POOLE’S LOCAL AGREEMENT

LAA FORMAL SIX MONTHLY REVIEW

10TH November 2006

Introduction

This report prepared by the LAA Performance Management Group on behalf of Poole Partnership presents a self assessment of the progress made towards achieving the outcomes in Poole’s Local Area Agreement at the first half year point - end of September 2006.

The report comprises of:

1.  A narrative update of progress under each of the sub outcomes outlined in the agreement presented by the themed blocks:

·  Children and Young People

·  Healthier Communities and Older People

·  Safer and Stronger Communities

·  Enterprise and Economic Development

2.  Annex A – progress against each of the performance indicators where information has been made available.

3.  Annex B – progress against PSA 1 targets.

4.  Annex C – a statement of grant usage.

Sub outcomes and indicators has been shaded red, amber or green to indicate progress and the direction of travel. Where required, the narrative updates also include agreed further actions.

All the indicators measuring the achievement of sub outcomes are referenced in the narrative report but more detail can be found in Annex A. These have been shaded grey where data is not available or where further information is required.

Overview

Overall, the review has found that positive progress is being made towards achieving the outcomes in the LAA and no areas have been identified as being at a high risk of non delivery.

Whilst some indicators are off target, actions and activities have been or are being implemented and further mitigating actions have been identified where further progress is required.

There are still some gaps in performance indicator information. Some baseline data and target information due to be provided by the mid year point is still outstanding in a number of areas and it is expected that this will be incorporated in the refresh of the LAA.

Progress against PSA 1 targets is shown in Annex B. This is monitored on a quarterly basis by the Strategic Management Group and Board of the Poole Safe Together Partnership.

The statement of grant usage shows that at this stage spend and anticipated spend of the pooled funding is on track.

The review has highlighted a need to review the appropriateness of some of the performance measures in the agreement. Not all the measures lend themselves to mid year reporting which can make it difficult to get a full picture of performance.

Governance

This review has also highlighted a need for the LAA Performance Management Group to review:

·  performance management arrangements

·  ownership and appropriateness of actions/activities and performance measures

On behalf of Poole Partnership

Richard Dimbleby

Chair of Poole Partnership

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

CYP 1 Life Chances for vulnerable children and young people are better in targeted areas of the town

1.1 – Improve outcomes for children and young people in targeted Wards
Locality Groups established in three areas – Rossmore and Carter Pyramids and in the Creekmoor/Canford Heath area. Locality Manager recruitment is currently underway, interviews early November.
Work developing through continued use of CAF’s to improve the early identification of needs, with Lead Practitioners appointed and plans being compiled for individual young people. Lead Practitioner training is taking place.
Budget Holding Lead Practitioner bid was agreed, Project Managers in post and additional funds available to meet identified need.
Children’s Centres and Extended Schools programme is developing with plans being on target for implementation, although recognition that where new build is involved there could be some delay.
Further action:
Consolidation of the Locality Groups with completion of recruitment is expected to contribute towards improved outcomes.
Measures: / LAA 1 / LAA 2a n/a / LAA 2b n/a
1.2 – Improve social inclusion for vulnerable and minority groups
Range of supporting activities being provided, e.g. from DEED (Development Education in Dorset), funded by Children’s Fund, working in schools with M.E.T.A.S.
Post established to address issues identified with gypsy and traveller families and contract in place with voluntary organisations.
Multi-agency integrated Manager for children with additional needs undergoing recruitment with interim manager in place to maintain pace of change.
Measures: / LAA 3 / LAA 4 n/a

CYP 2 Parents feel supported and are able to improve safety and wellbeing of young children in targeted areas

2.1 - Improve health and wellbeing of children under 8
The Parenting Strategy is evolving. Poole have been successful in the bid for the early intervention pathfinder grant to run the Webster-Stratton programme for parents of 8-13 year olds at risk of anti-social behaviour. This will bring additional funding and enable a focus on under and over 8’s
Development of Children’s Centres will support easier access for parents of a range of parenting support co-ordinated by the Parenting Co-ordinator working with Children’s Centre managers. To which posts appointments have now been made.
Further Action:
Additional resources identified above and development of Children’s Centres will contribute positively to the achievement of this outcome.
Measures: / LAA 5 / LAA 6 / LAA 7

