Leavers and engaging them in addressing their health needs is challenging. More information is needed to understand and engage young people.

• A number of looked after children and care leavers are young parents and whilst some become good parents there are a number whose ability to develop parenting skills is limited with the result that the Authority has to intervene and ensure that other arrangements for the care of the child are made. Advising young people about the wisdom of early parenthood is a complex matter but a proactive approach to managing their sexual health and contraceptive needs may assist in reducing the number of pregnancies.

Promoting better outcomes

The membership of the Life Chances Team includes an Education Psychologist who

attends meetings during her non-commissioned time and is unable to extend her

involvement with individual children.

Care Leavers

• Legislation requires local authorities to give young people leaving care the opportunity to chose the Personal Advisor to support them as Care Leavers. Currently young people are allocated a worker from within the Over 11s and Leaving Care Team. Other members of the Children’s Workforce, including foster carers,


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may be able to fulfil the role of Personal Advisor with oversight from the Local Authority.

• Looked After Children are required to live independently as soon as they reach 18 and yet are often those least equipped with the practical and social skills necessary to manage independent life without considerable support. Currently the training and preparation to develop the skills for independent living are individualised and ad hoc. A strategy is required to co-ordinate and improve on existing practice.

• There is an ongoing challenge of maintaining care leavers in education, training or employment during a period of economic downturn.

• Limited availability of social housing has led to greater reliance on private renting.

However there is limited affordable private renting available in Bracknell Forest or

landlords prepared to accept Housing Benefit. Furthermore the limited availability of

emergency provision in the area (bed and breakfast)

• The current commissioned provision for housing does not meet the needs of those

care leavers with complex needs, for example mental health, substance misuse and

chaotic lifestyles.

• Similarly some young people who are identified as potentially vulnerable adults may

not readily meet the criteria used to gain access to Adult services. A protocol to

address the needs of these individuals would be helpful.

10 Commissioning Priorities

We have undertaken analysis of a range of information that is available to us, including data,

analysis of what is available, and a consideration of the gaps in services. We have identified

the following commissioning priorities for the next two years. An action plan is attached as

annex 2 to demonstrate how the priorities will be addressed.

Progress made against these priorities will be monitored by the Care Matters Working

Group, with reports being made on a six monthly basis to the Children and Young People’s

Partnership and the Corporate Parenting Group.

Children and young people will remain involved throughout the delivery of this strategy

through the Children in Care Council, and other relevant participation routes.

CP 1 - Meet the needs of children on the edge of care.

CP 2 - Minimise delay in placing children for permanency

CP 3 – Provide appropriate placements where necessary

CP 4 – Improved Placement Stability


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CP 5 – Improve health and wellbeing

CP 6- Improve educational attainment

CP 7 – Prepare for adulthood and independence

CP 8 – Listen to children and young people about how services are delivered.


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11 Annex 1 Graphs and Tables

1. The table below shows the number of children who become looked after in any year and

those who cease to be looked after. The pink line shows the number of children who are

“taken into care”

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013

Number of children Becoming Looked After Number of children Ceasing to be Looked After Number of children 'taken into care'

2. This chart shows the distribution of the BME status of looked after children.

White British

75%

Caribbean

1%

African

2%

White and Black African

2%

White and Asian

3%

Any other Asian

background

2%

White and Black

Caribbean

6%

Any other White

background

8%

Any other ethnic group

1%


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3. This table shows the legal status of children over a four year period.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


Interim Care Orders (C1) Full Care Orders (C2) Placement Orders (E1) Section 20 (V2) Other (inc L1 etc)

4. This table shows the number of new LAC placed more than 20 miles from home.

% Bracknell Forest New LAC placed more than 20 miles from home

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

2010 2011 2012 2013


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5. This table shows the number of children looked after for 12 months or more by age group.

Looked After Children (12 months+) by Age Group

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 - 4 5 - 10 11 - 14 15+

Age groups

Nos o

f LA

C

Mar-10 Mar-12 Mar-13

6. This table shows the long term stability of placements

Long term stable placements

0

5

10

15

20

25

2010 2011 2012 2013

Total LAC aged under 16 and in care 2.5 years+

Of those, the no. in current placements for 2 years+


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7. This table shows the Adoption Orders, Special Guardianship Orders and Residence

Orders made in the past three years.

