To hear questions to the Care Services PDS Committee received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Thursday 16^th July 2015 and to respond.  Questions must relate to the work of the scrutiny committee.

To hear questions to the Care Services Portfolio Holder received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Thursday 16^th July 2015 and to respond.  Questions must relate to the work of the Portfolio.

This item was held in joint session with the Education PDS Committee and the Public Protection and Safety PDS Committee and with the agreement of Members, Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP was appointed Chairman for the joint session.

Report ED15104

The Chairman was pleased to welcome the Chief Executive, the Assistant Director: Safeguarding and Social Care and the Interim Head of the Youth Offending Service to the meeting to support the Care Services, Education and Public Protection and Safety PDS Committees in considering the findings of the Full Joint Inspection of Youth Offending Services work in Bromley 2015 and post-Inspection Improvement Plan. 

The Chief Executive gave a presentation providing a brief outline of the history and work of the Youth Offending Service and outlining the key recommendations from the Full Joint Inspection. 

The Youth Offending Service had been judged as ‘Failed/Inadequate’ following an HM Inspectorate of Probation Inspection in November 2006.  A range of service improvements were implemented and the service was judged as ‘Improving’ following a re-Inspection in January 2008, and as ‘Minimum Improvement required’ following a full HM Inspectorate of Probation Inspection in November 2011.  The Care Quality Commission inspected the service in November 2011 and rated it ‘Good’. 

The Local Authority was notified in early January 2015 that an inspection of the Youth Offending Service would take place from 19^th January 2015, as a result of a number of concerns being identified around the Local Authority’s performance in certain key areas.  Four HM Inspectorate of Probation Inspectors worked with Youth Offending Service Officers during the first week of the inspection to review a short list of 34 cases out of a cohort of approximately 60 young people.  The Inspectors then returned to the Local Authority for a further week from 2^nd February 2015 to review the partnership arrangements in place to support young offenders, after which the Local Authority had been advised that the outcome of the inspection was poor and that there were a number of areas for improvement, including a more robust Quality Assessment Framework and improved performance management and data reporting processes. 

The Chief Executive acknowledged that he had “taken his eye off the ball” as a number of issues affecting the Youth Offending Service had not been identified prior to the Full Joint Inspection, and there had been no indication that the Local Authority should be concerned.  It was now recognised that there had been a lack of adequate data provided to the Youth Offending Service Operational Board, which had meant that a range of issues with the Youth Offending Service had not been identified, and a meeting of the Youth Offending Service Strategic Board had not been convened.  Following publication of the final report of the inspection, a number of actions had been taken by the Local Authority to deliver the required service improvement.  This included the creation of a single, strengthened Youth Offending Service Management Board with senior representation which combined the Youth Offending Service Strategic and Operational Boards, and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.