Adoption scorecards to reveal council performance

Highest Score wins the bonuses. Grandparents Apart UK

By Lauren Higgs Wednesday, 14 March 2012

 

Local authority performance on adoption targets is to be rated using a new system of scorecards.

Cards designed to strengthen local authority accountability on adoption. Image: Lorne Campbell/Guzelian

The proposal, contained in the government’s Action Plan for Adoption, is intended to "shine a light" on which local authorities are doing well on adoptions, and which need to improve.
It is part of a series of recommendations designed to strengthen local authority accountability on adoption and overhaul the assessment system for prospective adopters.
The new scorecards will be published in a matter of weeks and will highlight three key indicators.

The first will measure the average time it takes for a child identified for adoption to actually move in with their new family, the second will look at the proportion of children who wait longer for adoption than they should, and the third will measure the average time it takes to match a child to an adoptive family.

Meanwhile the assessment process for new adopters is to be shortened to six months. This will consist of a two-month pre-qualification stage, followed by a four-month full assessment.

There will be a fast-track process for people who have adopted before, or who are already approved foster carers who wish to adopt a child in their care. The government will consult on the necessary regulatory changes later this year.
In addition, a new "national gateway" for adoption will provide a first point of contact for anyone interested in adoption through a telephone helpline and website.
Education Secretary Michael Gove said the case for urgent and radical reform of the adoption system is clear. "For too long, children in care have been let down by local authorities and the family justice system," he said.

"I believe scorecards will shine a light on which authorities are doing well and which ones need to improve. Local authorities should be in no doubt that we expect to see improvements in the coming months."
Martin Narey, the government’s ministerial adviser on adoption, said the action plan would lead to radical improvements in the adoption system.
"The government's unequivocal message today is not about how much delay is acceptable," he said. "It makes clear that no amount of delay is acceptable."
But Matt Dunkley, president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, warned that local authorities could not reform the adoption system alone.
"Any attempts to improve performance of individual local authorities must take the performance of the wider system into account – without that, there is a limit to what local authorities can achieve," he said.
Nushra Mansuri, professional officer from the British Association of Social Workers, added: "Adoption league tables or score cards will not give an accurate picture of how well local authorities are supporting vulnerable children."
She went on: "In essence, we are going back to a discredited system that merely perpetuates the blame culture and undermines social workers’ confidence in making decisions about children, as they contemplate how this will impact on their council’s 'score'."

Government releases strategy to combat poverty and promote social justice

We'll believe it when we see it. Grandparents Apart UK.

By Tristan DonovanTuesday, 13 March 2012

 

The government has set out its comprehensive blueprint for improving the life chances of the most vulnerable families today (13 March).

Strategy aims to make a positive difference to all struggling families. Image: Christopher Jones

The Social Justice Strategy is intended to co-ordinate work across central government to help families facing multiple disadvantages.
It emphasises the importance of joint working and looks at how a mix of public, private and voluntary sector organisations can deliver intervention services at local level, to prevent vulnerable families from reaching crisis point.
"The fact is that many families and children come into regular contact with government agencies throughout their lives," said Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith.

"They will be meeting with health visitors, social workers, school officials and even Jobcentre staff. It’s at these critical points that we must be more joined up, more brave and offer help to people to turn their lives around."

The strategy highlights measures already annouced by government, including the drive to turn around the fortunes of 120,000 "troubled families", extra funding for relationship support and the pledge to double the reach of the Family Nurse Partnership programme.

It also cites government's investment in 4,200 new health visitors and the extension of free early education provision to disadvantaged two year olds as measures that will help tackle social injustice.
Meanwhile the strategy restates the government’s intent to support marriage and reverse the so-called "couples penalty" in the welfare system.
"When families break down, the consequences can be severe," Duncan Smith said. "That means we have to get behind stable families, not shrug our shoulders when they fall apart."
Anne Longfield, chief executive of the children’s charity 4Children, said: "The publication of the Social Justice Strategy is an important next step in plans to redraw support for families by intervening early and helping them to turn around their problems and prevent crisis."
She added: "The government’s bold strategy, which focuses on the prevention of crisis, has the potential to make a positive difference to all those families who are struggling."

Tri-borough councils reveal plans to speed up care proceedings

 

By Tristan DonovanFriday, 09 March 2012

 

Three London boroughs are to trial a new approach to managing care proceedings in a bid to speed up the time it takes for decisions on children's futures to be made.

Designated days will be set aside for care cases at the Inner London and City Family Proceedings Court. Image: David McCullough

The Care Proceedings Pilot by Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea councils, which merged their children’s services departments last year, is a response to the Family Justice Review, which called on family courts to complete all public law cases within six months.

