BDSCB Early Help Committee Terms of Reference V1 7

B&DSCB Early Help Committee

Terms of Reference

Written September 2013

Core Functions

• To ensure that B&DSCB discharges its duties under Working Together to Safeguard Children (2013): Chapter 1 and Chapter 3
• Function as the feeder group to the main B&D Local Safeguarding Board on matters pertaining to Early Help and Integrated Working.

Main Responsibilities

The Early Help Committeewill:

• Proactively work to recognise and focus on hard to reach families through joint working across the partnership.
• Ensure the borough’s preventative strategiesare achieving positive outcomes for families
• Provide an outlet for working analysis of themed early intervention issues as identified by any B&DSCB group.
• Identify gaps in service provision for wider commissioning review.

Key Scrutiny and Improvement Performance Frameworks:

• Local Safeguarding Dataset
• CAF quarterly report
• MASH KPI’s
• Quality Assurance Framework
• Safeguarding Multi Agency Audits
• Early Help Audits

Membership

Representatives from other organisations to be invited to attend when, agency specific issues/projects emerge.

Continuity of Representation

The individual members of Early Help Committee have a duty as members to contribute to the effective work of the group.

In the event that the nominated member is unable to attend it is expected that a representative would attend in their place.

Should any members post cease to exist; the post holder’s organisation should nominate a successor prior to the resignation of the member from the Committee.

The nominated member should be of equal or similar standing to the preceding member.

The Chair of the Committee will report on agency representation/attendance to the Safeguarding Children Board Chair and Board, as required.

Frequency of meetings

The Early Help Committeewill meet on a Quarterly basis, until further notice. This group will advise the Chair of the significant issues for the quarterly meeting.

Quoracy

All relevant organisations should ensure that there is a representative from their respective agency at all Early Help Committeemeetings. At least 50% of members should be present to allow any meeting to go ahead.

Administrative Arrangements

The BDSCB Board will facilitate the Early Help Committeemeetings. All papers will be circulated to members 5 working days before the meeting.

The minutes from the meeting will be circulated to members within 3 weeks.

Members will submit papers for presentation, to the BDSCB Board Manager, at least 10 working days, before the meeting.

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