Strategic Issues
Strategic Issue 1
Local data suggests an increase in complexity and support needs and the requirement for rapid intensive intervention.
Hartlepool’s looked after children population is shifting toward the age groups with the strongest predictors of care entry nationally (infancy and adolescence), suggesting increasing complexity and support needs. Hartlepool has a more complex, higher-need cohort than regional or national averages for abuse- and disability-related need.
Strategic Issue 2
There is increasing reliance of private and voluntary-sector placements, a significant growth in high-need placement types and rising out-of-boundary and over 20 mile placements.
Strategic Issue 3
There are high levels of socioeconomic deprivation in Hartlepool.