CYP 3 Health inequalities for children and young people are reduced in targeted areas

3.1 – Improve healthy lifestyles in children and young people
New Healthy Schools criteria established to strengthen the commitment of schools to healthy lifestyles work. All Poole schools have signed up to the new criteria.
Healthy Schools Co-ordinator post has been created and appointed to enable the actions in this sub outcome to be implemented. Hot meals in schools are being commissioned.
Work with the early years settings is taking place to improve oral health through the provision of toothbrushes and advice.
Play Strategy is being developed with Bournemouth. Sports coaches from Active Dorset are being co-ordinated by BoP Leisure Services staff to provide activities for young people with ADHD.
Turlin Moor support group for parents includes physical activity for parents and young children. Recent positive evaluation has been produced.
Health mapping is continuing on a locality basis and Health Visitors with a public health specialism have been recruited for each locality. The multi-agency alcohol strategy has been developed to include improved educational and health focus.
Further action:
Positive action as identified above and increase in Community Sports Coaching activity together with the rise in use of Access to Leisure Cards in the 4 targeted Wards are contributing to achieving the outcome. There are concerns over the suitability of the indicators to measure progress on improved healthy lifestyles for children and young people. This will be reviewed at the Refresh of the LAA.
Measures: / LAA 8 n/a / LAA 9 / LAA 10 / LAA 11 n/a

CYP 3.2 – Improve emotional resilience of children and young people

Improving the emotional well-being and mental health of children in Poole has been identified as a potential stretch target, demonstrating the significance of this sub outcome.
There is improved co-ordination across different services resulting in better services to meet identified need.
An updated survey of bullying has been carried out and all Poole schools are signed up to an Anti-Bullying Strategy. Already there is some evidence that there is a reduction in repeat bullying by the same perpetrator.
The emotional well being strand of the healthy schools programme is in place with pastoral care workers in most schools.
AS-U-R group have been supported in running a holiday scheme.
The local CAMHS (Children & Adolescent Mental Health Services) Strategy has been developed to achieve agreed priorities including the de-commissioning of services.
A feasibility study is taking place on the relocation of the primary care behaviour service alongside the family support service.
Family support workers have been appointed in each locality – starting in 11/06 and Health Visitors are now ‘facing’ localities.
Measures: / LAA 12 / LAA 13 / LAA 14

CYP 4 Poole has confident, employable young people who have a positive relationship with their community

CYP 4.1 – Improve engagement of young people
Participation Strategy has been developed to actively engage a wider group of young people. Annual Youth Conference has recently taken place. CYP Shadow Board has increased its membership, is meeting regularly separately and with the Governance Board to influence priority setting.
Schools Councils have been refocused and supported by participation workers and linked to the participation strategy and Shadow Board to give young people a stronger voice.
Strategy Manager Behaviour Support leads the outreach service to support schools and the ‘strengths and difficulties’ questionnaire is being used in schools and will be used with children looked after to assist in identifying need.
Work continues with reference groups for the Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund.
Multi-agency visioning work is planned for developing the integrated Youth Service.
Measures: / LAA 15 n/a / LAA 16
CYP 4.2 - Increase opportunities for vocational, education and training for 14 – 19
year olds

Building capacity courses continue to run supported by Schools ,Colleges and other providers.

