Joint area review

Southwark Children’s Services Authority Area

Review of services for children and young people

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Southwark Children’s Services Authority Area

Audit Commission Healthcare Commission HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate HM Inspectorate of Constabulary HM Inspectorate of Prisons HM Inspectorate of Probation Ofsted

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Southwark Children’s Services Authority Area

Age group: All Published: 16 December 2008 Reference no: 210 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Southwark Children’s Services Authority Area

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the local authority or at www.ofsted.gov.uk Southwark joint area review of children’s services 1

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joint area review

1. Safeguarding 6 2. Looked after children and young people 10 3. Children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities 13 4. Additional investigations 16 5. Service management 22 6. Capacity to improve 22

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assessment arrangements 34

Southwark joint area review of children’s services 2

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Introduction

1. The most recent Annual Performance Assessment (APA) for Southwark judged the council’s children’s services as good and its capacity to improve as good.

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Introduction

2. This report assesses the contribution of local services in ensuring that children and young people:

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Introduction

• at risk or requiring safeguarding are effectively cared for

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Introduction

• who are looked after achieve the best possible outcomes

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Introduction

• with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve the best possible outcomes.

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Introduction

3. The following investigations were also carried out:

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Introduction

• the contribution of local services to support and challenge schools in raising attainment, with particular reference to early years and primary stages

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Introduction

• the effectiveness of inter-agency co-operation in tackling youth crime and behaviour

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Introduction

4. The report draws on the findings of the contemporaneous inspection of the Youth Offending Team (YOT) and the Enhanced Youth Service inspection.

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Context

5. Southwark is an inner London borough located in the south east of the city. The current population is 269,200 and is forecast to grow to 363,200 by 2026. Some 60,800, 23% of the population are aged 0 to 19. It is an ethnically diverse area; around 43% of school-aged children are white British. Of the remaining 57%, the largest group is Black African. There is a significant traveller population of some 235 children. There is high mobility and the local authority estimates that 21% of the population moved in or out of the borough between 2005 and 2006.

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Context

6. Southwark is socially and economically diverse. It contains affluent areas, such as Dulwich, alongside some of the most deprived wards in England. The borough ranks as the 26th most deprived area in the country with 16 areas falling in the bottom 10%. One-parent families account for 41% of dependent children. Almost 50% live in overcrowded households and 38% live in families dependent on key benefits for their income. More than a third are eligible for free school meals. Over a quarter are recorded as having a special educational need. Almost 70% of children live in council and Housing Association rented social housing schemes. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 3

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Context

7. Education and childcare in the early years is provided in 21 settings designated as children’s centres and a further 52 that offer childcare and education. Overall, there are 721 childcare settings offering 10,561 places. Education from nursery stage onwards is provided within 103 schools. There are five nursery schools now designated as children’s centres, 71 mainstream primary schools, 15 secondary schools, seven of which are academies, seven special schools, three pupil referral units and two hospital schools. There are 59 schools offering childcare as extended schools; 33 offer this service at the beginning and end of the day.

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Context

8. Post-16 education is provided by 10 sixth forms and Southwark College. Large numbers of students from Southwark’s Roman Catholic voluntary-aided secondary schools attend St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College in the borough of Wandsworth. There are 25 work-based training providers. Entry to Employment provision offers 409 places.

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Context

9. Adult and community learning and leisure activities, are provided by the culture, libraries, learning and leisure department. The youth service is provided by the department of children’s services.

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Context

10. Primary and community healthcare is provided by Southwark Primary Care Trust (PCT). Acute services are provided through King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are delivered by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

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Context

11. Children’s social care services are provided through one central referral and assessment service, and specialist teams for family support and intervention, looked after children, care leavers, placement and procurement, children with disabilities and fostering and adoption. Accommodation for looked after children is provided by 205 local authority foster carers. Residential care is commissioned through Shaftsbury Young People and from 85 private foster carers.

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Context

12. Services for children and young people who are at risk of offending, or who have offended, are provided by the Southwark YOT. There are no young offender institutions in the borough.

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Context

13. Since January 2007, health, education and social care services have been brought together under a single management team.

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Main findings

14. The main findings of this joint area review are as follows:

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Main findings

ƒ Multi-agency partnership working provides good safeguarding for children and young people. The Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) provides a clear strategic direction and is making effective progress on its plan. Agencies work well together to Southwark joint area review of children’s services 4

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Main findings

reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect. Safe recruitment practices are largely in place, although not fully implemented across all services. The number of children subject to child protection plans continues to fall. There is very good implementation and use of the Integrated Children’s System. Parents and carers receive helpful advice and guidance about safe parenting and keeping children safe. The range and quality of safeguarding training is high and ensures staff are well informed about safeguarding.

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Main findings

ƒ Looked after children and care leavers live in safe placements and are well supported. Effective inter-agency working ensures good quality care plans. However, the long-term stability of placements has fallen recently and there is no written commissioning strategy to cover all settings. Support to enable looked after children to engage in health, education and leisure activities is good. Their views are listened to and they are involved well in making decisions about their lives. Corporate parenting is good.

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Main findings

ƒ Good partnership working between integrated, multi-disciplinary teams leads to effective services for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There is good access to well- coordinated, comprehensive clinical services. Support for those with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is good overall. Good support for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities enables them to enjoy a wide range of leisure and recreational activities, to make good progress in their learning and move on to employment and further education. Their views are taken into account and there is a good advocacy service.

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Main findings

ƒ The contribution of local services to support and challenge schools in raising attainment, with particular reference to early years and primary stages, is good. Strong leadership underpins effective collaborative working with schools to improve standards and quality although the wide variety of support is not always sufficiently well coordinated. Attainment is broadly in line with that of comparable councils, though well below national averages. In recent years, the rate of improvement at Key Stages 2 and 3 has been well above that found nationally. However, there has been a small decline in achievement at Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 which is showing signs of improvement this year.

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Main findings

ƒ Agencies cooperate effectively to tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour. The wide range of effective strategic and operational partnership groups implement well-considered plans and monitor their impact. Cross-borough partnerships share intelligence and target hot-spots employing effective multi-agency strategies. Despite this positive practice, the fear of crime remains a major concern to young people. Southwark’s performance in reducing first-time entrants to the criminal justice system and reducing re- Southwark joint area review of children’s services 5

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Main findings

offending is good on the whole although there has recently been an increase in first-time offending.

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Main findings

ƒ Service management in Southwark and the council’s capacity to improve are good. Leadership is strong and there is an effective children’s services management team that incorporates health, education and social care. Ambition and priorities are based on local needs and take into account the views of children and young people, parents and carers. The Children’s Trust, Young Southwark, is working effectively and has delivered some improved outcomes, although performance in key areas remains well below that found nationally. Budget management is effective and resources are, on the whole, aligned to support priorities. Performance management is good overall and partners focus on areas where improvement is most needed. Elected members and scrutiny panels are effective in driving improvement.

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For immediate action

ƒ ensure that an appropriate way is found for the successful dissemination of the findings of this report to children and young people in the area

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For immediate action

ƒ ensure staff and commissioned services have safe recruitment practices across all agencies. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 6

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For immediate action

ƒ improve integrated working across looked after children’s services and the YOT.

