Knowsley Intelligence Network
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KNOWSLEY JSNA REPORT CHILDREN IN NEED AND AT RISK OF HARM Children in Need and at risk o f h a r m JSNA September 2015 (new data released November 2015) 1 KNOWSLEY JSNA REPORT CHILDREN IN NEED AND AT RISK OF HARM This report This report has been prepared by Knowsley Council in consultation with the Knowsley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and partner organisations of the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB). Its purpose is to set out current understanding of issues relating to Children in Need in Knowsley, based on analysis of the latest available data. It is one of a series of reports that inform Knowsley‟s understanding of local health and wellbeing priorities, based on analysis of needs, and set out in its Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA). Other JSNA reports cover topics that relate closely to children and young people‟s mental health, and these are available on the Knowsley Knowledge JSNA website. They include: Looked After Children Children In Need or at risk of harm Child & Family Poverty Children with Disabilities & Complex Needs Schools Capacity & Admissions Educational Attainment and Attendance Employment and Unemployment This report is based on the most recently published formal statistics. Where later data is available but still classed as ‘provisional’ it will only be referenced if it signals significant change. New data releases will be monitored to ensure that the report can be updated as necessary. C o n t a c t s For information about this report please contact: Matthew Carey, Senior Analyst, (0151 443 2671) [email protected] Further information For a PDF copy of this report, and other research intelligence products, visit Knowsley Knowledge – the website of Knowsley‟s JSNA 2 KNOWSLEY JSNA REPORT CHILDREN IN NEED AND AT RISK OF HARM This review deals specifically with those Children In Need referred to and supported by Knowsley Children‟s Social Services. Whilst Children with a disability and Children Looked After (those children referred to fostering or adoption services and currently in the care of the Local Authority) are included in analysis of referrals, assessments and CIN demographics, specific intelligence on these populations is covered in a separate JSNA report. Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 defines a child as being in need in law if: He or she is unlikely to achieve or maintain or to have the opportunity to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development without provision of services from the Local Authority; His or her health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, or further impaired, without the provision of services from the Local Authority; He or she has a disability. A number of acronyms are used throughout this document: CYP – Children and Young People CIN – Children In Need CLA/LAC – Children Looked After/Looked After Children PLAC – Privately Looked After Child/Children CP/CPP – Child Protection/Child Protection Plan CSC - Children‟s Social Care services NFA – No Further Action CSE – Child Sexual Exploitation LSCB – Local Safeguarding Children‟s Board Although not included in the CIN cohort, there can be significant overlap between services supporting children involved in anti-social behaviour, gangs and other Youth Offending issues, intelligence on this is included in the Crime JSNA. Contributors The majority of this report is based on evidence and analysis from the following organisations: Knowsley KMBC Ofsted DfE 3 KNOWSLEY JSNA REPORT CHILDREN IN NEED AND AT RISK OF HARM Executive Summary This summary is intended to provide a stand-alone briefing on current intelligence about children in need (CIN) in Knowsley. What are the most critical CIN challenges facing Knowsley? There have been increases in the number and complexity of cases across Children‟s Social Care (CSC) services, with significant increases in referrals for Neglect and/or Abuse and a rise in referrals from police and other legal agencies (e.g. courts or probation services) leading to no further action. The proportion of referrals made is amongst the highest in the country, a significant number of re- referrals are made which had previously resulted in No Further Action (NFA). Neglect is the most cited reason for children to be referred to children‟s social care and for becoming looked after. Cases are increasingly complex, requiring more time and resources. Qualitative research also suggests that domestic violence is an increasing concern as a contributory factor in child social care referrals. There has been an increase across Childrens‟ Social Care (CSC) services in all aspects of work. In addition to the increase in referral rates, children subject to Child Protection Plans and Children Looked After numbers have also risen in the last year. This is possibly a consequence of a limited early help offer, and CSC either dealing with families