Facilities for the delivery of Vocational opportunity increased at some Poole schools. (Catering at Carter and a capital build project at Ashdown a specialist Vocational School)
14-19 development group continues to explore and promote collaboration between potential partners in order to deliver the first five specialised Diplomas in 2009.
New Poole employability group formed to support provision of WRL in schools. An audit of current curriculum delivery (statutory and other provision) is being completed and will be available in Nov/Dec.
August ’06 figures show an increase in the number of young people not in employment, educations or training and a reduction in those in employment with accredited training compared to previous years. These have been provided before destinations in Further Education, employment etc can be confirmed.
Further Action:
There are problems using the available data as there are likely to be improvements by Jan 2007 as school leavers engage with training and employment. Currently there are only limited work opportunities. Research is being undertaken to explore reasons for job choices that do not offer accredited training.
Measures: / LAA 17 / LAA 18
CYP 4.3 – Identify and meet appropriate housing needs
The Young People’s Housing Strategy is completed.
The Supporting People Commissioning Board has agreed to commission supported housing for young people with complex needs, including care leavers. This will now go through a tendering process.
Indicator LAA20 may need to be reviewed at the Refresh to ensure consistency with the Young People’s Housing Strategy.
Measures: / LAA 19 / LAA 20

HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES AND OLDER PEOPLE

HCOP 1 – Reduce health inequalities in Poole

HCOP 1.1 - Promote healthy lifestyles in more deprived localities in Poole

Over 500 children have been engaged in sports activities delivered by Community Sports Coaches in Turlin Moor and Bourne Valley through fun days, multi-sports camps and Youth Centre Programmes.
The number of non-maintained early years settings engaged in HEY (Healthy Early Years Scheme) has increased from 6 out of 52, to 12 of 59 - 20% of non-maintained settings are now engaged against a target of 15%.
The work ranges from healthy eating, through physical activity and emotional health and well being. One setting reports 100% of children now bringing fruit/vegetables in their lunchboxes, compared with 20% a year earlier.
An area of concern is to ensure that this work is maintained and developed into 2007/8 (the Early Years Co-ordinator leaves the PCT on 1st November 2006 and ongoing staffing will be required).
Within schools, data has been collected for levels of obesity from Reception and Year 6 students but there is a concern that the national data set is showing our local PCT as having more obese children as the DoH has changed the BMI parameters.
Further action:
To review, with the DoH, the baseline and data set for obesity levels in 4 ½ year olds.
Measures: / LAA 21 / LAA 22 n/a / LAA 23
HCOP 1.2 – To improve mental and emotional health for targeted groups
Poole Primary Mental Health Pilot has achieved an average waiting time for assessment of between 6-8 weeks (from previous 9 week wait) in the last year, since its launch. The employment of a Gateway Co-ordinator who manages booking centrally, patient choice on the location for the assessment and protected assessment slots by clinicians have all contributed to the reduction in waiting times. This figure is expected to improve further, to achieve the target of 6 weeks set for 2007/8.
There is a concern that the reconfiguration of Poole and Bournemouth PCT’s and an expected requirement to standardise services in Poole and Bournemouth may impact on this sub outcome. There is a current downward trend on the number of older people accessing Primary Mental Health Care.
Further Action:
Poole is currently awaiting the outcome of an Older People’s Review commissioned by Health and Social Care (due 12/06). This review covers mental health issues and should inform the ‘Everybody’s Business’ Action Plan being currently written by the PCT, BoP, Mental Health Provider and the acute sector.
The Primary Mental Health Team is also in the process of working with the “Project for Older People” service, which should significantly increase numbers accessing this service.
Measures: / LAA 24 / LAA 25 / LAA 26 n/a / LAA 27 n/a

HCOP 1.3 – Improve quality of life for carers and the vulnerable people they care for

Two courses for carers have been arranged. The first course commences 7th November (to 12th December) and is full with 16 participants. It is hoped to recruit two new tutors from the first course and two from the second (commencing in January 2007).
Measures: / LAA 28

HCOP 2 Improved health through changing lifestyles

HCOP 2.1 – Promote opportunities for healthy lifestyles including increased participation in physical activities and sports
From four dietician-led weight management/healthy lifestyle programmes run in Poole since April 2006, 14 people have lost the required 2.25 kg in 12 weeks (out of 51 people who started the course) – with two patients losing 9.5 kg and 11 kg. The groups continue to be well evaluated by those who complete the programme – but drop out rates are high.
As a result weight management groups in Poole are being re-modelled with results from the latest programme, linked to a new Nordic walking group, are demonstrating much better attendance rates. Further data will be analysed from other group settings.