BOROUGH OF POOLE
REPORT TO CHILDREN’S SERVICES OVERVIEW GROUP
26 JUNE 2007
REPORT OF VICKY WALES – HEAD OF CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE’S INTEGRATED SERVICES
INTEGRATED YOUTH SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICE
PART OF THE FORWARD PLAN: YES/NO
1. PURPOSE
1.1 To inform members of the current progress in the development of the Integrated Youth Support and Development Service.
2. DECISION REQUIRED
2.1 Members to agree the lead responsibilities for the development of Poole’s Integrated Youth Support and Development Service.
2.2 Members to endorse the recommendation of the Children’s Services Governance Board to agree a two year service level agreement with Connexions whilst a tendering arrangement is put in place.
2.3 Members to agree that the restructuring of services should be phased with the aim for a fully Integrated Youth Support and Development Service in April 2010.
2.4 Members approve the current progress that has been made towards an integrated Youth Support and Development Service.
3. BACKGROUND
3.1 The review of our approach to services to young people has been prompted by the Government’s requirement that all local authorities lead local partnerships to develop a new integrated approach to work with young people. To support this change the funding that currently meets the cost of the Connexions Service will be channelled through the Children’s Trust arrangements from April 2008. Government requires that the Connexions profile is maintained thereafter.
3.2 The Dorset Connexions Service covers Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole. Each of these authorities is developing difficult approaches to locality working and to partnership. Given the complexity of unpicking the current organisation the Connexions Board have asked that the three authorities explore the legality of a service level agreement at least in the short term. Grant funding may be available for the financial year 2008/09 to support the restructuring of services. Bids for this funding will be required by July 2007 and will need to cover the Connexions area of Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole.
3.3 Local Authorities are approaching this change in a variety of ways, the options being:
a) taking our Connexions as an in-house service
b) define a service brief and go out to tender
c) creation of new companies with part-ownership by the Local Authority
d) Partnership arrangements defined in service level agreements.
3.4 The Children’s Services Governance Board has requested that the Director of Children’s Services proceed with the arrangements for a two year service level agreement with Connexions prior to a tendering arrangement.
3.5 The Children’s Services Governance Board asked that the Poole partnership should explore the development of a new service, including the way in which all partner organisations structure their services to develop a single integrated approach to services for young people. This required review of all service structures and the roles of partners, not just Connexions. As a result, the following project structure was created to shape plans for the new service.
3.6 Project Structure – APPENDIX 1.
3.7 The Steering Group reported back to the Children’s Services Executive Group in May 2007, with proposals on how to develop service provision.
4. VISION
4.1 The following vision for Integrated Youth Support and Development was proposed.
“We should ensure that young people in Poole flourish and succeed through active participation in the life of the town, valued and supported by co-ordinated, accessible, flexible services providing the resources to enable young people to shape their own future and that of their community’s.”
5. WHAT DO YOUNG PEOPLE WANT?
5.1 Research with young people tells us they want:
· Someone to talk to about their lives and aspirations
· Skilled adults who can both support groups and listen to individuals
· To be able to make decisions about things that matter to them
· Low or no-cost safe places to go, where they can belong..
· Opportunities to improve their skills and confidence, have fun and make new friends
· Activities provided in their neighbourhood, available after 6.00 pm, at weekends and in holiday times
· Better and more affordable public transport, particularly in rural areas
· Sound and informed advice about their options and choices
· Access to public spaces – adult-style settings such as cafes, cinemas and education spaces
· Facilities that welcome young parents and their children
6. CHARACTERISTICS OF INTEGRATED YOUTH SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
6.1 The creation of a locally integrated youth support and development system will need to be underpinned by:
v The delivery of all the five Every Child Matters outcomes;
v Fulfilment of statutory objectives – e.g. for careers advice and for personal and social development;
v The full participation of young people in identifying needs, planning, providing and evaluating services; and
v Sufficient resources to recruit, retain and develop a skilled workforce, including relevant management expertise.
