Welcome...
You're all working really hard to improve the lives of local children and I just want to say thank you.
I know it's not always easy. We're all increasingly busy and reviews and inspections add to the pressure we all feel. But, you still continue to give your all and it doesn't go unnoticed.
There are lots of good things happening. It's important we recognise this, as well as the challenges we still face around our performance and quality of practice.
Thank you.
John Gregg, Director of Children's Services
john.gregg@coventry.gov.uk
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Together, we can tackle child abuse
A new government campaign encouraging people to report child abuse launches this week.
The 'Together, we can tackle child abuse' campaign is being run in 33 areas - including Coventry.
Using radio adverts, social media and large outdoor posters, the campaign aims to encourage the public to report their concerns in order to get help to children more quickly and address the barriers that can stop people taking action. The campaign will address all forms of abuse and neglect.
You can find out more at www.gov.uk/reportchildabuse
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DfE visit
We're still waiting for formal feedback from the Department for Education's visit, and once we have this we'll share it with you.
The team who came said they were encouraged by what they had seen and heard.
Driving ahead with fostering
The drive for more Council foster carers has continued with the launch of advertising panels across Council vehicles. Read more.
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All fired up
Local youngsters have been put through their paces by the
West Midlands Fire Service – and received a qualification to boot.
During half term eight young people from across the city completed a five day training course organised by the Youth Service, Youth
Offending Service and the Fire Service. Read more.
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The Easter Bunny needs your help
The Participation Service is organising an Easter party for looked after
children aged 11 and under. To
ensure we have enough eggs for all the children, they're asking for donations of medium size eggs, around
£2.00 - no mini sized eggs please.
If
you would like to donate an Easter egg, please leave it at Civic
Centre 1 reception by 21 March or contact the
Participation team on ext 2989.
News in brief
Children’s
Services have undertaken significant steps to improve over the last eighteen
months. The service is working at pace to embed and sustain the changes
already made. The focus over the next few months will be to deliver on
the following:
-
Implementing the workforce strategy to
stabilise the workforce and reduce the reliance on agency workers will be key
over the next few months with the new social worker recruitment campaign “We’re
with You”
- Improving the quality and consistency of
practice by continuing to progress through auditing and quality assurance,
ensuring that learning is being fed back in to practice.
- Ensuring that there is a greater availability
of placement choice for all children by implementing the placement sufficiency
strategy
- Recruiting
more foster carers and specialist carers to increase capacity to avoid
residential placements for more complex children and young people
- Ensure
that the best use is made of the available resource/budget to maximise the
impact on children’s lives.
Get in touch
Email joanne.moynihan@coventry.gov.uk with your updates, comments or suggestions
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