Setting

Ms Alison Waller Director of Children, Family and Adult Services East Riding of Yorkshire Council County Hall Cross Street Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire HU17 9BA

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2008

This letter summarises the findings of the 2008 annual performance assessment (APA) for your council. The evaluations and judgements in the letter draw on a range of data and information which covers the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. As you know, the APA is not based on an inspection of your services and, therefore, can only provide a snapshot based on the evidence considered. As such, I am grateful to you for assuring the quality of the data provided.

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2008

Performance is judged on a four point scale as detailed in the handbook. I should emphasise that the grades awarded are based on an overall ‘best fit’ model. For instance, an outstanding judgement of Grade 4 reflects that overall most aspects, but not necessarily all, of the services in the area are working very well. We know that one of the features of outstanding provision is the drive for greater improvement and no council would suggest, and nor would Ofsted, that a judgement of outstanding indicates that everything is perfect. Similarly within a judgement of inadequate overall, Grade 1, there could be some aspects of the overall service that are adequate or even good. Judgements are made in a rounded way, balancing all of the evidence and giving due consideration to outcomes, local and national contexts, priorities and decision-making. Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

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2008

www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0161 618 8207 Direct F 0161 618 8514 North_apa@ofsted.gov.uk The following table sets out the grades awarded for performance in 2008.

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Assessment judgement area APA grade

Overall effectiveness of children’s services 3 Being healthy 3 Staying safe 3 Enjoying and achieving 3 Making a positive contribution 3 Achieving economic well-being 3 Capacity to improve, including the management of services for children and young people

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Assessment judgement area APA grade

Inspectors make judgements based on the following scale 4: outstanding/excellent; 3: good; 2: adequate; 1: inadequate

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

East Riding of Yorkshire Council consistently delivers good services. The council has made good progress in responding to the recommendations made in the 2007 APA. There has been good progress in reducing the rates of re-offending of all children and young people, including those who are looked after, and in continuing the year- on-year reduction in the rates of referral for child protection. Levels of re-referral are very low indicating that the service makes secure decisions about risk for those requiring protection. The recent joint area review (JAR) judged services for the broader partnership to be good for safeguarding arrangements, looked after children and for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The quality of the partners’ strategy for addressing high levels of teenage pregnancy was judged as adequate with good capacity to improve outcomes further.

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

The council has sustained good performance overall in each of the other Every Child Matters outcomes and in capacity to improve.

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

The council’s analysis of its strengths and areas for development is consistent with the evidence. There are no additional recommendations to make as a result of the APA.

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

The children's services grade is the performance rating for the purpose of section 138 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. It will also provide the score for the children and young people service block in the comprehensive performance assessment to be published by the Audit Commission.

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

We are grateful for the information you provided as part of this process and for the time given by you and your colleagues in preparing for the assessment.

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

Juliet Winstanley Divisional Manager, Local Services Inspection

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Being healthy

ƒ Excellent rates of uptake of preventative health care services by children who are looked after. ƒ All schools are participating in the Healthy Schools Programme and 71% have been accredited. This is better than in similar council areas. ƒ The fall in infant mortality rates has continued this year. The current rate of infant mortality is 3.8 per 1000 live births. This compares favourably against 4.2 per 1000 in similar areas and 5.0 nationally. ƒ There has been a good reduction in admissions to hospital for young people due to substance misuse and this is now better than in similar areas.

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Being healthy

ƒ Rate of reduction in teenage conceptions is slower than in similar council areas.

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Staying safe

ƒ The JAR judged services for safeguarding and looked after children to be good. It identified effective preventative services were leading to continued reduction in the number of child protection referrals and very low levels of re-referrals. It also drew attention to the timely and effective initial and core assessment arrangements. ƒ Excellent reduction in numbers of looked after children and young people, demonstrating an effective fostering and adoption service. ƒ The common assessment framework has been successfully implemented and identified as a model of good practice.

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Staying safe

ƒ A recent and extensive survey of the views of children and young people in East Riding and the findings of the recent JAR revealed higher levels of concern about bullying than found nationally. The council has acknowledged the need to do more and has identified the issue as a key priority in its corporate plan.

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Enjoying and achieving

ƒ Above average attainment shows a consistently improving trend at ages 11 and 16. ƒ Good impact of the School Improvement Service on improving the overall effectiveness of schools causing concern. ƒ Above average attendance in primary and secondary schools, and in particular, good attendance rates of looked after children.

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Enjoying and achieving

ƒ High rates of fixed-term exclusion in secondary schools. ƒ The gap between the educational outcomes of looked after children and other children.

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Making a positive contribution

ƒ The results of a recent survey of the views of children and young people and the findings of the JAR indicate that the views of children and young people significantly influence service development. ƒ Strong performance in reducing the rates of re-offending by all children and young people. This was judged to be the best performance in the region by the Youth Justice Board. ƒ A good reduction in the number of first time offenders including looked after children.

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Making a positive contribution

ƒ Low rates of engagement with publicly funded youth services by young people aged 13 to 19. ƒ The proportion of looked after children contributing their views to annual reviews is below similar areas.

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Achieving economic well-being

ƒ A high proportion (93.6%) of young people continuing in education beyond age 16. This is better than similar council areas. ƒ An above average proportion (74.1%) of young people achieved Level 2 qualifications by age 19. This is higher than in similar councils and the national average. ƒ Very good rates of participation in employment, education and training at age 16 for looked after young people.

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Achieving economic well-being

ƒ Below average A/AS level performance in school sixth forms.

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management of children’s services

ƒ The JAR judged capacity to improve and the quality of service management to be good. This is supported by a good trend of improvement in service outcomes. ƒ Good integrated working through an effective multi-agency approach. ƒ Children’s services provide good value for money.

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management of children’s services

ƒ Rising numbers of vacancies in social care roles linked to children and families, although qualified social work vacancies remain low.

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