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For action over the next six months

ƒ undertake a robust analysis of the reasons for the recent decline in the long-term stability of placements for looked after children and take appropriate action

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For action over the next six months

ƒ develop a systematic approach to evaluating initiatives, and particularly their value for money.

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Equality and diversity

15. Southwark is a complex borough socially, culturally and economically, with large and highly diverse Black and minority ethic communities. Equality and diversity issues figure prominently in policy, in procedure and in targeting of services and resources. Young people and their carers are routinely consulted, and local communities are encouraged and enabled to participate and contribute to how services are developed. Voluntary sector partners, representing diverse groups, have been commissioned to develop and deliver specifically tailored services to hard-to-reach groups, in order to meet cultural and ethnic needs within local communities. A wide range of initiatives is in place to meet the diverse needs of young people and their families. The council’s workforce strategy enables staff to be responsive to the diversity of local needs.

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X

16. The contribution of local services to improving outcomes for children and young people at risk or requiring safeguarding is good.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

Relevant inter-agency strategies, policies, procedures and standards are well established. Good and very well-regarded safeguarding training has contributed to the creation of a well-informed children’s workforce. The auditing of safeguarding practices across partners is not sufficiently robust. Implementation of safe recruitment processes, particularly within the YOT. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 7

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

Thresholds are appropriate and well understood by partners. The responsiveness and capacity of the Children’s Social Care Duty Team is very effective. Very good range of effective preventative provision. Excellent implementation of the Integrated Children’s System.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

17. Universal services across all partner agencies work well with specialist services to provide a safeguarding service for children that is good.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

18. Parents and carers receive useful advice and guidance about safe parenting and key risks to the safety of children. A good example of this is the safe parenting handbook that covers a wide range of issues. The majority of children and young people report feeling safe in school and in their local community. Road traffic accidents have reduced to an annual average of eight children killed or seriously injured, and is on target to meet the national and London mayoral targets on road safety. Targeted community safety initiatives have contributed to a 46% reduction in incidents of fire setting over the last year, from 1,280 to 581 incidents.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

19. Healthy lifestyles are promoted well by the Safer Southwark and Safeguarding partnerships. There is good access and uptake of child health developmental checks, health advice, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy services. There is also good access to specialist health professionals and CAMHS. Southwark has the second highest teenage pregnancy rate nationally. Although last year there was a small increase, year-on-year there has been a good decrease of 17.6% in the rate since 1998 based on 2005/06 figures. This is due to the high priority being given by all partner agencies on delivering targeted, very effective preventive provision. A needs analysis has been undertaken and initiatives set up to ensure sexual health advice is targeted to where it is most needed, and this is regularly reviewed. Good work by the Referral and Assessment Team takes place with teenage mothers to provide support during pregnancy and

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

20. Early years settings and schools provide safe environments for children. There is a good anti-bullying strategy operated across the area and this is targeted well in areas where children have reported incidents. Given the high level of transience in primary and secondary schools, there is evidence of growing impact of the strategy. Fewer secondary age children reported bullying last year, and about the same number of primary children. The council’s scrutiny committee undertook some effective work in relation to bullying in 2007; members visited schools, listened to children and made Southwark joint area review of children’s services 8

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

appropriate recommendations which have been implemented. The scrutiny committee is continuing to measure the impact of the bullying strategy.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

21. Agencies are effective in sharing information at an early stage and in providing specific packages of support to families through a variety of settings. Agencies work well together to reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect. Effective threshold guidance - a vulnerability matrix - has been developed with partners and was launched in September 2007. It is very well used and understood by all agencies, including voluntary sector providers, and applied consistently.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

22. There is a good range of targeted preventative provision, combined with early intervention services for families with complex needs. These include the development of domestic violence advocacy workers in family centres, which has increased the number of young mothers accessing support services when subject to domestic violence. The YOT runs an effective family intervention project for 100 families and, as well as children’s centres, there is a wide range of local, community-based services for children and families. The family group conferencing service is operating to a high level and has worked effectively with 95 families to keep children safely within their families.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

23. The central referral and assessment service works very well with partner agencies and delivers a safe, comprehensive and well-resourced point of entry to the safeguarding service. Social care duty arrangements are very robust and well managed, with effective management scrutiny of child protection referrals. Good joint working takes place, particularly with health and housing partners, in an attempt to reduce the factors that can cause abuse and neglect. Referrals are responded to promptly and there is good communication between the daytime service and the out-of-hour’s team. Work is underway to create four integrated locality teams across the borough, focusing on early intervention using the Common Assessment Framework (CAF).

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

24. Good and accurate recording of contacts and referrals takes place. There has been excellent implementation and efficient use of the Integrated Children’s System. This has enabled effective and easy performance management of files to be undertaken by all tiers of management including the timely transfer of cases between social care teams. There is strong evidence of good management involvement in case planning, although the council recognises that it needs to ensure that audits undertaken are recorded on files.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

25. Performance management of staff is good overall, and the council takes effective action with those who are not performing well. Staff are well supported by competent managers and expected to meet high levels of service delivery. Practitioners have good access to up-to-date, multi-agency child protection procedures. Inter-agency safeguarding training is good and is well received by partners. Information sharing protocols are up to date, agreed and regularly reviewed. Children’s complaints are listened to and acted upon when necessary. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 9

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

26. The numbers of children on the child protection register continue to fall, although they remain higher than those of statistical neighbours. Successful work with families and children at risk has reduced the length of time for which children remain on the register. In 2005/06, a high number of children who had been on the child protection register for more than two years were de-registered. Last year this dropped to 6.5% and local data suggest further reductions this year. Re-registration rates are comparable to those of similar authorities and the national average. There is an over-representation of Black African children who are the subject of Section 47 inquiries and Black Caribbean children the subject of child protection plans. The council and its partners are aware of this and are working with a voluntary organisation, Afruca, to tackle the issue. However the work is at an early stage.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

27. All children on the child protection register have a qualified social worker and individual plans are reviewed on time. The proportion of core assessments and initial assessments completed within timescales is good and higher than in similar authorities and the national average. Assessments are of a good quality, and case planning and recording of practice are good. There is close management attention to ensure children and young people are seen by social workers on their own, and their views are recorded and listened to.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

28. There are good and effective arrangements for tracking children missing from care and education. Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) are well established. These contribute effectively to the safeguarding of children from adults who pose a risk to them. The management of allegations against professionals suspected of abusing children is good.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

29. The LSCB has appropriate membership, is challenging, child-centred and provides effective strategic direction on safeguarding matters. It has a clear focus on making safeguarding everyone’s business. Whilst there is evidence of some audit of services, the LSCB recognises that it needs to further develop more systematic auditing of performance by partner agencies and is taking steps to develop this. Good work has taken place to ensure that the action plan from a recent serious case review is implemented.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

30. Turnover and the vacancy rate in key areas such as child protection are low. Arrangements to ensure safe recruitment practices are adequate. Recruitment for children’s services has recently been co-ordinated under one team to ensure that staff and commissioned services are subjected to appropriate checks. Overall, effective systems are in place to ensure safe recruitment practices of council staff. However, inspectors identified five cases, all related to the YOT, where Criminal Records Bureau processes were inadequately implemented and monitored. The council has responded and taken action to quickly to tackle this issue. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 10

