Development Control and Regulation Committee
CUMBRIA CHILDREN’S TRUST BOARD
Minutes of a meeting of the Cumbria Children’s Trust Board held on 4February2010 at 2.00 pm at The Courts, Carlisle.
PRESENT
Ms M Swann(Chair)
Professor John Ashton-Director of Public Health
Mr M Bowman-Chief Executive – Connexions Cumbria
Mrs A Burns-Cumbria County Council – Children’s Social Care Portfolio Holder
Ms E Clarke-Area Director – Learning and Skills Council – Cumbria
Mr D Collier-Strategic Manager – Children’s Trust Board Team
Ms Y Craig-PHA Executive representative
Ms F Debus-Strategic Manager – Children’s Trust Board Team
Mr D Fairbairn-Cumbria County Council – Children’s Services Portfolio Holder
Ms J Herd-Parent ACC user & Policy & Campaigh Officer 1 Voice – Commissioning Together (Item 4 only)
Mr T Hobson – Cumbria Association of Secondary Heads
Mr K Jones - Head of Service – Partnership and Prevention, Children’s Services, CCC
Ms D Michell-Social Inclusion Project Manager – Children’s Services
Mr R Norman-Voluntary Sector Representative
Ms D Royston -Interim Head of Service – Youth Offending Service
Ms A Shepherd-Strategic Manager – Emotional Health – Children’s Services Directorate
ACC M Skeer-Cumbria Constabulary
Ms K Stuart-Workforce Department – University of Cumbria
Mr J Swainston - Head of Service – Schools and Learning Projects, Children’s Services Directorate
Mr M Toomey- Principal Educational Psychologist – Children’s Services Directorate
Mr P Thornton - District Councils Member Representative
Mr V Watson -NHS Cumbria
1.apologies for absence
Apologies for absence were received from Dr M Bewick (NHS Cumbria), Mr K Douglas (Eden District Council), Ms A Hennesey (Cumbria Probation Service), Mrs H Smith (Children’s Services Directorate), Mr S Taylor (Carlisle City Council)’ Mrs N Jackson (Children’s Services Directorate)2.disclosures of interest
There were no disclosures of interest on this occasion.3.minutes
(1)The minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 7 January 2010 were agreed.(2)Matters Arising from the minutes
- Item 3 – Minutes – Transport Workstream Group – it was agreed that an updated report be considered at the Board’s March meeting;
- Item 7 – Children and Young People’s Plan 2010-13 – it was reported that suggested additional comments such as examples of good practice had been included in the draft Plan;
- Item 9 – Commissioning Support Programme – the group established to complete the in-house self analysis exercise to include John Postlethwaite as well as Louise Michael;
- Item 13 – One Children’s Workforce Project Update –Presentation on assessment needs and outcomes and training requirements – steps would be taken to identify who should provide this presentation;
- Action Appendix – apart from reporting that a number of issues had been deferred from the February agenda it was agreed that steps should be taken to ensure the circulation to Board members of the Extended Service – Varied Menu of Activities profile and that Anne Burns, Kevin Jones and Norman Russell needed to meet to discuss issues relating to the Child Poverty Bill and resulting Council strategy
- Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) – Assistant Chief Constable Michelle Skeer updated members informing them of initial meetings held or planned with the Director of Public Health and NHS Cumbria in order to progress the SARC model. The level of reported sexual assaults in the County ranged between 150-80 a year but it was suspected that they represented only 15% of the real figure. Further progress reports and outline plans in relation to the development of the SARC model would be submitted to the Board in due course.
RESOLVED,that future meetings of the Board commence at 1.00pm instead of 2.00pm.
4.children’s speech, language and communication
The Board considered a report by the Head of Service Commissioning and Management Support – Children’s Services Directorate and the Associate Director: Commissioning Partnerships (NHS Cumbria). This report referred to steps being taken to develop joint working between the Local Authority and Cumbria NHS in respect of three inter related areas regarding children’s speech, language and communication i.e. speech therapy, the Bercow Review and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The Chair reiterated the Board’s role in respect of planning services to address the Every Child Matters agenda (of which this was apart), looking at proposals to develop such provision, holding agencies to account and aligning resources in order to realise the agenda.The Associate Director: Commissioning Partnerships Cumbria NHS reiterated that child health services were currently in the process of being reviewed and significantly changed.Current provision across the County in relation to speech, language and communication lacked consistency and interdependency both in terms of resourcing, mechanisms and performance. Arrangements between Cumbria NHS and the County Council had been largely informal, lacked clarity and consistency, and needed to be addressed with the development of a joint commissioning strategy within the context of national guidelines.