The £50,000 project will start in April and requires the boroughs to produce prompt assessments that conform to set standards. Judges will bear in mind the child’s timescales when making decisions, to reduce any delays, and designated days will be set aside for care cases at the Inner London and City Family Proceedings Court.

The boroughs will also hire a case manager to co-ordinate about 100 cases across the three boroughs each year. It will be their job to track and chase the progress of each case and make sure the six-month deadline is met. Case reviews will be conducted after each case is concluded, to inform future practice.
Andrew Christie, head of children’s services for the three boroughs, said: "While the measurable focus of this pilot might be to speed up family court proceedings and hit the six-month target, the overarching aim is to achieve greater permanency and emotional stability for vulnerable children in our care."
Steve Miley, director of families services at Hammersmith & Fulham, said the year-long pilot was only possible because of the three boroughs merging.
"One borough on its own wouldn’t be able to do this. It’s because of the pooling of resources that this can work," he said. "For example, when our combined fostering and adoption service starts work in April that will make it easier to deliver assessments on time. It’s about maximising the benefits of us coming together as three councils."

The local authorities also expected to save money as a result of the pilot through reduced legal bills and demand on care placements and social worker time.

At present, care proceedings in the three boroughs take in the region of 55 to 65 weeks to deal with

Adoption reforms to 'tear down barriers', pledges Cameron

Children for sale or rent. Apply to David Cameron.  Grandparents Apart UK

By Tristan Donovan Friday, 09 March 2012

 

David Cameron today outlined plans to "tear down the barriers" to adoption and outlined the key measures in the government's Adoption Action Plan, ahead of its publication next week.

Cameron: 'Young lives are being wasted while the process takes its toll.' Image: Crown copyright

Under the measures, councils will be required by law to refer children to the national adoption register if the authority does not find them an adoptive family within three months. The plan will also make matching the ethnic backgrounds of children and their adopters a lower priority than finding them a new home.
"There’s no more urgent task for government than this," said the Prime Minister. "Young lives are being wasted while the process takes its toll."
The Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) backed the government’s plans. Matt Dunkley, president of the ADCS, said requiring children to be referred to the national register would "mean that children don’t wait unnecessarily".

But other organisations were more cautious in their support. "A primary focus on speed means that the most important issue – the welfare of the child – could potentially be overshadowed," said Andrew Flanagan, chief executive of the child protection charity NSPCC. "The government needs to put in place safeguards to ensure this is not the case."

The Local Government Association said that the government must take care not to impose more targets and red tape on the adoption system with its plans.
The British Association of Social Workers accused Cameron of seeking quick fixes and ignoring the problem of adoption breakdowns in his plans. "We believe that one in five adoptions breaks down and the child is separated from the adoptive family," said Hilton Dawson, the chief executive of BASW. "The issue is being swept under the carpet; the government is not even keeping data on the rate of adoption breakdown."
He added that the plans to reduce the emphasis on a child’s ethnic background was a mistake: "A child’s ethnic heritage is important, and taking a colour-blind approach to adoption simply will not be in the best interests of the child."
The government’s plans also include new legislation to make it easier for children to be fostered by approved adopters while the courts consider the case for adoption

Number of homeless families on the rise

 

By Joe LepperThursday, 08 March 2012

 

The number of homeless families with children is increasing, according to latest government figures.

There were 36,600 households with children or a pregnant family member living in temporary accommodation at the end of last year. Image: Arlen Connelly

Statistics for the last quarter of 2011 show 8,110 families with dependent children were accepted as homeless by councils. This is up 1,530 on figures for the same period the previous year and up 230 on the previous quarter.
The figures show at the end of last year there were 36,600 households with children or a pregnant family member living in temporary accommodation in total. This represents three-quarters of all households living in temporary accommodation. Altogether, there were 69,460 children or expected children in temporary accommodation.

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) predicts the figures will rise further when the government’s Welfare Reform Bill becomes law. The plans to cap benefits for households at £26,000 a year is set to hit those living in high rent areas, such as London, the hardest.

CPAG spokesman Tim Nichols said: "Our concern is that this is an early warning of the impact of the government’s plans around housing benefit cuts. Alarm bells should be ringing for ministers and civil servants in Whitehall. We are expecting this will be worse in London."
Among those families with children in temporary accommodation, 1,310 were in bed and breakfast accommodation. At the end of last year 450 had been in bed and breakfast accommodation for at least six weeks.
The figures also show a slight fall in the number of 16- to 24-year-olds accepted as homeless by councils, from 4,430 during the third quarter of 2011 to 4,310 during the final three months of the year.
The total number of people classified as homeless leapt by 14 per cent between 2010 and 2011.

