Permanence Teams – increase from 3 to 4 teams based in Locality Teams EqIA

Aims of the strategy

This is list of the aims 

• to ensure children in our care have social workers from their home Locality team and equity of service
• to ensure all children in care have a robust line of management oversight
• to ensure that caseloads for social workers and management responsibility are manageable so they can give their children in care the best service

Background to the proposal

Our Permanence Teams are teams who support our children in Local Authority care who aren’t able to live with their birth parents in the medium to long term. The Social Workers within the Permanence Teams are responsible for ensuring that our children in care are safe, have all of their health, social, emotional and educational needs meet to achieve better outcomes.

Following the recent reorganisation there has been thought given to how best to transition children into their rightful Permanence Team at the appropriate time, for example when permanence is achieved following the completion of care proceedings or as agency workers are replaced with permanent workers. What we know is that the distribution of children in care across the four Locality areas is disproportionate and leading to differing levels of management oversight, meaning in some areas there are barriers to timely transfer. In order to share responsibility for our children and make sure they have robust management oversight we need to ensure that the spread of social workers and management is right for our children. This will aid the drive to improve permanence and offer the best service to our children in care.

Principle in relation to the movement of children

We still want to work on the basis that children should stay with their social worker if they have a good relationship and are receiving a good service. We also want to ensure that when transfer is appropriate or necessary that children transfer into their home locality Permanence Team in a timely way. Currently, we have 42% of our children in care in the right team and the right locality. We have identified for every child which team they are currently in and where their home locality is. We have identified those children who are currently in care proceedings and when these are due to complete so we can plan for our pipeline permanence transfers. 

Next steps:

1. identify which of the 58% children not supported in their home locality would benefit from a transition to their home locality
2. redistribute a small number of staff to create 4 locality-based permanence teams – this does not require additional Team Managers or Social Workers; it is simply a redistribution and we propose the redistribution will result in: 

This is a list of locations for workers 

• East/Purbeck –5.3 social workers
• North –6 social workers
• Chesil 1 –7 social workers
• Dorchester/West/Chesil 2 –6 social workers
• we anticipate that this will affect 3 of our current permanent social workers, 1 pipeline starter and 2 interim team managers insofar as relationships between social worker/manager. We anticipate it will geographically affect 7 individuals albeit the North team would ‘return’ to the originally proposed centre of duty. 

These are the strengths of the case:

• equality of management oversight which significantly improves the likelihood of good care planning & permanence planning
• timely transfer of children when appropriate and/or necessary
• services to children in care are delivered from within their home locality

These are the vulnerabilities of the case:

• the calculation is based on children’s home locality. However, we recognise that for some children it will remain in their best interests to stay with their current social worker which makes the calculation difficult to be precise about. However, the current configuration does not allow for flow when flow is required, and management oversight is a factor in this. We anticipate with some careful planning that a bridge will allow for the movement to begin and thus create capacity where needed
• some individuals will be affected with the need to move one team geographically and a smaller number of individuals to different line management

Agreement for the planned changes was given by the Children’s Senior Leadership Team on 16 December 2020.

We anticipate the changes beginning on 1 April 2021 but recognise this will be primarily the staff changes for those affected (centre of duty & line management).

We do not anticipate any significant cost savings nor additional spend

The change proposal has been shared with Service Managers & Team Managers; initial feedback received during meeting to discuss the proposal on 14 January 2021. A further meeting took place on 27 January and weekly meetings are planned going forward

Number of staff affected

Directly affected – 10 Social Workers

Indirectly affected – 2 Team Managers, 3 Advanced Practitioners, 10 Social Workers and 2 trainee Social Workers

Consultation for directly & indirectly affected staff proposed date 9 February at 12 noon (via Teams) 

Intelligence and Communication 

Data, information, evidence and research used and how it has influenced the decision-making process

• DES – employee data
• consultation with Heads of Locality and Strategy, Service Managers and Team Managers
• geo coded Children in Care data showing home locality
• current centre of duty for staff within Dorchester, West and North Team is Sturminster Newton Local Office following Blueprint for Change
• the proposed changes will affect a maximum of 6 Social Workers in terms of change of centre of duty to Dorchester
• we have one worker who is pregnant who will be in the staff group affected by change of centre of duty

Engagement or consultation that has taken place as part of this EqIA

• consultation with Team Managers, Service Managers and Heads of Locality and Strategy
• weekly meetings to be held during consultation period with Team Managers
• proposals have been introduced to Social Workers, Family Workers and Advanced Practitioners through Team Meetings/ Supervisions

Formal consultation meeting be arranged for those staff affected being arranged for 9th Feb 2021. 

Feedback

Feedback to be taken and shared at consultation meeting

Social Workers in Dorchester, West and North Permanence Team and Chesil Permanence Team will be asked to provide individual feedback around which team they would prefer. The outcome of these preferences will be shared with individuals following consultation by their current Team Manager/ Service Manager. 

Assessment

Impacts of the strategy 

Key to impacts

Positive

the proposal eliminates discrimination, advances equality of opportunity and/or fosters good relations with protected groups

Negative 

Protected characteristic group(s) could be disadvantaged or discriminated against

Neutral 

No change/ no assessed significant impact of protected characteristic groups

Unclear 

Not enough data/evidence has been collected to make an informed decision.

Action Plan

Name: Paula Golding

Job Title: Service Manager - Children's Advice and Duty Service (CHAD)

Date:

Who has agreed this EqIA?

Officer completing this EqIA:    Paula Golding    

Date: 28 January 2021

Equality Lead: Susan Ward-Rice

Date: 22 February 2021

Equality & Diversity Action Group Chair: Rick Perry

Date: 22 February 2021