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X

31. The contribution of local services to improving outcomes for looked after children and young people is good.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

Inter-agency working to ensure good quality care plans. All looked after children are allocated to qualified social workers. Looked after children and care leavers live in safe placements and are well supported. The effectiveness of support for children and young people’s physical and emotional health. Improving adoption rates and timescales. Support to involve children and young people in leisure activities. An integrated, committed, skilled and well-led looked after children service. Effective corporate parenting. Good participation of children in making individual decisions about their lives. Good support to care leavers. Good services to prevent children and young people becoming looked after. The long-term stability of placements for looked after children. No written commissioning strategy. An underdeveloped partnership with the YOT. Evaluation of initiatives is not well coordinated.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

32. Services for looked after children have been placed within one integrated structure since April 2007. The team is well led, effective, and staff and carers are committed and motivated. In general, there is very good partnership working and very effective Team Around the Child working. There is good ambition for looked after children and young people. Some evaluations and thematic auditing have taken place; however, a systematic approach for undertaking evaluations is not well coordinated. For example, a recent Southwark joint area review of children’s services 11

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

external evaluation of the Alternative To Care project highlighted the need for a more systematic approach to interventions.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

33. The number of children in care in Southwark is higher than that in similar authorities. However, there are now effective arrangements in place to prevent children entering the care system, which includes a team that works intensively with young people and a well-embedded family group conferencing service. This has contributed to a significant reduction in the number of looked after children over the past year. In December 2007, there were 570 looked after children, a reduction of 53 on the previous year.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

34. The health support for looked after children and young people, both placed within and outside the borough, is good. This includes support from an effective multi-disciplinary looked after children’s health team. All looked after children are offered comprehensive health assessments; there is a good process to undertake drug screening and teenage pregnancy screening for older children. Tracking of health assessments is good, and innovative and flexible work takes place to meet the health needs of looked after children.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

35. The CAMHS Carelink is very effective in supporting foster carers through training and individual sessions. The provision is well established and foster carers access high quality support and advice, which enables them to meet the needs of the children they care for. Looked after children are able to access Carelink in a timely way and the work undertaken is effective.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

36. Recent Ofsted inspections indicate that there is a good fostering and adoption service. Good support is given to enable carers to meet the cultural needs of children and young people they care for. Foster carers are very well supported. Unvalidated data show that there has been a good response to the APA recommendation to improve the adoption rates. The looked after children’s service has developed more robust processes to ensure that decisions about permanency arrangements are made at an early stage. This demonstrates the ability of the service to respond effectively to areas for development. Unvalidated data show that the long-term stability of placements for children who are looked after has declined.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

37. The education support for children who are looked after is good. A skilled looked after children’s education team offers flexible support and interventions for these children and young people. There has been good training and support for foster carers regarding the education of looked after children. Southwark has a number of good initiatives to improve educational achievement including an effective home tuition service for Years 10 and 11 and effective support for transition from primary to secondary education. A paired reading scheme to improve the reading ability of primary school-aged children is being piloted. The council has developed effective relationships with schools through designated teachers. There is very good involvement by children and carers in the process of Personal Education Plans. The auditing of Personal Education Plans has led to improvements in the quality of these plans though there is still some variation.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

Southwark joint area review of children’s services 12

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

38. The council’s unvalidated data show a continuous improvement in the proportion of looked after young people achieving five or more grade A* to C GCSEs, although last year the proportion of young people leaving care achieving this standard was below the national average and that of statistical neighbours. Southwark has given a strong emphasis to improving educational outcomes for looked after children, and has employed a virtual headteacher to assist in achieving this. The number of care leavers commencing university has increased significantly, especially for unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people. There are 40 young people currently attending university, and over a quarter are unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

39. There is good involvement of children and young people in decisions that affect their lives. There is a robust reviewing process, which effectively challenges where there has been drift in implementing agreed actions. The rate of reviews held on time is 94%, with 91% of children participating in their reviews. Speakerbox is a group commissioned by the council to give a voice to looked after young people and care leavers. It meets regularly with elected members as corporate parents and senior management. The council’s approach to corporate parenting is good. There is good access to advocacy and independent visiting services.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

40. There is very good support for involving and supporting children and young people in leisure activities and supporting their individual interests. This has been effective in enabling children and young people to undertake a whole range of different activities. The council has recently secured free leisure passes for looked after young people. Looked after children and young people’s achievements are well celebrated.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

41. Children’s services staff have good knowledge of diversity issues and this leads to sensitive and effective practice. The service provided to unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people has improved through providing suitable accommodation and good support and engagement in education and health.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

42. There is good placement choice and a range of placements are commissioned so that appropriate matching can take place. There has been an effective development through the commissioning of the Shaftesbury Young People contract which will offer more flexible placements, including intensive work to rehabilitate children back home where appropriate. However, children’s services have not yet developed a written commissioning strategy that covers all placements for looked after children.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

43. There are strong partnerships with housing, which means that most care leavers live in suitable accommodation. There is good support to enable young people to enter employment, education and training. The integrated children’s looked after service has led to earlier planning and support for children and young people in order to enable them to enter employment, education and training. Unvalidated data show that all young people have pathway plans. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 13

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

The quality of pathway planning is improving through auditing but there is still some variability.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

44. The percentage of children who have been given final warnings about their criminal behaviour is below the national average but above that of statistical neighbours. Joint work between the Looked After Children Team and the YOT is not sufficiently developed.

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X

45. The contribution of local services to improving outcomes for

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

Good partnership working. Good access to coordinated clinical services, including comprehensive CAMHS. Support for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in mainstream schools. Good attainment by pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities at the end of Key Stages 2 and 4. Good access to short-break care provision. Good advocacy procedures. Good provision of recreation and leisure activities for young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, particularly those with complex needs. The monitoring framework for improving provision and attainment for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is not yet fully established. The ASD and communication strategy has yet to be implemented.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

46. The council’s priorities display a strong commitment to children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This reflects the positive 2007 APA judgement regarding the good progress already made in improving coordination and collaboration between staff of different disciplines Southwark joint area review of children’s services 14

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

and agencies in assessment, care planning and provision for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

47. Integrated multi-disciplinary and multi-agency service procedures are good. The redesigned child health promotion programme and the provision of CAMHS locality services arrangements offer children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and their families good access to coordinated clinical services from different settings. The ‘one stop shop’ at Sunshine House for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities has been in place since October 2007. Here, services have been reconfigured across health, social care and education to ensure easy access to these services from one site through an integrated single referral point. An example of the impact of this is the reduction of waiting times for social and communication assessments, from two years to eight weeks, although these enhanced integrated approaches to service provision are recent. Access to

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

CAMHS is very good for specialist services, and adequate overall for non- specialist CAMHS. There is a very small percentage of children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities waiting for more than 11 weeks to access non-specialist CAMHS. However, those waiting are assessed for alternative and appropriate provision from support services using the CAF.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

48. There are good social care services for families with children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. All those who receive a service from the Children with Disabilities Social Work Team have a comprehensive assessment. Carers have appropriate safeguarding checks and the quality of provision is monitored through a range of well-established and regular quality assurance processes. Access to a range of safe short-break residential care provision, including short-stay placements is good. Families also have access to short-break placements with foster carers in the voluntary and private sectors.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