From National guidance and strategic vision for Children and Young People’s Services and Children and Young People’s plan, the local system will need to include:
v Information, advice, counselling and guidance;
v Skilled advocacy which is independent and accountable to the young person;
v Opportunities for personal and social development in leisure time;
v Intensive (targeted) work with groups and individuals;
v Voluntary action and engagement in civic decision-making.
v Co-ordinated Services in 3 localities in Poole.
(Taken from “Creating Integrated Youth Support and Development” a joint statement from the National Youth Agency, The Association of Principal Youth and Community Officers and the National Association of Connexions partners).
7. MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE
7.1 The management and governance of the Integrated Youth Support and Development Structure.
This needs to be established to monitor services and to meet identified need.
v Funding for the Connexions Service will be coming via the Local Authority from April 2008 delivered through SLA until March 2010.
v Connexions amendment of constitution and governance arrangements – Now that the overall partnership responsibility for achieving “the best start in life for every young person” has shifted to Children’s Trusts, Connexions will focus its commissioned role within the Change for Children strategy. It will remain a not-for-profit company and the Connexions Partnership Board has altered its governance arrangements to broaden membership to all potential stake holding organisations, while narrowing its directorate to that appropriate to business needs of the company. Approval of above will be needed from Children and Young People’s Services Governance Board.
8. DIRECTION OF TRAVEL
8.1 Within Poole we are aiming to create an integrated framework encompassing four elements of the Integrated Youth Support and Development Structure.
Targeted Services, Positive Activities, Volunteering and Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG).
8.2 The following areas of lead responsibility are recommended.
9. CONNEXIONS WILL BE THE LEAD FOR INFORMATION, ADVICE AND GUIDANCE (IAG)
9.1 Connexions will continue to hold statutory responsibility for delivering Careers Guidance and advise on and contribute to School Careers Education and Guidance programmes. Support for this is also provided by a Curriculum Development worker across the conurbation. (This post could sit within Children & Young People’s Strategy Quality & Improvement teams in Bournemouth and Poole in second phase).
High quality, effective, independent and impartial IAG is critical both to ensuring successful transition to, and retention in, appropriate post 16 learning and in particular to the success of the 14-19 diplomas to be introduced 2008-2013. Connexions will continue input to the development of collaboration for 14-19 learning.
IAG will be delivered by Connexions as a universal service in secondary schools FE Colleges, within training provision and the community from existing central Connexions centre and other community outlets to be developed in localities. IAG will also be targeted to vulnerable groups, such as Young Offenders, BME groups, Young People Living in the Refuge, Children who are Looked After, Care Leavers, Teenage Parents, Young people with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities, Young People accessing the Learning Support Service, Young People on e2e and pre e2e programmes, Young People at Pine Cottage. Delivery will be to individuals and groups and include the statutory responsibility for input to transition planning and writing section 140 assessments. Poole Connexions staff are supported in this work by a Special Needs specialist adviser. In Phase 2 resource from this post should link with or sit within the Poole Integrated Disabilities team. Connexions already has advisers linked to the LSS, Leaving Care Team and Pine Cottage as well as all Special schools. A Connexions PA is also working with the YOT across B&P funded by OLASS and ESF.
Connexions will lead on the NEET preventative strategy and delivery of services to young people who are NEET or likely to become NEET. This will include individual work and programmes such as Jumpstart delivered through the positive activities budget. Job Clubs and job brokerage service including liaison with employers and Training Providers.
Links will also continue with the benefits service in compliance with benefits liaison instructions. Key indicators are set for this.
Management of the Quay Advice Centre will transfer from the Youth Service to Connexions and continue to deliver IAG.
Connexions will continue its responsibility for data collection and tracking, and providing key analytical data on young people’s situation and needs. This work is supported by a central services team across BDP to which Poole will contribute a proportion of the Connexions budget (as currently). This data will also underpin two Risk Assessment projects in Schools.
