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SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

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Page 1: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY

Jane Cunliffe

DfES Safeguarding Group

18 April 2007

Page 2: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S

SAFETY

• Context – Local Government White Paper• Progress on improving children’s safety?• NSPCC research on safeguarding measurement• Current indicators• Themes for discussion

Page 3: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHITE PAPER

• Purpose: sweep away current clutter• Commitment to reduce overall number of

indicators to 200• Indicators to look at outcomes where possible• Focus on important national priorities

Page 4: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

LOCAL AREA AGREEMENTS• ‘Delivery contract’ between local authority and

central Government• Statutory targets plus others covering priority

areas – up to 53 in total against national indicators

• Negotiated between local authorities and regional government offices

• Inspected by new Comprehensive Area Assessment, separate for vulnerable children

Page 5: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN?

• Reduced number of indicators

• Move to outcomes rather than processes/inputs

• Need to be reassured local authorities are protecting children in their area

Page 6: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE?

• The number of accidental injuries to children has been declining steadily. In 1979 almost 1,100 children killed (in England and Wales): in 2005, 213 children were killed

• By 2005, there had been a 49% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured in Great Britain in road traffic accidents compared to the average for 1994-1998

• The ‘Back to Sleep’ campaign launched in 1991 saw a reduction in the number of babies dying from SIDS from 2 in 1,000 live births to under 0.5 per 1,000 by 2003

Page 7: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE?

• In 2005, nearly 400,000 children required some support from children’s social care (‘children in need’) with 37% being victims of abuse or neglect

• 68,500 children were subject to child protection enquiries in 2004-05

• Real extent of abuse may be higher• 25% disabled children are ‘in need’ for reason other than

disability• Children from DE socio economic groups are 5 times

more likely to die in any type of accident (including being killed in a road crash) than those in wealthier households and 15 times more likely to be killed in a residential fire

Page 8: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

NSPCC RESEARCH• Research commissioned February 2006• Main measures recommended:

– Lead outcome measure: child homicides– Lead primary measure: Percentage of agencies and

organisations not compliant with vetting and barring requirements

– Lead secondary measure: Percentage of schools judged to be satisfactory or better on Ofsted ‘Care, Guidance and Support’ measure

– Lead tertiary measure: Children’s hospital and A&E episodes classified as assault

– Lead quaternary measure: Suicide and self-harm reports for looked after children and young people in the secure estate

Page 9: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

SOME CURRENT INDICATORS• Number of children adopted as a percentage of LAC • Percentage of children and young people on the CPR not

allocated a social worker • Percentage of child protection conferences within 15

working days • Re-registrations on CPR • Percentage of CPR cases that should have been reviewed

(and were) • Percentage of initial assessments within 7 days of referral • Percentage of core assessments within 35 days • Stability of placement• Duration on the CPR (% of children de-registered from the

CPR during year that had been on the CPR for 2 or more years)

Page 10: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

THEMES FOR DISCUSSION

• What effect do the current indicators have on local practice?

• Which indicators have a link to effective safeguarding services?

• Which of the current indicators could be usefully retained?

• What outcomes for children’s safety could be measured?

Page 11: SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY Jane Cunliffe DfES Safeguarding Group 18 April 2007

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN: MEASURING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN’S SAFETY

Jane Cunliffe

DfES Safeguarding Group

18 April 2007