49. Educational services for children and young people of school age with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are good. The re-structured leadership of the education service has continued to work constructively with schools to develop strategies to meet needs and raise attainment. In this relationship of increasing partnership, collaborative work between schools is improving the impact of services for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. For example, the delegation of special educational needs funding to schools has resulted in more pupils being supported appropriately in mainstream schools. The number of pupils with statements of special educational need is now broadly in line with national figures and 66% of pupils with statements are educated in mainstream schools compared with 60% nationally. Statements are of a good quality and produced within the appropriate timescale. A parents’ advisory group has been set up to support

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

the collaboration between parents and carers and children’s services. Clearer protocols have led to a halving of the number parental appeals regarding assessments between 2005 and 2007. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 15

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

50. Following consultation, the council has worked with headteachers to develop provision for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Pupil development centres have been established in 23 schools, with a further 28 planned for September 2008 funded from local and national resources. The continuum is completed by a primary pupil referral unit, the Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 Southwark Inclusive Learning Service provision, and a primary and secondary special school. The impact of this provision can be seen in the clear reduction in permanent exclusions during 2006/07 in secondary schools, and in fixed-term exclusions in primary and special schools. Inspection findings and council data indicate that pupils in special schools make good progress. Although attainment by pupils in the borough is below national averages, outcomes for those with special educational needs are good. Key Stage 4 data indicate that a higher proportion of young people with

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

statements than the national average attain five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to C and five or more good passes including English and mathematics. Senior officers have robust procedures for monitoring performance and intervene in schools when necessary, although they acknowledge the need to further embed the monitoring framework to improve provision.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

51. Current provision for children and young people with ASD is adequate. A review of specialist education provision has led to plans for improved multi- agency support for pupils with ASD in order to reflect increasing need. An ASD and communication strategy has been drafted and a broader continuum of ASD support is in place with thorough planning to develop this further by September 2008. This will provide an additional 32 resourced places in primary schools from September 2008,with a further 40 planned for September 2009. Two secondary schools are part of a training programme to develop ASD Friendly status in order to complement the provision in special schools. Plans are in place for an ASD service for pre-school settings and Early Bird courses for parents; however, these initiatives have not yet been implemented. Support for parents and carers through the parent partnership service is good.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

52. The views of children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are listened to and routinely taken into account through a range of consultation mechanisms. An effective independent advocacy service supports children and young people to express their views on services using child- centred and tailored techniques. Special schools encourage involvement in the process of improving facilities. Children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good support and are encouraged to participate in the planning of changes to their lives, including contributing to annual reviews. The council provides a good range of recreational, leisure and cultural activities, including residential experiences, tailored to meet the needs of young people. Gender specific provision is very good, with sessions for girls only and for mixed groups with moderate learning difficulties. There is good

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

provision for teenage boys with complex needs. Effective liaison with special Southwark joint area review of children’s services 16

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

schools and Connexions enhances the quality and consistency of provision. There is strong support from parents for the range of opportunities offered.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

53. An increasing proportion of young people aged 16 to 19 with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are participating in employment, education and training. There are good links between special schools and further education colleges, which support the development of curriculum subjects and functional and life skills well. There is good guidance and support available for families of disabled children and young people regarding direct payments to support care packages, and though a few parents and carers feel that current procedures make this difficult to access, the overall uptake of direct payments is good.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

54. Transition from paediatric to adult services and between settings is good and seamless. A transition panel supports movements between settings and services, which are well managed. An effective process of coordinated action is taken by a range of agencies to support the transition of young people into adulthood. The transition process is flexible and based on the needs and aspirations of the individual.

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early years and primary stages

55. The contribution of local services to support and challenge

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

Good support and challenge for schools by the council at all stages to raise attainment and improve practice. Strong leadership that underpins effective collaborative working with schools. Improved attainment where the council provides support and challenge including the early years and primary stages. Good rate of improvement in attainment at Key Stages 2 and 3, well above national averages. Attainment at all stages is below national figures although broadly in line with those of comparable councils. Recent decline in attainment at Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Initiatives to support curriculum and staff development are not yet sufficiently strategic or coherent. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 17

p.18

Major strengths Important weaknesses

Good contextual value added between Key Stages 2 and 4. Improved attainment amongst targeted groups in particular Black Caribbean boys at Key Stages 1 and 2.

p.19

Major strengths Important weaknesses

56. The council provides good support and challenge for schools and early years providers to raise attainment. The successful model well-established in secondary schools has been suitably adapted for the Foundation Stage and primary schools. Strong leadership has led to open and trusting relationships with schools, who work effectively in partnership with the council to improve standards and quality and raise aspirations. This includes the seven academies where there is no legal duty to cooperate. The Education Team offers innovative and sustainable solutions that take into account all aspects of the circumstances and the needs of individual children. The council works effectively in a context where 53% of children do not complete Key Stage 1 in the same school and 40% have English as an additional language.

p.19

Major strengths Important weaknesses

57. Robust procedures for improvement include evaluative monitoring visits by school improvement partners, who focus on raising attainment and on key factors such as effective leadership, self-evaluation, and teaching and learning. The quality of monitoring visits is reviewed by managers, who take action to ensure that reports are rigorous and evaluative. In response to the findings, focused action plans are drawn up with the headteacher. Appropriate support is agreed, drawing on a wide range of professional expertise. Where a school or early years provider is identified to be in need of intensive support, progress is closely monitored by relevant teams, including the education and children’s services management teams. High quality, readily accessible data are used effectively by schools and officers to set targets and monitor progress. Private and voluntary sector providers of nursery education must

p.19

Major strengths Important weaknesses

meet carefully considered criteria to be included in the Southwark directory. Since September 2007, six have been removed and are being supported to improve their provision. The council has successfully engaged more than 200 parents as partners to support their children’s learning and progress in the early years. Training and network events are well attended by private and voluntary sector providers. More than 40% are working to achieve pathways to quality accreditation.

p.19

Major strengths Important weaknesses

58. The council has been successful in bringing about improvement in targeted schools through robust and well-planned intervention. Schools placed in special measures by Ofsted or considered at risk if they were to be inspected are supported to improve. Well-considered packages include measures to improve management and governance, as well as pupils’ behaviour and teaching and learning. The council is currently providing intensive support for 26 primary schools. Since September 2007, those schools considered the most vulnerable have reduced in number from eleven to two. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 18

p.19

Major strengths Important weaknesses

Where the council provides support, good progress is made in improving attainment. At Foundation Stage where consultants and advisers are rightly focusing on children’s communication, language and literacy and personal, social and emotional development, teachers’ assessment shows improvement in the course of this year. At Key Stage 1, almost all schools receiving support are on track to achieve their targets. Last year, attainment in English at Level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 improved by 5% in schools working with literacy consultants, compared with the Southwark average of 2%; in mathematics there was a 7% improvement compared with 2% for all schools. Council data show that most children taking part in a reading recovery scheme are making good progress. Based on its robust monitoring, the council predicts a significant improvement at Key Stages 1 and 2 in 2008 and judges that few schools will achieve below floor targets.