Connexions is already mainly locality facing .We will need to build on this as part of the Integrated Youth Support delivery framework.
Connexions BDP has established its own NVQ centre where staff are authorised to assess qualifications necessary for quality delivery of IAG. There are likely to be a number of options for this team.
Other indirect delivery and central services posts such as Quality Assurance, Communications and Marketing will need further discussion. Some publications currently produced by Connexions will cease, as responsibility for these now sits with Children’s Information Services but others which are specialist to Connexions services may continue to be produced on behalf of CIS.
Current total budget for Connexions (Poole) is £1,215,372, 22.75% of the BDP budget, determined by a national formula. This includes direct delivery, indirect delivery, operational support (central services), grants to the voluntary sector and corporate costs. In addition the OLASS/ESF funding for the YOT post is £35,000. Government funding has not yet been agreed for Connexions Services for 2007/08. This will be routed through the Children’s Services budget in Poole from April 2008. Connexions will deliver services through a 2 year Service Level agreement as an interim measure before tendering in April 2010. Service Level Agreement to be drawn up by Sept 07.
See other sections of this paper for Connexions governance
10 TARGETED SERVICES
10.1 Phased approach as outlined in Locality Strategy and Children and Young People’s Plan.
11. YOUTH SERVICE WILL BE THE LEAD FOR POSITIVE ACTIVITIES AND VOLUNTEERING
11.1 Local Authority has a statutory duty to set out their ambition for the local offer of positive activities. This ambition should detail the provision the Local Authority and its partners will make to secure young people access, to opportunities set out in the National Standards.
National Standards:
v Access to 2 hours per week of sporting activity. Including formal and informal team and individual sports, outdoor and adventurous sports, and other physical activities such as aerobics and dance – provided through national curriculum and leisure-time activities.
v Access to 2 hours per week of other constructive activities in clubs, youth groups and classes. This includes activities in which young people pursue their interests and hobbies; activities contributing to their personal, social and spiritual development; activities encouraging creativity, innovation and enterprise; study support and residential opportunities.
v Opportunities to make a positive contribution to their community through volunteering, including leading action, campaigning and fundraising.
v A wide range of other recreational, cultural, sporting and enriching experiences.
v A range of safe and enjoyable places in which to spend time. This could simply be somewhere to socialise with friends.
The local authority must provide a comprehensive, accurate and accessible information service for young people regarding existing local positive activity provision. This should include a directory which is updated at least annually and be publicised through a variety of media.
The local authority is required to ascertain the views of young people in its area:
v On existing provision of positive activities and facilities.
v The need for additional provision.
v Their access to provision.
The local authority must then be able to demonstrate that these views are taken into account.
11.2 Youth Service will lead on the Children and Young People’s Participation Strategy.
Participation Strategy has been agreed by Executive Group and is at present out for wider consultation.
Report to be presented to CSEG July 2007 for implementation September 2007.
12. FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS
12.1 Connexions Support
Connexions currently supports a range of voluntary projects and posts in the borough, with a total input of £58,987 from the Poole budget. This funding is guaranteed to these projects until 31 March 2008. A Connexions voluntary sector worker project manages these and projects in Bournemouth and Dorset. In Phase 2 it is anticipated that the Connexions voluntary sector worker will not be required after March 2008 as this would be a duplication of services.
12.2 Youth Service Support
Financial year 07/08.
£50,000 distributed through grants panel to voluntary organisations.
£40,000 Staffing and other support costs to Poole Voluntary Project.
£70,000 Staffing and other support given to Limelights and Merley Youth Centre.
It is recognised that other stakeholders within the Integrated Youth Support and Development Structure distribute funding to the Voluntary Sector – more detailed work needs to be done.
12.3 It is recommended that as part of these developments, a volunteer co-ordination post be appointed within the new Youth Services Structure.
13. PHASE 1 KEY MILESTONES (Appendix 2)
14. FIRST STEPS: SEPT 07
14.1 Restructuring of Youth Service