Social Work And Health Committee - 19/08/2002

At a MEETING of the SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 19th August 2002.

 

Present:-

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

Willie W SAWERS

C D P FARQUHAR

George de GERNIER

Joe FITZPATRICK

Fraser MACPHERSON

Helen WRIGHT

Allan PETRIE

Jim BARRIE

Betty WARD

George REGAN

Julia M STURROCK

Jill SHIMI

Bruce D MACKIE

Neil GLEN

Neil I C POWRIE

Roderick A J WALLACE

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Ian BORTHWICK

Kenneth J N GUILD

Fiona M GRANT

Robin PRESSWOOD

Derek J SCOTT

David BOWES

Andrew DAWSON

John CORRIGAN

Mervyn J ROLFE

 

Dave BEATTIE

 

 

Councillor Betty WARD, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 17th June 2002 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I REVIEW OF SUB-COMMITTEES OF THE SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE

 

There was submitted Report No 623-2002 by the Director of Social Work advising of changes to the Registration and Cases Sub-Committee and the Quality Assurance Advisory Sub-Committee.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) that the Registration and Cases Sub-Committee be amended to reflect the changing role as a result of new legislation and that it be renamed the Cases Sub-Committee and that the composition of the Cases Sub-Committee be two members from the majority group; one member from the major opposition group; one member from the minority opposition group and one Independent/Liberal Democrat member; and

 

(ii) that the Quality Assurance Advisory Sub-Committee be dissolved.

 

II THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF SOCIAL WORK STAFF - EXTERNAL CONSULTANT

 

There was submitted Report No 622-2002 by the Director of Social Work informing of the difficulties faced by the Social Work Department in recruiting and retaining staff and seeking approval to commission an external Consultant to undertake time limited research, the recommendations of which would enable the Director of Social Work to deploy staff efficiently, make the most of the skills available from the staff groups and progress the department's ability to attract and retain staff.

 

The Committee agreed that the Director of Social Work be instructed to seek bids from external Consultants to undertake this work.

 

III HAPPYHILLOCK CHILD CARE CENTRE

 

On a reference to Article I of minute of meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee of 14th February, 2002 there was submitted Report No 624-2002 by the Director of Social Work seeking approval for the proposed changes in allocation of places and the charging policy in operation at Happyhillock Child Care Centre following the change to the operation and function of Happyhillock Child Care Centre to that of providing child care services for students and working parents as part of the proposal to rationalise child and family centre provisions.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) that Happyhillock Child Care Centre be approved as a provider of childcare services for student parents, working parents on low incomes and working parents who were able to meet the costs of the full charge of a child care service;

 

(ii) that users of the service be charged in accordance with the scheme detailed in Appendix I of the report;

 

(iii) that the new service be actively marketed and that the charging policy and income targets be kept under review; and

 

(iv) that the Director of Social Work be instructed to closely monitor the take up of the service and its financial viability and report back to the Committee in June 2003.

 

IV PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING AUDIT 2001-2002

 

There was submitted Report No 625-2002 by the Director of Social Work informing of the performance of the Social Work Department with regard to the Performance Management and Planning Report audited externally by Audit Scotland.

 

The Committee noted the performance of the Social Work Department as outlined in the report by Audit Scotland.

 

V CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK PARTNERSHIP

 

There was submitted Joint Report No 566-2002 by the Director of Social Work and Director of Personnel and Management Services seeking approval to establish the post of Partnership Development Manager which would have responsibility to ensure that the Criminal Justice Social Work Partnership of Angus, Dundee City and Perth would be able to deliver to the Criminal Justice system high quality effective services which would contribute to a reduction in offending and an increase in community safety.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) that the post of Partnership Development Manager, Graded PO15-18 (33,983-36,377), in the Criminal Justice Social Work Service be established; and

 

(ii) that the contents of the report be approved.

 

VI SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - RESTRICTION OF LIBERTY ORDERS

 

There was submitted Joint Report No 561-2002 by the Director of Social Work and the Director of Personnel and Management Services on the availability of Restriction of Liberty Orders to Sheriff Courts and High Courts in Scotland and seeking approval for the establishment of two posts that would be required to support the scheme.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) that two posts of Social Worker, graded SCP27-35 (18,378-23,930) be established; and

 

(ii) that it be noted that Restriction of Liberty Orders were available to Dundee Sheriff Court.

 

VII GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 2002-2003

 

There was submitted Report No 626-2002 by the Director of Social Work on grants recommended for award to voluntary organisations for 2002-2003.

 

The Committee agreed payment of grants to voluntary organisations listed, and at the levels outlined in Appendix 1 of the report.

 

VIII BARNARDOS (SCOTLAND) ANNUAL CONFERENCE - DUNDEE

 

There was submitted Agenda Note AN199-2002 on the Barnardos (Scotland) Annual Conference to be held on Friday, 22nd November 2002 in the new Apex City Hotel, Dundee. The theme of the conference would be "Family Ties - Whose Looking After Them Today?" The conference would explore the role of families today and share understanding of effective support which would help them achieve positive outcomes for children.

 

The Committee agreed that member representation at this conference be, One member from the Majority Group, One Member from the Majority Opposition Group, One Member from the Minority Opposition Group and any other member who had a genuine interest at a cost of 105 per delegate.

 

IX TAY PROJECT - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR THE TREATMENT OF SEXUAL OFFENDERS

 

There was submitted Agenda Note AN200-2002 advising that a project worker from the Tay Project which works with adult sex offenders in the community across Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross had been invited to address the 7th conference of the International Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders, which would be held in Vienna in September 2002. The subject to be addressed would be the project's work with sex offenders with learning disabilities. The project won a community care award in 1999 for designing and developing programmes specifically for this client group. Costs associated with attendance at the conference would be met from the Criminal Justice Services budget.

 

The Committee noted the international recognition of the work of the Tay Project and the involvement of the Tay Project at the conference.

 

 

 

 

BETTY WARD, Convener