Calls for Scottish councils to improve residential child care
12:39 - 06/08/2010
Calls for Scottish councils to improv...
A report published by the Accounts Commission and Auditor General has asserted that Scottish councils, the Scottish Government, NHS boards and other bodies need to improve the way that they manage residential child care services if they are to help children and young people to reach their full potential.
Getting it right for children in residential care also reveals that local authorities in Scotland require a better understanding of the costs involved in order to be able to determine how their services can provide value for money and whether they are working efficiently.
It is estimated that around 1,600 children live in residential care at any one time and, although many children thrive, a large number show poor educational attainment and are more likely to experience problems including unemployment, homelessness, imprisonment and mental health problems as adults.
Councils are currently working with the support of the Scottish Government to become better ‘corporate parents’ to these vulnerable young people. However, this latest report shows that further improvements are still needed. This includes a greater emphasis on the long-term outcomes, future opportunities and life chances of children who receive residential care. Many care plans for children lack such clear action points or long-term goals.
John Baillie, Chair of the Accounts Commission, says: “Child care is one of the most difficult and demanding aspects of council duties. Residential care cannot be expected to fix all the difficulties faced by vulnerable children and their families, but there is a lot that councils and their partners could be doing to improve these services. They need to ensure they act as ‘corporate parents’, improve their understanding of what leads to the best outcomes and focus on the support they are providing for the long term needs of each child or young person, as any good parent would for their child.”
Charlotte Potter, Head of Quality and Curriculum at First Response Training, comments: “In order to ensure that they are providing the best possible service for children and young people, and that they improve the standard of their care, councils need to look at their service provision from the bottom up.
“Obviously there are some key changes to be made overall when it comes to understanding and monitoring costs and implementing long-term goals, but ensuring that workers on the front-line of residential child care services are well trained and fully understand how to provide good quality care is also of paramount importance. This all comes down to regular, good quality staff training. Good quality care, and good care planning, stems from good training and continued professional development for child care workers.”
First Response Training offers a wide range of courses aimed at the professional development of child care sector employees. For more information on the choice of courses available, and how to meet the requirements of your setting, please contact First Response today.
Getting it right for children in residential care also reveals that local authorities in Scotland require a better understanding of the costs involved in order to be able to determine how their services can provide value for money and whether they are working efficiently.
It is estimated that around 1,600 children live in residential care at any one time and, although many children thrive, a large number show poor educational attainment and are more likely to experience problems including unemployment, homelessness, imprisonment and mental health problems as adults.
Councils are currently working with the support of the Scottish Government to become better ‘corporate parents’ to these vulnerable young people. However, this latest report shows that further improvements are still needed. This includes a greater emphasis on the long-term outcomes, future opportunities and life chances of children who receive residential care. Many care plans for children lack such clear action points or long-term goals.
John Baillie, Chair of the Accounts Commission, says: “Child care is one of the most difficult and demanding aspects of council duties. Residential care cannot be expected to fix all the difficulties faced by vulnerable children and their families, but there is a lot that councils and their partners could be doing to improve these services. They need to ensure they act as ‘corporate parents’, improve their understanding of what leads to the best outcomes and focus on the support they are providing for the long term needs of each child or young person, as any good parent would for their child.”
Charlotte Potter, Head of Quality and Curriculum at First Response Training, comments: “In order to ensure that they are providing the best possible service for children and young people, and that they improve the standard of their care, councils need to look at their service provision from the bottom up.
“Obviously there are some key changes to be made overall when it comes to understanding and monitoring costs and implementing long-term goals, but ensuring that workers on the front-line of residential child care services are well trained and fully understand how to provide good quality care is also of paramount importance. This all comes down to regular, good quality staff training. Good quality care, and good care planning, stems from good training and continued professional development for child care workers.”
First Response Training offers a wide range of courses aimed at the professional development of child care sector employees. For more information on the choice of courses available, and how to meet the requirements of your setting, please contact First Response today.
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