Norfolk Children and Young People’s Trust Board

Minutes of the Meeting held on

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Present:

Sheila Childerhouse - NHS Norfolk (In the Chair)

Lisa Christensen - Director of Children’s Services

Richard Draper - Norfolk Council for Voluntary Youth Services

Michael Grimble - Norfolk Governor’s Network

Simon Lockett - Norfolk Local Medical Council

Caroline Brooker - Norfolk Association of Secondary Headteachers

Mike Fawcett - Norfolk Constabulary

David Baldry - JobCentre Plus

Sharon Brooks - Norfolk Probation

Sue Massey - Norfolk Youth Offending Team

Laura McGillivray - Norwich City Council

Richard Price - Norfolk Drug and Alcohol Action Team

Caroline Ball - Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board

Julie Garbutt - NHS Norfolk

David Lawrence - EastonCollege

Natasha Rennolds - Norfolk Council for Voluntary Youth Services

Clive Rennie - NHS Norfolk

Chris Humphris - NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney

Leigh Vallance - Voluntary Sector Forum

Ian McArthur - South Norfolk Council

Sue Sands - Norwich City Council

Jenny Wilby - South Norfolk Council

Carey Bennett - Gov Office East

Lucinda Poliakoff - Schools Forum

Karin Heap - Norfolk Association of SpecialSchool Headteachers

Karen Ellis - Norfolk County Council, Children’s Services

Richard Packham - Great Yarmouth Borough Council

Julie Anderson - Norfolk County Council, Children’s Services

Apologies:

Apologies for absence were received from Caroline Williams, David White, Kevin

Wilkins, Victoria Holliday, Martin Sale, Alison Thomas, Harold Bodmer, Susan

Saxby, Ellis Laywood, and Shelagh Hutson.

Item

Action

1 Chairman’s Remarks

The Chairman reported that Shelagh Hutson was no longer County

Council Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and would not therefore

be chairing future meetings of the Board. She had asked for her best

wishes for the future to be conveyed to the Trust.

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It was noted that the new Chair, Alison Thomas, was unable to attend the

meeting due to a prior diary commitment.

The Board asked that their thanks for her past leadership and support be

forwarded to Shelagh and the Chair undertook to write on their behalf.

2 Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 February 2010 were agreed.

3 Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest made.

4 Items of Urgent Business

There were no items of urgent business declared.

5 Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board – Update

Dr Caroline Ball presented the update from the Norfolk Safeguarding

Children Board.

Dr Ball reported that a new structure for the NSCB had been approved

and details could be found on their website.

Dr Ball thanked those partners who had provided information on

disseminating learning from SCRs and she confirmed that reminders

would be sent to those who had not yet responded.

Dr Ball presented the draft protocol agreement setting out the respective

responsibilities of the C&YPTB and NSCB. She explained that there had

been some confusion due to certain individuals sitting on both Boards and

the purpose of the paper was to clarify their respective roles.

The Chairman suggested that having a new Chair would be a good

opportunity to look at governance issues across the whole child agenda,

both at the strategic and the more operational level.

After discussion, it was AGREED:

To approve the protocol agreement between C&YPTB and NSCB,

to undertake a review of governance across the whole child

agenda (subject to confirmation with Alison Murphy).

Lisa also reminded the Board that at an earlier meeting it had been

agreed to devote some time to looking at SCR issues more generally.

6 Teenage Pregnancy Performance Report – Update

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Lesley Whitney, Assistant Director Operations, presented the report on

teenage pregnancy and asked the Trust to note the improved

performance as evidenced by the 15% reduction in under 18 conceptions

in 2008 and to approve the action plan for 2010/2011.

The Assistant Director commented that the improvement was an

endorsement of the teenage pregnancy strategy and demonstrated that

the key activities were now becoming embedded within all partner

organisations.

So far as progress against the action plan in 2009/2010 was concerned,

the Assistant Director highlighted in particular:

Action 3.4 “ensure the availability of timely data to inform teenage

pregnancy work in Norfolk” currently rated amber. She explained that

the issue was how the data was being used to identify those young

people most at risk.

Action 3.6 – “prepare Norfolk for statutory PSHEE” currently rated red.

The Assistant Director was confident that, with the establishment of the

PSHEE Group, progress would be made in the coming weeks.

Action 3.8 “ensure all staff who work with children and young people

have the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to contribute to the teenage

pregnancy agenda” currently rated red. The Assistant Director

explained that the issue was about developing and delivering a

programme of sexual health training for all workforce groups.

Action 3.10 “ensuring that all teenage pregnancy and sexual health

work with young people in Norfolk is underpinned by young people and

that parents express views” currently rated red. The Assistant Director

confirmed that improving engagement with young people generally

was a priority for the coming year.

During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made:

Julie Garbutt said the Board should acknowledge the improvement in

under 18 conceptions as an excellent example of multi-agency working

even though there was still some way to go to achieving what was a

very ambitious target for reducing teenage pregnancy rates in the

County.

The Assistant Director explained that workforce training was a

significant factor in ensuring the right messages about health and wellbeing

and not taking risks are conveyed to young people.

It was noted that all voluntary groups had signed up to the health and

well-being agenda; and that work on reducing the rate of teenage

pregnancy must be absorbed into the core activities of all partner

organisations and not regarded as an “add-on”.