p.20

Major strengths Important weaknesses

59. The attainment of targeted groups has improved over the past three years, For example, the proportion of Black Caribbean boys gaining Level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 has improved by 14% in writing and mathematics and 15% in English, compared with 3% for all pupils in Southwark. In three secondary schools, the Black Children’s Achievement Project has helped improve attainment at Key Stages 3 and 4. Children educated other than at school receive 21 hours or more of education and training. Those who have been excluded from school receive a tailored multi-agency support package that has been effective for nine of twelve young people excluded from school at Key Stage 3 in helping their reintegration into mainstream provision.

p.20

Major strengths Important weaknesses

60. Attainment in Southwark is broadly in line with that of comparable councils but below or well below the national average at all stages. However, since 2004 the rate of improvement at Key Stages 2 and 3 has been consistently well above the national rate and above or well above that of statistical neighbours, in particular at Key Stage 2. The contextual value added between Key Stage 2 and 4 is good, placing Southwark amongst the highest performing schools last year on this measure. School attendance has risen and is now around the national average. Council data show that, overall, exclusions from maintained schools have fallen significantly this year compared with the same period last year, by 21% in primary schools and 45% in secondary schools. The staying on rate post-16 is just above the national average and the proportion of young people not in employment, education or training continues to decline. Although the rate of improvement for children

p.20

Major strengths Important weaknesses

attaining Level 2 or better at Key Stage 1 was previously above the national average, since 2006 there has been a small decline, as there has been across England. The proportion of children gaining six points or more in the Foundation Stage Profile fell in nine of the thirteen scales last year.

p.20

Major strengths Important weaknesses

61. The council provides a good variety of support to develop leadership and improve teaching and learning. Consultants, advisers and support teams work well with schools, taking forward a large number of initiatives. The provision is increasingly well targeted to raise attainment, but it is not yet sufficiently strategic or coherent and some of the programmes overlap. Training and development for governors, school leaders, teachers and teaching assistants is Southwark joint area review of children’s services 19

p.20

Major strengths Important weaknesses

good, and careful evaluation of effectiveness demonstrates where this makes a difference to practice. The Southwark School Leaders’ Team is well deployed, offering effective interim management in Southwark’s schools, where necessary, and providing mentoring and support for headteachers. The Ethnic Minority Achievement Team has produced useful detailed guidance and supports and trains teachers to help raise attainment amongst those groups who underachieve. The Excellence in Cities programme and a good range of provision such as out-of-school hours study supported by the council, offer young people the opportunity to extend and improve their learning. Where evaluation has been undertaken it demonstrates that motivation and attainment generally improve. The Arts Team works with around 30 organisations, which include the Globe and Unicorn theatres and the Tate Gallery, providing young people with opportunities to improve their skills, build

p.21

Major strengths Important weaknesses

their confidence and self-esteem, and extend and enrich their experience.

p.21

youth crime and anti-social behaviour

62. The effectiveness of inter-agency co-operation in tackling youth crime and anti-social behaviour is good.

p.21

Major strengths Important weaknesses

Good working relationships and commitment between partner agencies. Wide range of effective strategic and operational partnership groups. Good information and intelligence sharing. Good range of cross-agency innovative, preventative and diversionary activities. Locality-based provision targeted at hot-spots. Good cross-borough partnerships to tackle gang culture. Recent increase in first-time young offenders. Fear of crime and anti-social behaviour amongst young people.

p.21

Major strengths Important weaknesses

63. Reducing crime and anti-social behaviour is a clear priority for the council and its partners, and is given prominence in a variety of key strategic plans. For example, the anti-social behaviour strategy has clear vision and aims, is well linked with other allied council and cross-agency strategies, and has a detailed, well-targeted action plan. Priorities within the strategies have recently been reviewed and amalgamated into a new comprehensive, overarching draft Community Safety Rolling Plan for 2008-12. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 20

p.21

Major strengths Important weaknesses

64. A wide variety of strategic and operational multi-agency working groups implement strategic priorities effectively, develop services and monitor their impact. These groups have good and diverse representation from appropriate statutory and voluntary sector organisations, at a sufficient level to commit resources and to contribute effectively.

p.22

Major strengths Important weaknesses

65. Good working relationships between agencies and a commitment to work in partnership have developed and strengthened in recent years. This has led to good information sharing between agencies, as a result of increased trust and understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities, particularly between the children’s services and the police. For example, an effective Partnership Operational Group brings together a wide range of agencies to effectively share intelligence and target multi-agency services on youth crime hot-spots in localities throughout the borough.

p.22

Major strengths Important weaknesses

66. The council and its partners have been very successful in securing funding from a variety of sources to pilot and develop a wide range of innovative projects across the borough focused on preventative diversionary activities. These include well-established and effective Youth Inclusion and Support Panels, Youth Inclusion Programmes, On Track and Positive Activities for Young People. Many initiatives have been developed through feedback and engagement with young people, which has helped to increase the attendance and commitment of those engaged in activities, for example in sports, fashion and music programmes. Young people have also contributed to the evaluation and redevelopment of projects, often indicating that these have positively impacted on influencing their behaviour. A significant number of young people have also been trained and enabled to act as peer mediators.

p.22

Major strengths Important weaknesses

67. The range of multi-agency initiatives has collectively contributed to good performance in reducing first-time entrants to the youth justice system, which in 2006/07 decreased by 4.6% . However, recent unvalidated data indicate that from April to December 2007 this increased on last year’s outturn by 1.4% against the Youth Justice Board full-year target of a 5% reduction. Performance data on reducing re-offending from the Youth Justice Board for 2007, placed Southwark above all its comparators.

p.22

Major strengths Important weaknesses

68. A good range of specialist expertise and diversity of provision has been commissioned from the voluntary and private sector. In particular this has enabled projects to be developed which reflect the diverse cultural and ethnic needs of the youth population. However, there is great variance in the quality, assessment and planning carried out between commissioned interventions. Good relationships with statutory partnerships have enabled the sector to build good capacity and to target local resources to local needs.

p.22

Major strengths Important weaknesses

69. Many initiatives to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour are appropriately locality-based and delivered through local partner agencies. Action area coordination teams have been developed and are effective in bringing together local communities and agencies to develop locality-based initiatives and solutions to target the reduction of crime and anti-social Southwark joint area review of children’s services 21

p.22

Major strengths Important weaknesses

behaviour in specific areas. For example, the Bermondsey Four Squares Estate Project is particularly effective in engaging young people who might otherwise be reluctant to go outside their local environment and also to address a major concern of ‘teenagers hanging around the streets’, identified in MORI surveys of residents’ views.

p.23

Major strengths Important weaknesses

70. The positive impact of preventative initiatives is reflected in a reduction in the numbers of young people placed on anti-social behaviour orders. In 2005/06, 18 orders were issued falling to five in 2007/08. The rate for non compliance with orders has also reduced; in 2006/07, 34% were breached, compared to 2007/08 when the figure was 17.5%. Similar improvements are reflected in falling breach rates for anti-social behaviour contracts which for 2006/07 were 15%, falling to 8% in 2007/08.