Permanence - Adoption, Special Guardianship & Residence Orders

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13

Adoptions Orders Granted Special Guardianship Orders (SGO) Residence Orders granted

8. This table shows the number of health assessments for all looked after children.

Health Assessment for all Looked After Children

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2010 2011 2012 2013

Number who have had Health Assessments on time (regardless of how long looked after)

Number with Health Assessments overdue


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9. This table shows the dental checks for all looked after children

Dental Checks for all Looked After Children

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2010 2011 2012 2013

Number who have had Dental Check on time Number with Dental Checks overdue

10. Table shows permanent exclusions of looked after children from school


2%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

Mar 05/06 Mar 06/07 Mar 07/08 Mar 08/09 Mar 09/10 Mar 10/11 Mar 11/12



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11 Table below shows children looked after who have missed 25 days or more of school.


0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Mar 05/06 Mar 06/07 Mar 07/08 Mar 08/09 Mar 09/10 Mar 10/11 Mar 11/12



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12 Annex 2 Commissioning Strategy for Looked After Children Action Plan

This action plan focuses on the areas for improvement and development rather than what has already been achieved.

This Action Plan will be monitored by the Care Matters Steering Group, Sub Group, of the C&YP Trust.

COMMISSIONING PRIORITY ACTION LEAD OTHERS

INVOLVED DATE FOR

COMPLETION Reference

Develop understanding and

consistent approach across CY&P to

meet the needs of vulnerable children

and young people – following Life

Chances conference

Life Chances Team CY&PL Ongoing Life Chances

Team action

plan

Appoint LAC Youth Worker to work

with children on the Edge of care to

divert them from becoming looked

after

Head of Service

Youth Service

Head of

Service LAC

June 2013 Youth

Service

reform paper

Promote preventative services offered

by Youth Offending Service

Head of Service

YOS

Head of

Service LAC

Ongoing Policy

Youth Justice

Plan

2012/13.

Develop strategy and policy to

support Family and Friends carers

with Special Guardianship Orders

Head of Service LAC Family

Placement

Team Manager

September 2013 Family and

Friends

policy

Meet needs of children on the Edge of Care

Good preventative services will ensure that

children and young people are supported to

remain within their families where this is

appropriate and safe, and children who need

to be looked after become so at the right time.

Where children do not need to be looked after

long term, rapid rehabilitation is achieved. Meet the requirements of the Family

Law reforms – specifically to parallel

plan proceedings and family finding

processes

Heads of Service

LAC

Safeguarding

Specialist Support

CSC Team

Managers

July 2013 ongoing DoE

publications


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INVOLVED DATE FOR


Implement the Adoption Reform processes to reduce timescales for approving adopters


Placement

Team Manager

July 2013

Commission resources to ensure that

assessment timescales are met


Placement

Team Manager

Ongoing

Minimise delay in placing children for permanency

Develop plans for interagency

integrated service for recruitment of

adopters and family finding for

children

Chief Officer CSC

Head of

Service LAC

Family

Placement

Team Manager

April 2014

Adoption

Statement of

Purpose

2013 -14

Implement the Recruitment Plan for Foster Carer & Supported Lodgings


Placement

Team Publicity

and

Recruitment

Support Worker

April 2013 ongoing Recruitment

& Publicity

Plan 2013-

2015

Work with other Local Authorities to

commission good quality residential

placements nearer to Bracknell

Head of Service LAC Contract and

Procurement

Officer

Ongoing Sufficiency

Duty

Provide appropriate placements where needed

Meet housing needs of care leavers

through identification of changing

need with view to commissioning

resources to meet the gaps

Heads of Service

LAC and Housing

Virtual Care

Leaver Teams

March 2014 Housing

Strategy


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INVOLVED DATE FOR


Develop effectiveness of LCT in

providing timely and appropriate

multi-agency support to LAC and their

carers.

Head of Service LAC Life Chances

Virtual Team

Ongoing Life Chances

Team action

plan

Review all external placements routinely to ensure they are meeting need

Head of Service LAC Contract &

Procurement

Officer

April 2013 and

monthly

Terms of

Reference.

External

Placement

Review Panel

Increase number of placements

available with Bracknell Forest

approved foster carers

Head of Service LAC Recruitment

and Publicity

officer Family

Placement

Team.

March 2014 Family

Placement

Team

Recruitment

and Publicity

strategy

Increase the capacity and skills of

foster carers to maintain placements


Placement

Team Manager

Life Chances

Team

Ongoing Family

Placement

Team

business

plan.

