Family Assessment (Parent & Child) Service Review Outcome

Corporate Change Programme advantages:-• Demonstrates significant savings by Year 3 to meet MTFP plans• If need for assessments reduces then in-house resources will meet greaterproportion of placements and thereby increase savingsOperational disadvantages:-• Need to recruit sufficient number of additional foster carers• Need to resource the qualified social work capacity to undertake the additionalfostering assessments in Year 1 and 2• May take carers from stock of Somerset County Council carers who will then needreplenishing• In-house placements may not be seen as sufficiently independent by the courts• Inability to recruit and retain parenting assessment social worker with appropriateskills and experience.Corporate Change Programme disadvantages:-• Small number of additional Somerset County Council staff goes against direction oftravel towards a smaller council• Additional foster carer recruitment costs in year 1 and 2 reduce ability to findimmediate significant savings• Inability to meet Medium Term Financial Plan savings in 2013/14 through need tofund foster carer recruitment costs in 2012/13 and 2013/14.Option 5 is the recommended option.Future DirectionThe plan is to reduce the number of independent residential and fostering placementsand the following chart, and figures in the table, represent the proposed change in use ofassessment types over the next three years.Family Assessment Service Review – Outline Business Case Page 13 of 20 vs. 2.0 15.6.12