Less than four in 10 councils meet child protection review targets

The publication of this year’s performance assessment
framework indicators show that fewer than four in 10 councils met
the targets on reviews of child protection cases during the year,
writes Katie Leason.

While overall there has been an improvement in performance for
the third consecutive year, the indicators reveal that just 37 per
cent of councils reviewed all the child protection cases.

While this is an improvement from 25 per cent in 2000-01, the
average of 93 per cent of cases being reviewed means that as many
as one in 14 children considered to be sufficiently at risk to be
included on the child protection register did not have their case
reviewed when it should have been.

Nine per cent of councils reviewed fewer than 85 per cent of
cases, the lowest being Northamptonshire with 31 per cent.

However the target was met for re-registrations on the child
protection register.

The percentage of looked after children adopted rose from 5.2
per cent in 2000-01 to 5.7 per cent in 2001-02, an increase of
around 350.

However, the long term stability of looked after children showed
little change, with 51 per cent of children looked after
continuously for at least four years being in a foster placement,
and with the same foster carer for at least two years.

The educational attainment of care leavers is still well below
target with just 41 per cent of young people leaving care at 16 or
over achieving at least one GCSE or GNVQ.

The national priorities guidance target states that at least 50
per cent should achieve this by 2000-01 and 75 per cent by 2002-03.
Brent achieved just 16 per cent.

Four councils – Manchester, Somerset, Telford and Wrekin
and North Tyneside – failed to inspect all their children’s
homes.

The number of residents aged 65 or over admitted to residential
and nursing care stayed at 109 per 10,000.

More than a third of new adult and older clients waited more
than six weeks from first contact until they received their first
service.

In Metropolitan districts and in Inner London this figure rose
to 41 per cent and to 37 per cent in Outer London. Wiltshire was
worst with 83 per cent having to wait more than six weeks.

‘Social Services Performance Assessment Framework Indicators
2001-2002’ can be viewed at

www.doh.gov.uk/paf