FOI Request - Local Authority Children Services
Request 101003567915
1. The rate of Children in Need per 1000, in your area on 31st March for the preceding five years: 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21, 2019/20, 2018/19 (excluding children on a Child Protection Plan and Looked After Children). For clarity, that is, a child or children, as defined within the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, who are in need of care and protection as they are deemed unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development or if they are disabled/affected by the disability of a family member.
Leadership
2. Please provide the name of the Council elected Cabinet Member/Chair for Social Services/ Portfolio holder for Children and Young People Services and when they began this position.
3. Within the Council, please provide the name of who has responsibility for the directorate of children services/social services and when they began this position.
4. The name of the Chief Social Work Officer and when they began this position.
5. The name of the Chair of the Public/Child Protection Committee/Partnership and when they began this position.
Finance
6. The safeguarding budget for children and young people’s services in this financial year and the preceding five years: 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21, 2019/20, 2018/19.
Workforce
Amongst Children’s Social Workers, over the period 1st October 2022 – 30th September 2023 please provide:
7. Total FTE Newly Qualified Social Workers in role for less than 2 years.
8. % Turnover rate
9. % Agency worker rate
10. % Vacancy rate
11. % Absence rate
Caseloads
12. Number of cases held by children’s social workers on the date of this request.
13. Number of cases held by children’s social workers on 31st March for the preceding five years: 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21, 2019/20, 2018/19.
14. The average number of cases held by individual social workers on the date of this request.
15. The average number of cases held by individual social workers on 31st March for the preceding five years: 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21, 2019/20, 2018/19.
Reviews
16. The Number of Child Initial Case Reviews undertaken the preceding five years: 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21, 2019/20, 2018/19.
17. The Number of Child Significant Case Reviews/Learning Reviews undertaken the preceding five years: 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21, 2019/20, 2018/19.
Response 11-06-2024
1.
| 31 March 2019 | 31 March 2020 | 31 March 2021 | 31 March 2022 | 31 March 2023 |
| No data - exempt under Section 17 Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held. | No data - exempt under Section 17 Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held. | 433 | 574 | 519 |
| 23.9 (pop 18,093 0-17) | 31.7 (pop 18,093) | 29.2 (pop 17,775) |
Leadership
2. Councillor Kathleen Robertson May 2022
3. Tracy Stephen, Chief Social Work Officer 2022
4. Tracy Stephen, Chief Social Work Officer 2022
5. Fred McBride - 2023
Finance
6. Not held - we are unable to answer question 6 as we do not have a separate budget for Safeguarding. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.
Workforce
7. 3 NQSW in last 2 years – 2 left post within the 1 year period
8. % Turnover rate - 5.8%
9. % Agency worker rate - West is 2 social workers ( both part-time) so 1FTE
East Team x 3
Access Team x 1
10. % Vacancy rate - 2.6%
11. % Absence rate - 6.62%
Caseloads
12. 631
13.
| 31 March 2019 | 31 March 2020 | 31 March 2021 | 31 March 2022 | 31 March 2023 |
| No data - exempt under Section 17 FOISA | No data - exempt under Section 17 FOISA | 636 | 789 | 713 |
14. 14.3
15. 2020 = 11.8
2021 =10.3
2022 = 14.9
2023=15.4
2024 =14.3
Reviews
16. There have been 2 learning reviews during that time period.
17. There was 1 significant case review during that period.