p.23

Major strengths Important weaknesses

71. Schools have effectively engaged with a wide range of statutory and voluntary sector organisations to enable young people to have access to diverse services within and outside school, for example, Children Fund projects and police and warden patrols. Partnership work, combined with a strong council inclusion policy, is effective in keeping young people at risk of offending or anti-social behaviour in education, employment or training. The majority of pupils who responded to the Pupil Voice Survey in 2007 indicated that they did feel safe in school and on their journey to and from school; had not been bullied at school; were not worried about crime and had not been victims of crime. However, a significant minority of children gave the opposite indication. In many respects, the proportion of children raising these concerns had not significantly improved from feedback in 2006.

p.23

Major strengths Important weaknesses

72. Support to victims of crime and anti-social behaviour is appropriately overseen by a multi-agency sub group of the Safer Southwark Partnership, which has developed detailed action plans and commissioned direct support to young victims through Victim Support. Victims engaging in restorative justice programmes have significantly increased, from 10.4% in 2006 to 20.4% in 2007. Support to parents to prevent their children engaging in crime or anti- social behaviour is well coordinated through a parenting support strategy, with targeted parenting programmes.

p.23

Major strengths Important weaknesses

73. T here are strong multi-agency approaches, good networking and intelligence sharing to address issues of high crime rates and the challenges posed by ‘gang cultures’ both across the borough and in partnership with neighbouring boroughs, in which regard Southwark takes a leading role. This has resulted in the development of a draft youth violence strategy and delivery of a good range of multi-agency targeted projects, for example, the Gangs Community Group, the police Operation Hamrow and the Gangs Disruption Team. A good school-based Violent Crime Project has resulted in three schools establishing anti-violence councils. However, gang-related crime and fear of crime remain a major concern to young people and within the community, as is the case in other, similar inner London areas. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 22

p.23

X

74. The management of services for children and young people in Southwark is good. Capacity to improve further is good.

p.24

Major strengths Important weaknesses

Strong managerial leadership and effective political support. Strong ambitions and clear priorities supported by key partners and based on local need. Effective partnership arrangements. Good and improving performance management arrangements across the partnership. Capacity to deliver sustained improvement. Insufficient attention to ensuring value for money. Evaluation of initiatives insufficiently systematic.

p.24

Major strengths Important weaknesses

75. The ambition of the council and its partners for children and young people is good. The council and its partners share common ambitions that offer a challenging but realistic vision. The ambition and vision for children, young people and their families are strongly supported by the council and community partners and are firmly embedded in the community strategy, Southwark 2016. They are also clearly set out in the Children and Young Peoples Plan (CYPP) and the subsequent review. The review identifies the key actions designed to address areas of development and a high level overview of the focus for the coming years.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

76. The council and its partners share common objectives and targets, which are based on an initial needs assessment and consultation with children, parents and carers. The council and its partners have identified appropriate service outcomes and areas for service development, which are clearly set out in the CYPP and the review . They are also supported in the plans of other Southwark joint area review of children’s services 23

p.24

Major strengths Important weaknesses

partnership themes – Safer Southwark, Economic Development and Healthy Southwark. This ensures that the five themes from Every Child Matters are coordinated across the partnership and are not the sole responsibility of the children’s services department.

p.25

Major strengths Important weaknesses

77. The council and its partners provide effective leadership in the implementation of the agreed ambitions for children’s services across the borough. Senior representatives from the council and other key agencies, such as the PCT, make up the Young Southwark Executive Board, which provides the strategic leadership. It is an effective forum for overseeing delivery against the ambitions.

p.25

Major strengths Important weaknesses

78. Prioritisation is good. The council and its partners have set out clear priorities for children’s services in Southwark. They have agreed 10 key priorities for children’s services, and 68 further priorities across the five outcome areas of the Every Child Matters agenda. Priorities are underpinned by clear action plans in the CYPP, CYPP Review, service plans and the draft Business Plan 2008/09.

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Major strengths Important weaknesses

79. Priorities are firmly based on the findings of a comprehensive needs analysis and consultation. The analysis includes a demographic overview of Southwark’s young population, and cross-cutting issues that affect many children across all services. The council effectively identifies the needs of more vulnerable and socially excluded populations of children and young people. Some clear priorities include reducing incidents of crime against young people, teenage pregnancy, childhood obesity and the need to raise educational attainment and the levels of awareness of child protection. These priorities are appropriately identified based on the needs and priorities of children and young people in Southwark. They include a range of equality and diversity considerations, for example, the redesign of services for children with disabilities with continuing and complex care needs. The views of partners and stakeholders, such as the voluntary sector, schools, parents, carers, children

p.25

Major strengths Important weaknesses

and young people have also been effectively taken into account in the determination of these priorities.

p.25

Major strengths Important weaknesses

80. The council and its partners have effectively aligned plans and some resources to support the priorities in the CYPP. The council has invested significantly in its children’s services and the draft Children’s Services Business Plan 2008/09 is linked to the council’s medium-term financial strategy (MTFS). The refreshed MTFS 2008 secures the funding for children’s services, but full financial details are not identified. The council and its partners have some aligned budgets. A specific budget has been created to fund service developments for the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme over the three years of the CYPP, with over £1 million allocated. Other budgets have been aligned with the PCT with respect to some health initiatives, and a number of jointly funded posts are in place. The actions in the CYPP Review and the draft Children’s Services Business Plan 2008/09 reflect the agreed priorities and contain clearly stated milestones, key lead

p.25

Major strengths Important weaknesses

responsibilities and target outcomes, but not the funding required to deliver Southwark joint area review of children’s services 24

p.25

Major strengths Important weaknesses

them. However, priorities are appropriately supported by the transfer of funding from other areas, such as adult social care, and by planned efficiency savings within the service, such as those resulting from the review of the early years provision and other savings from the integration of services in children’s services. Overall, the council and its partners have the resources they require to deliver their ambitions.

p.26

Major strengths Important weaknesses

81. The council and partners have given priority to a range of preventative services for children and young people, particularly through the use of the CAF. The council has prioritised some resources into preventative services for children and families, which has led to a fall in the number of looked after children.

p.26

Major strengths Important weaknesses

82. The capacity of the council and its partners to deliver better outcomes for children and young people is good. The decision-making processes within the Young Southwark Partnership are transparent and it anticipates local need. The partnership is generating sophisticated demographic and needs data, based on wards and neighbourhoods, which are used to identify future needs and to develop additional services. Governance arrangements within the partnership are generally well developed. The partnership continues to develop its capacity to deliver further improvements.

p.26

Major strengths Important weaknesses

83. The Young Southwark Executive of the Children’s Trust is effective and well developed, providing valuable scrutiny against the agreed priorities. The Strategic Director of Children’s Services discharges her statutory duties well and provides strong leadership within the Children and Young Peoples Partnership. The senior management team within the council is effective, with a strong commitment to improving the outcomes for children and young people. Senior officers in children’s services have remained focused on key priorities. For example, with school headteachers they have sustained their focus on improving educational attainment and with senior police officers on addressing crime against youth, which has led to improvements even though this is from a low base. The council and its partners have also developed partnerships in other priority areas to address issues such as teenage pregnancy and childhood obesity. However, the partnership between the YOT

p.26

Major strengths Important weaknesses

and the Looked After Children Team is underdeveloped. The council and its partners have a clear and accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of its children’s services. The CYPP Review accurately identified the strengths and weaknesses of the partnership and sets out the actions required to continue to improve services.

