Indicator 6 Children in Need (CiN) per 10,000 0-17 population
A child in need may be defined as any child referred to children’s social care for whom local authorities were committed to take an initiative.
‘Taking an initiative’ means: • Active case work • Making regular payments • Where funding or ongoing services such as respite care has been agreed • Maintaining a child with care and accommodation • A commitment to review the case at a predetermined date • Maintaining a child’s name on a register that ensures the child and family receives targeted information or other special consideration
This definition of a child in need also includes those children on a child protection plan and those currently in the care of the local authority.
At any point in time, Bournemouth has about 1,500 children considered to be in need following a referral to Children’s Social Care. Thresholds are being maintained and are solid thus ensuring that children below the threshold for Children’s Social Care are not included in our CIN figures. When converted to a rate per age appropriate population, we can benchmark against our Statistical Neighbour group (Chart 1) Over the last year with robust management and clearer plans the Children in Need population has dropped to c 300 cases which is in line with the national average.
National Analysis
Chart 1 – Statistical Neighbour benchmarking
Wards where CiN referrals are highly concentrated in Bournemouth:
Boscombe West East Cliff and Springbourne Strouden Park Kinson North Kinson South
Areas of moderate concentration:
Central Winton Central Westbourne & West Cliff
Additionally, there is a pocket of high CiN in West Southbourne: Beaufort Estate.
“Health warnings”
• The way that CiN are currently defined and reported has been criticised by ADCS for including child protection and looked after children. A recommendation from ADCS to omit CPP and LAC children from the CiN count is currently being considered by DfE.
• High CiN rates may indicate that CiN involvements are not being closed in timely fashion rather than higher levels of need.