Social Work And Health Committee - 15/12/2003

At a MEETING of the SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 15th December, 2003.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Bailie WRIGHT, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 17th November 2003 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I CHILD CARE FIELDWORK SERVICES - CARE AND ASSESSMENT TEAMS

There was submitted Report No 811-2003 by the Director of Social Work providing members with an operational position statement on the work of the care and assessment teams which were part of the Social Work Department's child care services. The report highlighted the continuing difficulties that were being experienced in recruiting and retaining social workers for these teams and the consequent impact on service delivery arising from this shortage of staff. The report also outlined the actions that had been taken to date to address this issue and the next steps that were planned to ensure that the department could meet its statutory responsibilities towards children in need and vulnerable families.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note and approve the contents of the report and in particular acknowledge and give public recognition to social work staff in the care and assessment teams who carried out important work with children in need and their families on behalf of the local authority; and

(ii) to instruct the Director of Social Work to bring further reports to Committee which would seek approval for proposals to introduce a senior practitioner grade; to develop Child and Family Centre services by setting up family support teams; to extend flexible working practices throughout Children's Services and to reorganise child care fieldwork services as an outcome of plans developed from a review of the Social Work Department's structure.

II RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF STAFF - FLEXIBLE WORKING INITIATIVE

There was submitted Report No 813-2003 by the Director of Social Work informing of the contents of the final report produced by Scott-Gardner Consultants on the recruitment and retention pilots which were carried out within the Department and proposed future developments.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the contents of the report;

(ii) to approve further developments proposed by the Director of Social Work as detailed in the report;

(iii) to acknowledge receipt of 5,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry; and

(iv) to approve 5,000 from existing budgets as match-funding.

III WITHDRAWAL OF SERVICE AT HAPPYHILLOCK CHILD CARE CENTRE

There was submitted Report No 809-2003 by the Director of Social Work proposing the withdrawal of services from Happyhillock Childcare Centre from the end of June 2004 following a review of the service at Happyhillock Childcare Centre which focussed upon cost efficiency and service priorities for Child and Family Centres within Dundee.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to the withdrawal of childcare services at Happyhillock Childcare Centre from 30th June 2004 and to the reinvestment within Dundee's Child and Family Centres of the revenue savings achieved;

(ii) to instruct the Director of Social Work to formally apply to the Scottish Commission on the Regulation of Care for the cancellation of registration for Happyhillock Childcare Centre from 30th June 2004;

(iii) to instruct the Director of Social Work and Assistant Chief Executive (Management) to continue to consult employees at Happhillock Childcare Centre and their Trade Unions regarding redeployment opportunities within the Social Work Department and, if appropriate, within other Council Departments; and

(iv) to instruct the Director of Social Work to bring forward proposals for the future use of the building at Happyhillock Childcare Centre.

IV NON-RESIDENTIAL CARE CHARGING POLICY

Bailie Borthwick declared a non financial interest in the following item of business by virtue of his employment which may result in contact with persons affected by the proposed changes.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN544-2003 reporting that the Government's introduction of Pension Credit and Savings Credit on 6th October, 2003 had resulted in the need for some adjustments to the Council's non-residential care charging policy.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) that for residential and non-residential care service users over 60 years of age, tariff income be calculated at 1 per 500 of savings/capital; and

(ii) that for non-residential care service users who were over 65 years with access to Savings Credit, the weekly amount of income to be disregarded before the calculation of charges was increased by 4% to 16.5% above the Guarantee Credit level; which would result in the weekly disregarded amount for a single person increasing from 115 to 119 and for a couple from 175 to 181.50; and

(iii) that the above charges be backdated to take effect from 6th October, 2003.

HELEN WRIGHT, Convener.