The Children and Families Cabinet Panel met on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, to review the first quarter's performance report for 2026/27, discuss the annual compliments and complaints report for Children's Services, and consider the proposed work programme for the upcoming year. Key discussions included the increasing number of referrals and children in care, the effectiveness of support services, and the management of complaints and compliments.

Children and Families 2026/27 Quarter 1 Performance Report

The panel received a comprehensive overview of the Children's Services performance for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, covering April to June 2026. Paul Dryden, Service Manager for Performance, presented data indicating an increase in referrals into children's social care, with numbers being higher than in the previous two years. Despite these increases, Hertfordshire's referral rate per 10,000 population remains significantly lower than its statistical neighbours and the national average.

Performance in completing Child and Family Assessments within the statutory 45 working days saw a slight dip in June, falling just below 90%, though still outperforming national and statistical neighbour averages. Initial Child Protection Conferences also experienced a dip in performance in June, with 84.9% held within the 15-day statutory timeframe. The number of children subject to Child Protection Plans continued to rise, showing a 22.7% increase compared to the previous year.

Numbers of Children Looked After also continued to increase, with both non-separated and separated migrant children showing rises. The percentage of Children Looked After experiencing three or more placements in the last 12 months saw a slight increase, but remained within the second quartile nationally. Performance in children exiting care via adoption or Special Guardianship Orders saw a slight reduction in adoptions and an increase in SGOs. Notably, Hertfordshire continues to outperform the national average in maintaining kinship placements, with 16.8% of children in such placements compared to the national average of 11%.

Care leavers aged 17 to 21 in education, employment, or training saw a decrease to 58.9%, though this is still higher than the previous year's equivalent month. The report highlighted that while overall performance remained strong, some indicators showed deterioration, prompting discussions about the causes and potential interventions. Councillors raised concerns about the increasing numbers of children in care and subject to child protection plans, and the potential impact on staff well-being. Officers assured the panel that a range of support measures were in place for social workers, including caseload monitoring, robust supervision, and training opportunities.

Discussions also touched upon the challenges faced by care leavers, with concerns raised about suitable accommodation and the risk of isolation and loneliness. The council is working to improve accommodation options and provide wider networks of support. The panel heard discussions linking the increase in demand for services to national trends of social and economic deprivation.

Children's Services Annual Compliments and Complaints Report 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026

Kamalata Bangor, the Complaints Manager, presented the annual report on compliments and complaints for Children's Services. The report indicated a 14% decrease in compliments received, from 1,178 to 1,006, while the total number of representations (dissatisfied individuals) increased by 20% to 1,422. Stage 1 complaints logged formally rose by 11% to 943.

Positively, a greater proportion of concerns were resolved informally at an early stage, with 25% dealt with outside the formal complaints process, a 5% increase. Acknowledgement timescales remained high at 99%, and overall response timescales significantly improved, with 83% of complaints responded to in time, a substantial increase from 68% the previous year. Fifty percent of complaints were responded to within 10 working days, a 38% increase. Stage 2 investigations increased by 21% due to dissatisfaction at Stage 1.

The main themes of representations received were delays in responding and communication issues (38%), complaints about workers (11%), and dissatisfaction with care plans/assessments and specialist settings/provision (both 8%). The report highlighted that the increase in demand and complaints is linked to the ongoing pressures on services, exacerbated by the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

The panel engaged in discussions about the themes, particularly concerning communication delays and the need for timely responses. Officers acknowledged these challenges, attributing them partly to increased workloads and demand on frontline teams. The importance of the voice of the child was reiterated, with assurances that efforts are being made to ensure young people feel safe and supported in raising complaints. The report also noted a decrease in compensation awarded by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, with 64% of complaints having no fault found or not being investigated.

Cabinet Panel Proposed Work Programme

The panel reviewed the proposed work programme for 2026/27. Councillor Hillary Skoczylas, Executive Member for Children & Families, highlighted that this is a live document and subject to change. The work programme includes planned discussions on the Annual Fostering Report, Annual Adoption Report, the Ofsted Action Plan, and an update on the Residential Strategy, which will be brought to the November meeting. The panel was invited to provide comments, suggestions, or amendments to the programme, with the option to do so outside of the meeting. The recommendation was for the panel to approve the work programme as attached, subject to any agreed amendments.

The meeting included the agreement of the minutes from the previous meeting on 10 June 2026. The Chair also provided several announcements, congratulating a team manager on being shortlisted for an award and thanking those involved in summer programmes and the launch of Hope Boxes. The positive Ofsted inspection results for Hertfordshire were also highlighted, with the council judged outstanding in two areas and good in two further areas.