p.26

Major strengths Important weaknesses

84. The Young Southwark Partnership has added value to the council’s work to improve services for children and young people. For example, development of the relationship with school heads has helped to improve educational attainment. However, three schools remain in special measures. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 25

p.26

Major strengths Important weaknesses

85. Similarly effective partnerships exist with local hospitals, the PCT and police. Partnership working has helped to deliver improvements in access to CAMHS, improved access to health provision for looked after children and reductions in violent crime involving young people.

p.27

Major strengths Important weaknesses

86. The council and its partners have the financial capacity to deliver their priorities. Budgets across the partnership are not pooled but are mostly well aligned. The Children’s Trust was established in 2007 with key partners. The Trust has clear governance and performance management arrangements. The council and its partners made a conscious decision not to pool budgets. They felt that in the early stages of the Trust, smooth joint working relationships would be their priority, not focusing on arrangements to pool budgets. Budget management is good and supported by dedicated finance officers assigned to business unit managers.

p.27

Major strengths Important weaknesses

87. Value for money is adequate. Whilst there is some evidence of assessments for cost and quality, systematic evaluation of value for money is at an early stage of development and some unit costs are high in relation to comparable councils, for instance in the youth service and school improvement. The council has an overarching commissioning strategy and a dedicated commissioning team. There is evidence of positive involvement of young people in the design of some services, but the strategy is yet to be fully embedded across the whole of children’s services.

p.27

Major strengths Important weaknesses

88. The council is delivering against its workforce strategy for children’s services. Key post-holders are in place, such as a director of commissioning, and the pro-active approach to recruitment has ensured that there are no shortages of social workers. The council has successfully integrated staff and office locations, but a coordinated approach to manager training and development is yet to be formalised.

p.27

Major strengths Important weaknesses

89. Councillors play an effective role in the scrutiny of services for children and young people, contributing to improvements in some local services, for instance following their review of bullying and their review of extended schools. The Lead Councillor for Children and Young People’s Services, and the council in general, have a clear understanding of their corporate parenting role, and this is effectively discharged.

p.27

Major strengths Important weaknesses

90. Performance management is good overall. The Young Southwark Executive robustly scrutinises the performance of the council and its partners. Appropriate focus is given to key priorities, where staff and other resources have been appropriately aligned. The council facilitates monthly performance surgeries, where a ‘traffic light’ system is used to identify where targets have not been met. Benchmarked data are used to assess against comparable councils and national performance. The council also considers lessons and implications from external scrutiny, such as recent Ofsted reports. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 26

p.27

Major strengths Important weaknesses

91. The CYPP clearly sets out the performance management arrangements for the children’s services department. This is underpinned by the council’s quarterly performance reports and the monthly performance monitor, which allow the Strategic Director and the Lead Councillor for Children’s Services to review the key priorities set out in the council’s Corporate Plan. Staff are also monitored monthly for their team and individual targets. The council has a ‘golden thread’ from Southwark 2016 and the Youth Southwark Partnership, through the council’s Corporate Plan to departmental plans. This is completed with the annual appraisal scheme for all staff, which is well embedded and used to good effect.

p.28

Major strengths Important weaknesses

92. The council and its partners regularly consider the views of children, carers and parents in service planning and service redesign. This has been demonstrated in services for looked after children, children with disabilities and in the development of the teenage pregnancy strategy. However, the council acknowledges that challenges remain in strengthening the capacity of young people to participate in services and decision making.

p.28

Major strengths Important weaknesses

93. The council’s CYPP Review is a clear self-assessment of the work of the council and the partnership. The review sets the basis for the next Children’s Services Business Plan 2008/09. The draft Business Plan has integrated the priorities from the Corporate Plan and the CYPP. The council has also added value for money comparisons and the key risks for the department, including who is responsible, the control measures and target dates. However, evaluation of initiatives is not systematic. SMART target setting and clear reporting of the impact on children and young people is not in place for all the service initiatives across the work of the partnership.

p.28

Major strengths Important weaknesses

94. Capacity to improve further is good. Senior management leadership and capacity is strong and being further strengthened by the corporate Leadership Academy. Children’s services have an effective and integrated senior management team, which covers health, education and social care and is working to develop a whole-system multi-agency planning framework. The council has robust resources to deliver it priorities with a 3.9% increase in resources for 2008/09. However, efficiency savings of £2.1 million are required in 2008/09, which have been acknowledged and identified in the draft Children’s Services Business Plan 2008/09.

p.28

Major strengths Important weaknesses

95. The council has a good track record of improvement. Educational attainment in most areas has improved, rates of teenage pregnancy have fallen since 1998, plus there are increased rates of breastfeeding, immunisations, and reductions in smoking during pregnancy. The council has also increased the participation of young people in service design and evaluation, and supported improvements in areas such as substance misuse services and improvements in the integration of services for looked after children and children with disabilities. However, there remain significant areas where the council is still well below national performance. These include teenage pregnancy, childhood obesity and educational attainment. These Southwark joint area review of children’s services 27

p.28

Major strengths Important weaknesses

challenges are recognised by the partnership, and tightly monitored plans are in place to address them. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 28

p.29

S ummary

The council continues to deliver good services for children and young people, as at the time of the 2006 APA. There have been several further improvements in outcomes since then, with council services making a positive difference to the children and young people of Southwark. In many areas, outcomes for the most vulnerable children and young people are rising in a generally improving overall picture, with the gap narrowing. Performance indicators in staying safe and being healthy are generally better than those in similar councils and often better than national averages. Many indicators in achieving economic well-being show significant improvement as a result of council work. Children and young people are involved well in service planning, design and evaluation and they generally appreciate what is on offer. In education, outcomes are broadly in line with those of similar councils and improving at a similar rate overall. The education service is changing and is

p.30

S ummary

well positioned to improve further. The children’s services department became fully incorporated from January, though there is-long standing and successful joint provision with the PCT. Children’s services are very well integrated. However, an area of some weakness is the quality of provision across the early years Foundation Stage, though there are signs of improvement.

p.30

S ummary

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/pdf/?inspectionNumber=3051&providerCate goryID=0&fileName=\\APA\\apa_2007_210.pdf Southwark joint area review of children’s services 29

p.30

Main findings

1. The quality of youth work provision in Southwark is adequate. The local authority sufficiently secures the provision of youth work. Young people’s achievement is adequate and in a significant proportion of settings is good. The quality of youth work practice is adequate overall. Measures to raise standards are resulting in improvement. Strategic managers are aware of the quality and progress of the service and provide good support. The youth service is an integral element of the emerging integrated youth support service. Training, development and new procedures for planning and evaluation work are improving quality. The curriculum provides a well balanced range of learning opportunities. Strong partnership working results in an enhanced range of provision and contributes to improved outcomes. Accommodation is of a variable standard. Excellent facilities to support arts, media, sport and physical activities contrast with premises that are barely

p.31

Main findings

adequate. Young people’s involvement in decision making, planning and evaluation is adequate, although the service’s participation framework has yet to be fully implemented. Strategies to promote equality, inclusion and diversity are good; the service is working with an increasing range of vulnerable young people and reaches a good proportion of black and minority ethnic young people. Events to celebrate diversity successfully reduce territorialism and young people’s fear of travelling outside their own neighbourhoods. Deployment of resources is insufficiently linked to the outcome of needs assessment. Support and monitoring of voluntary sector provision is insufficiently robust. The improving quality and accuracy of management information is increasing the service’s capacity to assess its quality and performance.