The Chair welcomed Jenny Herd, a parent of an 11 year old augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) user in a mainstream school. She was also a policy and campaign officer with a voluntary group called One Voice – Communicating Together and had been involved with two national communication related bodies. Ms Herd circulated some handouts which highlighted some key issues and initiatives (national and local) which impact on children’s speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) and services including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). She reiterated the importance of addressing the requirements of those with SLC needs as this had a fundamental effect on their educational, social and family life. Appropriate provision was both complex, multi faceted and interrelated. For example the availability of specialist equipment alone was insufficient unless it was tied into appropriate support and training mechanisms (e.g in relation to usage of equipment , interpretative skills and language acquisition support).
Ms Herd stated that there had been no reference to SLCN in the Children and Young People’s Plan for 2007-10 and only one reference to AAC. Whilst acknowledging that the current report recommended the appointment of a lead (champion) for children’s communication the Trust Board as a whole needed to be actively involved in supporting a communications action plan. The Government response to the Bercow Review (Better Communication) would involve national communication champions contacting local authorities for lead operational officers. She believed that Cumbria could become a lead authority in this field.
The Board was informed that the report’s recommendations formed only part of a wider aim of developing appropriate strategies and services for children with speech, language and communication needs. In welcoming the report and the work already undertaken on this very specialised area it was reiterated that there was a need for close cooperation with other related services. In thanking Ms Herd for her input and placing the subject(and intentions for Cumbria) within a wider context it was suggested that she be invited to become involved by giving her views and opinions about emerging plans for developing appropriate strategies and actions for the County.
RESOLVED,
(1) to note the proposals for Cumbria NHS and Cumbria County Council’s Children’s Services to develop a joint commissioning strategy for speech and language therapy and related services and to invite Ms Herd with her extensive experience and knowledge to offer her opinions about the emerging strategy and development of services in the County;
(2)to endorse the recommendation of the Bercow Review that each Trust should have a champion for children’s communication and that the Chair and Head of Service: Commissioning and Management Support (Children’s Services Directorate) identify a suitably person to undertake this position;
(3)the Children’s speech, language and communication champion be asked to establish a suitably inclusive working group to progress the agenda and report back to the Trust in June 2010 and thereafter on a half yearly basis (the group’s terms of reference to be discussed under matters arising at the next meeting;
(4)the possibility of considering the establishment of locality champions could also be considered at LPG’s.
5.social inclusion strategy
The Board considered an updated report summarising progress being made on the social inclusion strategy. The Chair reported that this was part of wider work being undertaken on a strategic integration approach in relation to behavioural issues, emotional wellbeing and children and adolescents mental health. The strategy had been developed from earlier work undertaken in relation to the preventative agenda. Social inclusion was a cross cutting issue which required contributions from all Trust Board partners to be effective and the aim of the report’s recommendations were to strengthen its implementation and embed its principles in an integrated manner.In response to some concerns that colleges had not been mentioned in the strategy, which it was agreed they should be, it was acknowledged that initially there had been a focus on school settings.The language and terminology used needed to be changed to further promote an integrated approach and assist the removalof barriers between services. Issues relating to colleges would be considered by the Steering and Social Inclusion Strategy groups in March. It was stressed that the strategy required the undertaking of impact assessments of the implementation process to ensure that the policy was measurable. In acknowledging the need for action to be taken amongst younger primary aged children it was reiterated that the strategy should be a continuous process.
Members were informed that colleagues from the County Council, health and other agencies were working together to ensure that unified single pathway approaches were developed. The Board was also informed of the close involvement of voluntary agencies such as Barnados in the process of identifying families requiring support at an early stage. The very significant links between the social inclusion strategy and the development of a commissioning strategy for speech and language services were also emphasised. References were also made to planned parenthood and young people’s ability to access services. The Chair drew Members attention to appendix B of the report relating to key actions and the need to amend its format to ensure that delivery details including timescales could be included in the “outcomes” section.
In conclusion the Chair felt that significant progress was being made in relation to this very important strategy which would represent one of the most major achievements of the Board.
RESOLVED,
(1)to support steps to review and amend the usage of terminologies which continue to act as barriers between different services;
(2)that all members of the Trust commit to the delivery of the social inclusion strategy by identifying key actions, contributing towards their implementation, monitoring progress and evaluating effectiveness;
(3)Children’s Trust partners, thorough locality planning groups, be encouraged to respond to and support the delivery of the objectives of the social inclusion strategy and include it in their planning (this should include the identification and collection of data around the key actions and target areas identified by the strategy)
(4)a robust approach be taken in relation to the commissioning of services and activities that fall within the remit of social inclusion (e.g. through incorporating these activities as themes within the commissioning intentions across all commissioning managers within the Children’s Trust or through the requirement of providers to use the objectives of the social inclusion strategy and the key actions in their planning);
(5)agree that the detailed review of resources and school based provision to develop social and emotional skills, emotional wellbeing and meet the needs of children and young people with behaviour, social and emotional difficulties be used in conjunction with the joint strategy needs assessment to inform the developments of a physiological wellbeing and mental health strategy and commission plan for children and adolescents in Cumbria to inform resource and service allocation across and within areas and consortia;
(6)to support the development of secondary school consortia, and in turn primary consortia, to take an active part, alongside locality teams, in response to the social, emotional and psychological needs of all children and young people so that consortia groups can become part of the key pathway to the allocation of additional resources;
(7) recognising the need to be cognisant of the needs of all children and that the strategy is an inter-agency responsibility, to support the continued development, including modelling, of the social inclusion guidance on the assessment and intervention and its extension to primary schools and early years settings. To support an extension of this model to cover the allocations of support across the Children’s Trust partners;
(8) that steps be taken to ensure that the social inclusion strategy and the activities that result from it meet and exceed the requirement of the DCSF Behaviour Challenge.