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The Director of Children’s Services said there must be a balance

between providing universal advice to young people and targeting

those most at risk, although both were equally important. She also

referred to the forthcoming autumn campaign around teenage

pregnancy, which was being part-funded by Go-East and would

involve the radio, press and posters.

The Chairman reminded the Board that, to continue the improvement,

it was essential to address the underlying issues/root causes of

teenage pregnancy in the County.

AGREED –

To note the marked improvement in performance in reducing the

number of under 18 conceptions in 2008.

To approve the teenage pregnancy action plan for 2010/2011.

7 Financial Management Arrangements

Paul Fisher, the Assistant Director Resources and Efficiency, presented

the update report on the financial management arrangements.

AGREED –

To note the Task Group membership as set out in paragraph 2.3.

To endorse the task for the Sub-group as outlined in paragraph

1.6.

To endorse the timeline as set out in paragraph 2.4

8 Building Schools for the Future

Presenting the report, Paul Fisher, Assistant Director Resources and

Efficiency, confirmed that Norfolk was now officially part of the Building

Schools for the Future programme, but there was almost a year to go

before the next stage and the sign-off of the funding.

The Assistant Director explained that a Readiness to Deliver document

had been submitted to Partnership for Schools; and he referred to the

proposal to set up a Stakeholders and Involvement Board on which areas

such as sport, culture, learning, sustainability and community would be

represented.

As Chief Executive of the Benjamin Foundation, Richard Draper declared

an interest in the co-location project at North Walsham.

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During discussion, the following points were noted:

Richard Draper said it was important to keep all capital funding

streams (eg BSF and Academies) under review together.

The Assistant Director agreed to include the Safer Schools Partnership

in the BSF programme arrangements (Mike Fawcett to email the

details).

The Chairman emphasised the need to maximise the use of resources

and to look for opportunities to co-locate services as part of the BSF

programme.

The Board AGREED–

To note the formation of the BSF Stakeholders and Involvement

Board and to nominate the following two representatives:

- Police (Kevin Wilkins)

- Voluntary Sector (Voluntary Sector Forum to provide a

name).

9 Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)

Judy Lomas, the JSNA Manager, explained that the report was about the

Trust taking the lead on the development/alignment of the JSNA and the

C&YPT.

The following observations were made:

The JSNA Manager confirmed that the aim of Norfolk Insight was to

provide data at the lowest possible local level for planning purposes.

She also explained that, once the current update of Norfolk Insight was

completed, it would be possible for her to offer some training in how to

access/use the site.

The Interim Children’s Trust Team Manager confirmed that data from

the high contact families deep dive would be available on Norfolk

Insight in due course.

The Director of Children’s Services emphasised that alignment with

JSNA was particularly important to inform future commissioning

arrangements and in terms of needs assessments. She also pointed

out that there must be a commitment on the part of all partners to

properly resource the development work on the JSNA.

AGREED–

That the proposed way forward be approved.

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That the developments to date, including the revised structure of

the JSNA, be noted.

That the Trust would take the lead on the development of the

C&YPT needs assessment as it links to the JSNA and a Virtual

Team.

That the proposed timescales be noted.

10 Risk Management/Risk Register

The Director of Children’s Services presented the report outlining

arrangements and processes to enable the Children’s Trust Board to

monitor and manage the risk register.

Julie Garbutt said that the risks associated with the development of

children’s needs assessments, as part of the JSNA, should be added to

the register.

The Chairman suggested that, in future reports, it would be helpful if the

Board could be given an indication of the direction of travel for individual

risks on the register.

The Interim Children’s Trust Manager confirmed that there would be a

review of those risks that were not on the C&YPT register, but recorded in

the registers maintained by individual partner organisations.

RESOLVED –

To endorse the risk register review for 2010.

To agree the Audit Committee and Chief Officers’ Group

processes for considering specific risks arising from subject

areas from previous Board meeting reports (Appendix 1).

To report new and substantial risk concerns as a standing item at

each Trust Board meeting.

11 Children’s Services Restructuring Update

The Director of Children’s Services said that the aim of the restructuring

was to reduce management costs and she explained that the Department

was continuing to work through the process and had now made

appointments to Tier 3 level (direct reports).

The Director said that the challenge process had been very constructive

and that she wanted to continue to engage partners in the ongoing

restructuring of the Department. There was a short timescale, but the aim

was to have the new structure in place and implemented by 1 September

2010 for the start of the new school year. A transition plan was currently

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in place to ensure that changes in the Children’s Services structure fit with

the restructuring in other parts of the organisation; and the Director

pointed out that, in addition to the review, she was having to consider the

implications of a Norwich Unitary whilst continuing to deliver existing

services.

The Director emphasised that a further driver for the review was the need

to become an effective commissioning organisation which was reflected in

the make up of a number of posts in the new structure.

The Director of Children’s Services undertook to bring a full report

on the restructuring to the next Board meeting.

12 Date of Next Meeting

It was agreed that the next meeting would take place at 2pm on

Wednesday 26 May 2010 at EastonCollege Sports and Conference

Centre.

13 Any Other Business

(i) Julie Garbutt

On behalf of the Board, the Chairman wished Julie well with her new

appointment in Jersey and thanked her for all her past support for

the Trust.