Decisions

Due to scale, depth and volume of change and improvement required alongside continued service operation, there is an increased demand on robust communications across the directorate. Although there is existing comms teams and staff there is a need for dedicated resources to ensure that the joining of comms planning is robust and aligned across multiple areas of improvement and transformation.

Background documents:
ILACS Inspection Report July 2024
Presentation to Executive Team August 2024
Presentation to Labour Group August 2024

Due to the scale, depth and volume of change and improvement required with the Eclipse case management system to support the improvement journey and transformation redesign, there is a need to increase capacity within the ICT Eclipse Team. Systems Analysts have been identified as required to enable robust work around training materials, process mapping, systems requirements gathering and supporting developers and the service to ensure fit for purpose, efficient, high quality case management recording and business intelligence supports robust management of cases, in turn, outcomes for children in Halton.
They will work with ICT and service colleagues ensuring the changes to the system align to the strategic redesign vision in the most efficient manner whilst ensuring that the system provides the data needed for other corporate services and teams ie. Finance, Placements, Commissioning and Internal Audit.

Background documents:
ILACS Inspection Report July 2024
Presentation to Executive Team August 2024
Presentation to Labour Group August 2024

This role will support Children’s Service improvement journey. Key to the role is coordination, analysis of the key improvement impacts as defined in the improvement plan. The performance indicators will be quickly analysed and delivered via agreed governance routes to offer assurance that our services to CYP are improving, the improvements will be driven at pace and curious questions and critical friend information provided on a regular basis. Information will be shared in the right way in the right forums to support our robust governance arrangements enabling senior managers to focus on areas not progressing at pace, this is a critical role required for ongoing improvements across the service.
DFE have advised this is the most crucial role in achieving success within timescales.

Further to the recommendations arising from the Ofsted inspection of Children’s Services, it is proposed to move to a “Job Family” approach for qualified Children’s Social Worker roles. This will be based upon using market supplements to improve pay, which in turn supports the Children’s Services strategy to recruit and retain a stable workforce. Given the urgent need to implement Ofsted’s recommendations, work needs to commence on implementing this proposal prior to the September Executive Board meeting.

Due to the scale, depth and volume of change and improvement required alongside continued service operations, Resourcing Officers have been identified as required to enable strategic leaders to focus on the improvement and transformation tasks at pace and continue to drive a continuous improvement approach. They will

Facilitate the delivery of effective and efficient resourcing across social work teams.

Work with colleagues in the Efficiency, Resourcing and Recruitment service to carry out transactional activity associated with recruitment and resourcing.

Provide Children Services Management with the necessary information to make effective recruitment and resourcing decisions.