Uk Oversight Social Services

Annex B Flowchart illustrating central Government engagement/intervention with poorly performing social services Anywhere top-tier Council

CSCI Inspection/ External Investigations

If inspection/monitoring indicate poor social services performance then CI to consider/advise DfES/DH Ministers whether the council lacks capacity for improvement, and if so to recommend appointing a performance action team.

If serious failure CSCI liaise with other Inspectorates/DfES & DH liaise with ODPM to forewarn of social services issues and to establish if other service areas affected. May result in performance action team or statutory intervention being considered by CI/DH&DfES Ministers and departmental lawyers.

Formal Intervention either coordinated by ODPM/ social services specific, ranging from Ministerial Direction through outsourcing to taking over SociaL Services/Council functions.

Social Services Star Ratings

If awarded 1 star, and potentially heading towards zero star, CSCI to assess and advise DfES/DH ministers on a case by case basis if capacity building support required to avoid dropping to zero star status

If zero stars, then CI to consider and advise DH/DfES Ministers whether council has/lacks capacity for improvement, and if council lacks capacity then appointing performance action team recommended.

Performance Action Team (PAT) appointed; ToR include exit strategy. If successful, move to regular monitoring by CSCI; if unsuccessful, then formal intervention considered by CI/DfES&DH Ministers and departmental lawyers.

CSCI regular monitoring continues to ensure PAT’s legacy is maintained; possibly by commissioning further targeted external support.

Council’s Social Services stable/on upward performance trajectory; routine monitoring by CSCI according to star rating.

NOTE This is a schematic illustration of how social services specific engagement and intervention might work but in practice there is no automaticity about action that will be taken. The flow chart is subject to refinement in the light of the outcomes of the Performance Action Teams (PATS) that the Department of Health, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills, may commission. Recommendations, either stated or implied, in the various boxes are made on a case by case basis. The chart may need to be amended following enactment of the Children Bill which will enable an integrated and consistent approach to intervention across education and children's social services where that is appropriate. Zero stars do not automatically mean that a PAT will be commissioned. The dotted lines represent “this might happen”.