Council’s four homes for vulnerable children exposed as ‘weak’ in report

The Calderdale Council report says it is standards for children at the authority’s four homes – Linden Brook, Westgarth, Alloefield View and Cousin Lane – that are causing concern.

With the exception of Linden Brook, each home provides day care and overnight breaks for a maximum of seven children aged between four and 18.

But the authors of the report say their findings have led them to give the situation in the homes a “weak” classification.

Among the criticisms are that statements of purpose for each of the four homes have not been kept up to date nor have they been approved by the council’s elected members.

Different sources of information about required and actual staffing levels do not correlate, the report says.

In addition, there are “anomalies between actual expenditure and staffing budgets, indicating ineffective budget monitoring”.

And the main risks identified from the audit’s findings include: “possible inappropriate levels of staffing with resultant risk to residents safeguarding” as well as “possible inappropriate expenditure”.

Possible budgetary control implications and the possibility of significant overspending against budget were also highlighted.

A further risk was “possible unplanned expenditure resulting in a lack of financial control”.

A year ago, Ofsted claimed the way the council looks after children at risk of harm and neglect was inadequate and, although it now says that the situation has improved – with more permanent qualified staff and better working arrangements and processes – safeguarding is still not good enough.

But the hope is an official notice to improve will be removed before March next year.

Former council leader Stephen Baines, chairman of the audit committee said the auditors were reflecting what could happen “in an extreme situation”.

An update will be given to the committee in six months’ time.