p.31

Key Aspect Grade

Standards of young people’s achievement 2 1

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Key Aspect Grade

Inspectors make judgements based on the following scale 4: excellent / outstanding; 3: good; 2: adequate/satisfactory 1: inadequate ; Southwark joint area review of children’s services 30

p.31

Strengths

ƒ Young people gain a good range of knowledge and skills through volunteering.

p.32

Strengths

ƒ Good facilities support young people’s engagement in sports, physical activity, arts and media.

p.32

Strengths

ƒ Provision targeted at young people with disabilities is good.

p.32

Strengths

ƒ Equality, and diversity are promoted well.

p.32

Strengths

ƒ Strategic managers are well informed about the progress and quality of the service and provide good support.

p.32

Areas for development

ƒ Implement the Young Southwark participation framework.

p.32

Areas for development

ƒ Improve young people’s involvement in planning and evaluating youth work.

p.32

Areas for development

ƒ Improve the overall quality and condition of accommodation.

p.32

Areas for development

ƒ Improve monitoring and support arrangements for voluntary organisations. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 31

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PEOPLE

1. Outcomes for children in the London Borough of Southwark are good overall. The Annual Performance Assessment 2007 reported that the council delivers good services for children and evaluated its contribution to the five Every Child Matters outcomes as good, apart from enjoying and achieving in which the contribution was found to be adequate with good and improving aspects. The joint area review found the contribution of local services to support and challenge schools in raising attainment is good. Safeguarding is good.

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PEOPLE

2. Partners work well together to provide high quality services. Well- planned multi-agency working is improving the health of children and young people from a low base, in particular for looked after children and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Although educational outcomes are low compared with national figures, attainment is improving at most stages, often at a faster rate than that found nationally. Children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and looked after children make good progress at school and achieve well. The council and its partners focus on the needs of children and young people and systematically take into account their views when developing services. However, formal structures for their participation are not yet fully in place. Support for young people to achieve economic well-being is good. The proportion staying on post-16 is just above

p.33

PEOPLE

the national average and the number not in education, employment or training continues to decline.

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PEOPLE

3. Service management in Southwark and the council’s capacity to improve are good. Leadership is strong and there is an effective children’s services management team. Ambition and priorities are based on a shared understanding of local issues amongst partners, and focus on reducing inequality. The Children’s Trust, Young Southwark, is working effectively and has delivered some improved outcomes through well-targeted partnership working, although performance in key areas remains well below that found nationally. Budget management is effective and resources are on the whole aligned to support priorities. Performance management is good, although there are a few areas for development, such as ensuring that safe recruitment practices are fully implemented. Partners and elected members focus on areas where improvement is most needed, such as educational attainment and youth crime.

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PEOPLE

4. Local services make a good contribution to improving heath outcomes. Different agencies work together well to provide integrated services that are accessible to children and their families. The health of children and young people is improving, but performance in key indicators remains below national averages. Effective action is taken to promote good mental health through Southwark joint area review of children’s services 32

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PEOPLE

strong multi-agency delivery of CAMHS. The health support for looked after children is outstanding. The council is exceeding national targets in the proportion of schools achieving Healthy School status. However, teenage conception rates remain above the national average and obesity amongst children is prevalent.

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PEOPLE

5. Children and young people appear to be safe and safeguarding arrangements are good. The Local Safeguarding Children Board is challenging, child-centred and provides a clear strategic direction. Relevant inter-agency policies, strategies, procedures and standards are well established and agencies work well together to reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect. Safe recruitment practices are adequate. The numbers of children subject to child protection plans continue to fall. Parents and carers receive helpful advice and guidance about safe parenting. The council has prepared well for the use of the Common Assessment Framework by locality-based multi-disciplinary teams. The majority of children say they feel safe. The council and its partners are working effectively to tackle youth crime and anti- social behaviour. There is a good range of innovative preventative and diversionary activities.

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PEOPLE

6. The contribution of local services to helping children and young people enjoy their education and to improving outcomes is good. Parents and carers are supported in helping their children to enjoy learning, in particular in the early years. Attainment is in line with comparable councils but below or well below national averages at all stages. The rate of improvement at Key Stages 2 and 3 is well above that found nationally and young people make better progress than predicted between Key Stages 2 and 4. However, at Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 there has been a small decline since 2006. The attainment of targeted groups has improved faster than the average for Southwark, in particular for those of Black and minority ethnic heritage. The attainment of those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good overall. Children and young people who are looked after and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have good access to recreational and leisure time

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PEOPLE

activities and are supported well to get involved.

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PEOPLE

7. The impact of local services in helping children and young people to contribute to society is good. Speakerbox gives a voice to looked after children. The views of children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are routinely taken into account and they are encouraged to participate in planning changes to their lives. An independent advocacy service is effective. Agencies cooperate effectively to tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour. Cross-borough partnerships share intelligence and target hot-spots employing effective multi-agency strategies. Southwark’s performance in reducing the number of first-time entrants to the criminal justice system and reducing re-offending is good. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 33

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PEOPLE

8. The impact of services in helping children and young people achieve economic well-being is good. The proportion of young people staying in education post-16 is just above the national average and the number in education, employment or training is going up. The range of provision for 14 to 19 year olds is good. Further options will be available from September 2008, broadening the vocational offer. Success rates at Levels 2 and 3 are improving, although they are generally below national figures. Care leavers live in suitable accommodation and they are supported well in progression to work or further study. The numbers progressing to higher education has increased substantially in recent years. Young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are increasingly moving to employment or further education when they leave school. They are supported well in their transition into adult life. Southwark joint area review of children’s services 34

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ASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENTS

1. This joint area review was conducted using the arrangements required under Section 20 of the Children Act 2004. It was carried out by a multi- disciplinary team of inspectors from Ofsted, the Healthcare Commission and the Audit Commission. The review was undertaken according to the requirements of the Framework for the Inspection of Children’s Services.

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ASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENTS

2. The review was linked to the contemporaneous corporate assessment of the local council by the Audit Commission and these findings plus aspects of the most recent APA are represented in the relevant part of the corporate assessment report.

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ASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENTS

3. This review describes the outcomes achieved by children and young people growing up in Southwark and evaluates the way local services, taken together, contribute to their well-being. Together with the APA of children’s services, joint area reviews focus on the extent to which children and young people are healthy, safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and are well prepared to secure economic well-being. This review explores these issues by focusing on children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, children who are looked after, children at risk or requiring safeguarding, and a few additional investigations. It evaluates the collective contribution made by all relevant children’s services to outcomes for these children and young people.

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ASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENTS

4. The review took place in two stages consisting of an analysis stage (where recorded evidence was scrutinised) and a two-week fieldwork stage (where inspectors met children and young people and those who deliver services for them).

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