To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committeemeeting held on 16 November 2021.

Councillor Halden mentioned that he had not received a response in relation his question on KPIs as minuted on page 15 of the agenda. Officers said that this would be followed up.

(At the request of the Chair, this response was added to these minutes:

In relation to the KPI defined as “of the children who reached their 28th day in care within the reporting period, % that had an Initial Health Assessment within 20 working days” Cllr Halden asked for clarity around the divide between those where consent is the issue and those which are procedural delays. Cllr Little also asked whether COVID had been a contributory factor to the underperformance.

The original report is at Agenda for Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, 16th November, 2021, 7.00 pm | Thurrock Council

This response provides information regarding the Initial Health Assessment (IHA) performance between April to October 2021 (NB this includes an extra month’s performance from the report that went to O&S). Two performance measures inform the data and success in children having an initial health assessment in time;

•           Whether the referral for an initial health assessment is made by the local authority within 5 days

•           An initial health assessment takes place within 20 working days of a child entering into care. 

Impact of Covid

1 Initial Health Assessment was delayed because of self-isolation due to Covid.

3 Initial assessments were delayed due to sickness or capacity in health but it is not clear if his was Covid related.

IHA request made to health by social care within 5 days of child becoming looked after.

The average percentage completed in time from April to October 2021 was 82%

Between April and October 2021 there were12 children with a delayed referral. Of these; 

7 (58%) were due to parents either refusing or delaying in providing consent.

3 (25%) were due to procedural issues.

2 (17%) were due to other reasons

Reasons for delays included; parents refusing or delaying in providing written consent; procedural issues such as a child moving placement and the paperwork needing to be resubmitted and; request for consent being late or a child who is able to give consent refusing or going missing.

Initial Health Assessment taking place within 20 working days of a child entering care

The timeliness of referrals from social care to health can, but does not always, impact on assessments taking place in time. 3 assessments were late due to paperwork not being provided on time or incorrectly completed by social care and 5 because a Court Order was required due to parent refusing to provide consent.

The average percentage of initial assessments completed in time between April and October 2021 was 61%.

24 IHAs were completed out of timescale for the following reasons;

14 (58%) were due to procedural issues or capacity within health.

5 (24%) were due to Court Orders needing to be sought as parental consent not given.

1(4%) was due to a child isolating due to Covid.

5 (24%) were due to other issues.

Reasons for delays in children having an initial health assessment in time includes; parents refusing or delaying in providing written consent; procedural issues such as a child moving placement and the paperwork needing to be resubmitted; capacity within health due to sickness or otherwise, and other reasons such as clashes in appointments for the young person or a child being ill.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2021 were approved as a true and correct record.