Life Chances

Team action

plan

Staying Put policy to be developed

Head of Service LAC Policy &

Research

Officer

September 2013

Improved placement stability.

Improved assessment and care planning,

along with a range of local placements to

meet the needs of children and young people

will enable better matching of the child to the

placement.

Young people with complex needs need

effective high quality placements.

Careful assessment and planning is needed

to ensure changing circumstances and needs

are considered.

(Sufficiency Duty)

Commission expert opinion to Head of Service LAC Contract and April 2013


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INVOLVED DATE FOR


consider the potential of reunification

for children where circumstances

leading to the child’s accommodation

have changed.

procurement

officer

Recruit Youth Worker for Looked

After Children to engage children in

activities

Head of Youth

Service

Head of

Service LAC

June 2013 Youth

Service

Review

Implement requirements of NICE

guidance on Health of LAC

Team Manager

Health of LAC Team

Head of Service LAC

October 2013

onward

Berkshire

Health of

LAC strategy.

Engage young people in managing

their contraceptive needs – thus

reducing number of LAC and Care

Leavers who become parents before

they are in a position to provide for a

child – through the LARC Nurse

project

Chief Officer CSC Heads of

Service

Safeguarding

and Looked

After Children

March 2014

Monitor the number of LAC who

participate in leisure activities

Head of Service LAC Life Chances

Team

September 2013

and ongoing

LCT Action

plan

Improve health and wellbeing.

appropriate health care provision including

• mental health services

• sexual health

Specialist support to prevent

• offending

• substance misuse

Monitor the number of LAC who

receive a tier 2 service

Head of Service LAC Tier 2 Mental

Health

specialist.

Life Chances

Team

Ongoing


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INVOLVED DATE FOR


Develop and implement routine audit

system to monitor level of care

provided to children and young

people placed outside the County to

ensure equity of service

Head of Service LAC Performance

team auditor

October 2013

Ensure robust process to ensure

the identification and response to

any LAC at risk of Child Sexual

Exploitation

Head of Service

LAC

Head of

Service

Specialist

Services

September 2013 LSCB

strategy

Increase engagement of Care

Leavers in health services

Head of Service

LAC

Life Chances

and Care

Leavers

virtual teams

March 2014 LCT Action

Plan

Increase engagement of Care

Leavers in DAAT or SMART drug

and alcohol services

Head of Service

LAC

Adult services March 2014

Promote referral to YOS Prevention

Service for young people at risk of

offending

Head of YOS Head of

Service LAC

Ongoing Youth Justice

Plan 2012/13

Develop services for post adoption support, especially within schools.

Virtual School Head

Head of

Service - LAC

Post Adoption

worker

March 2014 Statement of

Purpose

Adoption;

LACES

strategy

Improve educational outcomes

• education support

Improve provision of local further education establishments through achieving the ‘Buttle Trust Mark’

Virtual School Head Connexions

LAC specialist

March 2014


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INVOLVED DATE FOR


Monitor the impact of the policy for the education of looked after children

Virtual Head

teacher

LACES

LCT

Ongoing Policy for

Education of

LAC

Develop a strategy to achieve a ‘Life

Skills’ programme for all looked after

children from 10 years onwards

including an accreditation scheme.

Head of Service LAC Team Manager

Family

Placement

Team.

Life Chances

Team

LACES

Connexions

March 2014

Develop strategy for transition

planning for young people who do not

readily meet Adult services criteria

Head of Service LAC Heads of

Service CMHT

and CTPLD

June 2013 onwards

Prepare for adulthood and independence

Children may leave the care system to return

to their family, moving on for permanence or,

as they reach adulthood manage a transition

to independence through adulthood.

All looked after children and young people are

supported to develop resilience and life skills

to promote their life chances

Ensure a smooth transition to Adult services

where required

Develop ‘Staying Put’ policy for young

people who may remain in their foster

placement beyond 18 yrs

Head of Service LAC Policy Officer

Family

Placement

Team Manager

September 2013

Listen to the children and young people about how services are delivered.

The voice of children and young people needs

to be included in the development of these

services

Develop the Children in Care Council

- for younger children and care

leavers as well as support the current

mid teen group

Head of Performance Participation

Officer

Head of

Service LAC

Ongoing Participation

Strategy

Action Plan

Looked After Children Commissioning Strategy April...

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