too late or too many times before the right intervention is provided. Cases involving children being referred appear to be more complex and regarded as "high tariff". Examples would include those young people at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in the community and those involved in gun and gang crime. Marked increase nationally and locally in the number of referrals and cases of neglect. Neglect and abuse referrals have nearly doubled in Knowsley since 2013. The most significant parental factors present for Children In Need and Child Protection caseloads are domestic violence, parental mental health issues and substance misuse. These factors overlap in many cases and high incidence locally mirrors the national picture for vulnerable children. Locally and nationally the scale of hidden CSE poses a significant challenge for services and practitioners, .Knowsley has set up a multi agency CSE team in response to these challenges. Following an inspection conducted in May 2014, Ofsted rated Knowsley CSC services for Children who need help and protection as inadequate, and the effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children‟s Board (LSCB) as inadequate. Key challenges highlighted by the inspection team included: Widespread failures and inconsistent practice across help and protection leaving some children and young people at risk of suffering harm. Children who need help and support experience drift and delay in the support provided. 4 KNOWSLEY JSNA REPORT CHILDREN IN NEED AND AT RISK OF HARM Early help services lack co-ordination and don‟t always work with the right children and families at the right time. Too few Common Assessment Frameworks (CAFs) are completed and not all are of the right quality. Thresholds for referral to social care are not consistently applied by partner agencies and Children‟s services. This leads to a significant number of cases being inappropriately assessed What is the scale of the problem, and who is most affected in Knowsley? Knowsley has a population of nearly 33,000 children and young people under the age of 18. This is 22% of the total population in the area. At March 31st 2015, there were 201 children subject to child protection plans. There were 306 children being looked after an increase of 10.5% on the previous year. Every year, the Department for Education (DfE) conducts a survey of children in need across local authorities in England. The survey is submitted in the Summer following each reporting year, and out-turn published by the following November. Referrals to Children’s Social Care: in 2014, 3,312 children, or 1025.7 per 10,000 Children and Young People (CYP) population referred for assessment to Knowsley‟s Children‟s Social Care. Provisional 2015 figures show a drop in referrals to approximately 722 per 10,000, or 2,500. Numbers of Children in Need (CIN): 1,181 children, or 365.7 per 10,000 CYP population supported Knowsley Childrens‟ Social Care in 2014. Early 2015 figures show a rise to 1299 children in need, or 401 per 10,000. Numbers of Child Protection Plans (CPP): 185 children, or 57.3 per 10,000 CYP population subject to a Child Protection Plan in 2014. In 2015 this has risen to 201, or 62 per 10,000. Children looked After: 257 children, or 79.6 per 10,000 CYP population in the care of the Local Authority. In 2015 this has risen to 306, or 94.5 per 10,000. A number of factors have been identified as contributing to the risk of harm to children. Significant factors include households where drug or alcohol misuse are prevalent, where parents suffer from mental health issues, and households where children are exposed to domestic violence. Although Children are at risk of harm in all types of households, higher incidence in poorer areas has been noted across the country and Knowsley‟s high levels of relative deprivation may contribute to higher referral and assessment rates compared to less socio-economically challenged areas. Children at risk of harm due to association with gangs and drugs, as well as those at risk of CSE,and criminal expolitaion is increasing. These cases are very complex and challenging, as often children have already suffered significant harm. 5 KNOWSLEY JSNA REPORT CHILDREN IN NEED AND AT RISK OF HARM Have things been improving or getting worse? Despite an increase in referral rates overall CIN numbers had fallen regularly to March 2014. Referrals have reduced markecly in 2014/15, however the CIN cohort has increased to 1,299 but is still some way from the 2011 peak of circa 1,500. Increased referrals in 2013/14 were in part due to a higher number of initial contacts from Police and other legal bodies, the higher rates included more younger children (0-11 years old) as a proportion of the overall cohort, and an increase in neglect referrals. Numbers of children looked after have increased for the first time since 2008, whilst Child Protection Plan (CPP) cases have risen 30% since 2013, the first increase in number in five years.