Birmingham gets its first Social Care Star

10.01.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 1st Dec 2005

Cllr Dave Radcliffe and Cllr Sue Anderson with star

The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) has awarded Liberal Democrat/Conservative led Birmingham City Council its very first star. Liberal Democrats Councillor Sue Anderson, Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health says "I am over the moon! This is just the start, we plan to move forward and continue to make improvements to the services we provide. The inspectors have acknowledged the determined and consistent hard work by staff to improve standards. They also commented on how it is evident that there is real political commitment in Birmingham."

Councillor Anderson added "The judgement concluded that we are serving some adults and children well, with promising prospects for improvement. We want to build on this good start and continue to make improvements for the benefit of the people of Birmingham."

Extracts from the report are as follows:

Improvements in adult services

• Birmingham City Council have made progress in promoting independence and choice

• Have maintained the level of performance while responding robustly to concerns about financial management and the integrated learning disability service

• There has been increased take up of direct payments

• More prompt delivery of equipment to assist people living at home

• Improved services for carers

• Reduced admissions to residential care

• Increased investment in services for vulnerable adults on a par with similar authorities

• Managing better delayed discharges from hospital and mental health services

• Better at providing information to service users, and being more responsive to needs

• Good practice in culturally specific services for black and minority ethnic communities

Improvements in children's services

• Better at ensuring looked after children have regular health checks

• Improving child and adolescent mental health services with Health partners

• Better child protection practice

• Good adoption support services

• Good foster care to meet needs of black and minority ethnic children looked after

• Better support for looked after children

• Strength is the strategic lead given by councillors and senior managers

• Made children's services a priority for improvement and spent more