inspecting through an effective framework: getting it right for children
TRANSCRIPT
Inspection: practice matters
Lisa PascoeDeputy director, Social care policy
21 October 2015
Today
Inspections now: the importance of practice, people and leaders
Getting it right for children: focusing on the right things
Joint targeted area inspections: ‘deep-dive’ investigation areas – what next?
The future of inspections: universal, joint, targeted and thematic
3,271 children and young people told us what they thought was good about their children’s home or foster carers and what could be better. The five most common themes that emerged were:feeling safe and looked after having staff who put them firstfeeling like part of a foster family having fun things to do and good food to eat independence, responsibility and having a say.
What children and young people feel is important
3
Children’s social care questionnaires 2015: what children told us 4
Most children and young people told us they feel safe inside their home9
Fostering(1,727 responses)
92% 99% 0%
All the time All/most the time
Never
The figure was lower for those in children’s homes…
Children’s home(1,471 responses)
All the time All/most the time
Never
66% 90% 1%
Children’s social care questionnaires 2015: what children told us
What children and young people enjoy
5
My foster carers take me on holidays and other places…we have lots of fun. (7–11-year-old)
I get to do activities I like and I get to spend time with my friends. We have nice food and I get to help with the cooking. (12–15-year-old)
Going out, holidays, doing lots of things never been able to do before. (7–11-year-old)
I get to bake and go and invite friends when the day is free… They have a dog and a cat which I can play with. Having my own room and feel safe. (12–15-year-old)
I now have a healthy diet and I have lots of different types of food. (7–11-year-old)
Children’s social care questionnaires 2015: what children told us
I am older than the other girls and I can stay out later if I have something special to do. (16–17-year-old)
What gives children and young people a sense of responsibility and independence
6
The staff team are very supportive and help you out with anything you need a hand with e.g. advice, planning things, advocating. (16–17-year-old)
My opinions count, staff involve me in making decisions. I feel valued and respected. (16–17-year-old) I learn a lot of things I
haven't learnt before like to make my bed, clean my room, learn to be a man, and learn to have respect for adults and peers. (12–15-year-old)
Practice
Social workers/practitioners that build and maintain trusting relationships.
Children’s wishes and feelings matter in their individual circumstances and strategically.
Risk is understood and addressed eg return home interviews.
Stability, planning and timely decisions. Support and challenge in the system.
People
Targeted recruitment, careful assessment and effective support for foster carers.
Residential staff that are trained, valued and supported.
A stable workforce: learning and development, career progression, support.
Workers, managers and leaders that know what ‘good’ looks like: a common aim and a shared purpose.
Leadership
Knowing what good looks like: clear priorities and a line of sight to practice: workers, managers and leaders that know what ‘good’ looks like - a common aim and a shared purpose.
Creating a good place to work: career progression; talent management; distributed leadership; an environment where practice can flourish, manageable workloads, support, accountability.
‘Children at the centre of thinking’
Inspection: now
21 October 2015
Joint targeted area inspections (JTAI) With HMI Constabulary, CQC, HMI Probation. Current focus on the protection of children and
young people. Not a universal programme. The inspectorates
are resourced to do up to 10 per year. Each JTAI has a ‘deep dive’ into a particular
cohort of children and/or issue. First five (plus pilot) ‘deep dive’ into children at
risk of sexual exploitation and/or missing.
How can this help the sector?
Individual report for each area resulting in a narrative judgement plus a summary report of our findings in respect of the ‘deep dive.’
A means of sharing good practice and aspects of practice areas may want to consider.
Next ‘deep dive’ will start in September 2016.
Inspection: what’s next?
21 October 2015
Future of inspection
Continued focus on practice. Risk-based and proportionate. Rigorous focus on progress and experiences
across all of our inspection frameworks. Bringing commonality into our expectations on
inspection wherever we can eg children living away from home.
The role of self-evaluation. Leadership. Responsive to the changing landscape.
Future of inspection: local authorities Menu of options to include: universal; joint;
targeted and thematic inspection. Robust baseline of the single inspection
framework programme. Short, sharp and focused: usually inspection
limited to a single week’s fieldwork. Time to plan and explore scope, frequency,
judgements, reporting etc. The ‘menu’ will include a focus on the protection
of children and children looked after.12 week consultation later this year
Children’s social care questionnaires 2015: what children told us 16