6.interim strategic workforce lead action plan
The Board considered a paper which presented an action plan and budget for the leadership of workforce development across the Children’s Trust. The overarching aim of the plan was for it to serve as a catalyst for the sustainable development of Cumbria Children’s Workforce through the engagement of all partners to ensure that all children’s needs were met and outcomes achieved. It encompassed all other workforce strategies and plans and had been developed between the Children’s Trust Team and the Chair and Lead Officer of the Workforce Development Work-stream.There as a need to embed the principles of a sustainable and cohesive work development strategy amongst partners, sharing best practice and addressing the challenges of evolving and differing skills requirements in the future. Key areas of the draft action plan included leadership and management, development of a knowledge bank, recruitment and retention, integrated working practices, communication and business processes and learning and training opportunities. The establishment of a budget would help to drive workforce development forward.
In undertaking steps to move the strategy forward both NHS and school representatives asked that care be taken about the setting up of training and other events as it was difficult for staff to take off time from work commitments. It was also felt that there should be a greater integration of workforce development activities across partners making wider use of those set up for only one agency. In agreeing the proposed action plan and budget it was also acknowledged that there would be a need for an evaluation of the impact of the work undertaken which needed to be reported this back to the Board.
RESOLVED,to approve the Workforce Development Action Plan and Budget as outlined in the appendices to the report.
7.interim report and contingency plan – bright treatment foster care
It was noted that the report had been deferred for further development and consideration prior to its submission to the Board.8.children and young people’s plan – 2010-13 – progress update
The Board considered a paper which summarised progress made in relation to the preparation ofCumbria’s new three year Children And Young People’s Plan.Members were informed that because of the need to ensure that the County Council’s Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Advisory Board was able to consider the draft plan it would not now be considered by the County Council’s Cabinet until 2 March and consequently by the full County Council until 22 April. Originally it had been hoped that the plan would be published by 1 April but the project plan had allowed a contingency period of six weeks and therefore it was still expected that the new plan would meet statutory requirements for it to be published before or by 13 May 2010. The plan was now in its fourth draft and was nearing completion. The Chair indicated that there had been an interesting and fruitful discussion about the draft plan at the Scrutiny Advisory Board meeting.
RESOLVED,to note the progress made in producing the Children and Young People’s Plan for 2010-13 and the revised schedule for its approval and subsequent publication.
9.children and young people’s plan – quarterly performanc report (quarter 3 – October – December 2009)
The Chair reiterated that there was a need to monitor and report on a range of differing activities, work-streams and performance indicators. The quarter 3 report summarised the performance of the priorities set out in the Children and Young People’s Plan and associated local area agreement targets. The report also included performance reports of the Children’s Trust Board work-streams and locality plans for quarter 3.Board representatives raised issues in relation to a number of aspects of the report. Clarification was sought about the accuracy of a statement made in relation to the Furness Locality Plan that targeted interventions to narrow the gap for the most vulnerable in the community had had no impact according to evidence collated in the locality. Mrs Burns understanding was that progress was being made and was having an impact on children looked after numbers and increased attainment targets. An issue was also raised about housing issues for young people and that the Carlisle Locality Plan did not appear to mention the comparatively high level of housing needs of children looked after leaving care and how this was being addressed.
In relation to the CYPP/LAA Outcome Champions report the following comments were made :-
- Be Healthy - it was reported that steps were being taken to commission drug and alcohol services in differing ways. Further action was needed to be taken in relation to addressing Chlamydia issues and taking colleges into account. Some schools needed to increase their cooperation in relation ti implantation of the healthy weight strategy.
- Achieve Economic Wellbeing – emphasis on need to encourage providers of post 16 opportunities to have flexible and innovation provision and for the Trust to continue to develop relationships with employer groups. Agreed that there was a need for all agencies to act as necessary.
(1)to note the performance and progress that has been made in delivery of the five ECM outcomes during quarter 3 of 2009/10 reporting cycle;
(2)to note the recommendation agreed by the Outcome Champions at the Outcome Champions’ meeting;
(3)to note the performance and progress that has been made by the established (approved business plan) work-streams;
(4)to note the recommendations made by work-stream Chairs;
(5)to note the performance and progress that has been made against locality plans;
(6)to note recommendations made by local planning group chairs.
10.lord laming’s report – children’s trust action plan – february 2010