Scotish parliament;- Dedicated Minister for Older People

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_PublicPetitionsCommittee/Petitions/PE1419_Final_Template_28.02.12.pdf

 

(For official use only) PUBLIC PETITION NO.

PE  1419

PLEASE REFER TO GUIDANCE NOTES AT THE BACK OF THIS FORM.

1. Name of petitioner

Jimmy Deuchars

2. Petition title

Petition for the Scottish Government to create a dedicated Minister for older people.

3. Petition text

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to create a dedicated Minister for older people Older people are fast becoming one of the largest groups in Scotland: the country now has a greater number of people aged 60 and over than it does people aged 16 and under.  Life expectancy will only continue to increase, and our Government will face significant challenges as it prepares to serve the ageing population. The UK has no choice but to ensure that older people can live comfortably and enjoy dignity and respect in their later years.  Despite making up 40% of voters, there is no Government minister dedicated to the well-being of older people. Older people’s issues are scattered throughout various Government departments. What is sorely lacking is a centralised Government portfolio that prioritises the needs of older people and ensures that their views and interests receive dedicated attention.  Many governments around the world, including those of Ireland and Canada, currently have a dedicated Minister for older people, and it is high time Scotland followed suit. Both Wales and Northern Ireland have appointed an Older People’s Commissioner, but all older people living in Scotland deserve a centralised ministerial post that looks after their needs.  Older people are people to be proud of; people to respect; people who deserve someone at the highest level to look after their interests.  We, therefore, call on our Government to provide real leadership for scotlands older people: to listen to their issues, give voice to them, and help all Scottish citizens enjoy happy living in the years ahead.

4. Action taken to resolve issues of concern before submitting the petition

Setting up a Political Party and running for parliament in the 2011 elections. Constant approaches to MSPs  by members of Grandparents Apart UK to resolve family problems and being older people as well it is double the pain and hurt.

5. Petition background information

By running a grandparent’s charity we find that older people and grandparents are not treated as well as they should be. Some are living in real poverty with having to make decisions as to feed themselves or heat themselves as they cannot now do both.

6. Do you wish your petition to be hosted on the Parliament’s website as an e-petition?

YES (Delete as appropriate).   If you answer “NO” please proceed to section 9.

7. Closing date for e-petition

1st October 2012

8. Comments to stimulate on-line discussion

82% of older people’s real and psychosomatic illnesses are caused by loneliness and separation from their family.  It would appear that older people are forgotten when it comes to making national decisions by all political parties. This causes great distress, hopelessness and depression for older people. A dedicated minister would put more heart and hope into older people giving them the importance and respect due to them and reversing the feeling of being (thrown on the scrap heap)

9. Administrative information (not for publication)
Name	Jimmy Deuchars
Address	22 Alness Crescent Glasgow G52 1PJ
Telephone nos.	Home:0141 882 5658 Mobile:07792392220
E-mail address	jimmd@sky.com
No. of petition signatures
Statement to the committee Should the Public Petitions Committee consider it necessary to broaden its understanding of your petition, it may ask a petitioner to appear before it to speak and answer questions. If asked, would you wish to appear?
YES / NO     (Delete as appropriate).
Signature of principal petitioner When satisfied that your petition meets all the criteria outlined in How to submit a public petition the principal petitioner should sign and date below.
Signature Jimmy Deuchars…    Date 30th September 2011……………………..
Completed forms should be returned to— The Clerk to the Public Petitions Committee The Scottish Parliament Edinburgh, EH99 1SP          petitions@scottish.parliament.uk                Tel: 0131 348 5982 Fax: 0131 348 5088 www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/petitions/index.htm http://scottishparliamentpetitions.blogspot.com/ Section 100 of the Postal Service Act 2000 provides that petitions can be posted to the Parliament free of charge if handed in at a post office. To make use of this service, the envelope should be clearly marked "Petition to the Scottish Parliament" and should use the postal address provided below.

The Sunday Post is doing a report on Grandparents can you help.

Hello,

My name is Stevie Gallacher and I’m a journalist with the Sunday Post in Glasgow.

I’m looking into a story about the rights of grandparents. Specifically I’m trying to find a case study of grandparents who have been denied access to their grandchildren.

Could you possibly help?

Many thanks

Stevie Gallacher

 Stephen Gallacher
The Sunday Post

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