SCRUTINY REMIT:

Hertfordshire Children’s Trust Partnership - Annual Report 2009-10

OBJECTIVE:
To scrutinise the progress and performance of Hertfordshire Children’s Trust Partnership (HCTP) in 2009-10.
QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED :
1. How successful has Hertfordshire Children’s Trust Partnership (HCTP) been in achieving its objectives for improved outcomes for children in 2009-10, as set out in the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP) 2009-11?
The performance monitoring report will include progress against CYPP priorities and performance indicators, showing where they are ahead of target, on course, or where there is slippage.
2. How successful has HCTP been indeveloping multi-agency working and ensuring that the structure and membership remain fit for purpose, especially in the light of the new Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learners Act 2009, and the associated statutory guidance?
3. How successful has HCTP been in ensuring that information sharing processes work effectively within and between agencies within Hertfordshire, and across local authority borders, so that all the services working with a child or family work in a co-ordinated way to meet their needs?
OUTCOME :
For Members to be satisfied the HCTP is achieving its objectives, improving outcomes for children, and is fulfilling its roles and responsibilities as set out in local and national guidelines.
CONSTRAINTS :
The Scrutiny will not include a review of the progress or performance of individual agencies e.g. CSF, the PCTs, except as constituent members of HCTP and contributors to the CYPP. Nor will it include scrutiny of individual District Children’s Trust Partnerships.
EVIDENCE & WITNESSES:
Evidence:
  • Ofsted Local area children's services performance profile for Hertfordshire
  • Ofsted feedback letter from unannounced inspection of Hertfordshire children's services – Autumn 2009
  • Children’s Services Transformation – Report to Children’s Services and Corporate Parenting Panel 19 May 2010
  • Hertfordshire Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP) 2009-11: 2009-10 End of Year Evaluation
  • HCTP Factsheet
  • HCTP Representation Arrangements– update May2010
  • HCTP/ VCS Engage Action Plan – Updated to 31 March 2010
  • Commissioning Support programme – Briefing June 2010
  • Progress report - development of integrated practice and early intervention
Witnesses:
Jane Pitman, Lead Member of Children’s Services / Chairman of HCTP Strategic Stakeholder Group
John Harris, Director of Children’s Services / Chair of HCTP Executive
Chris Miller, Interim Assistant Chief Constable / HCTP Lead for Information Sharing
Ian Knowles, Assistant Director Performance and Business Support, CSF / HCTP Outcome Lead for Service Management
Janet Lewis, Assistant Director, Community Commissioning, NHS Hertfordshire / HCTP Outcome Lead for Being Healthy
Gill Jones, Head of Standards & School Effectiveness, CSF / HCTP Outcome Lead for Enjoying and Achieving
Kevin Garrod, Regional Manager, VCS Engage/Children Matter East / HCTP Outcome Lead for Making A Positive Contribution
Andrew Simmons, Deputy Director, Services for Young People, CSF / HCTP Outcome Lead for Achieving Economic Wellbeing
Nick Binder, Headteacher, The SeleSchool / HCTP Lead for Secondary Schools
Adrian Lloyd, Headteacher, PinewoodSchool / HCTP Lead for Special Schools
John Grubb, Headteacher, GroveRoadPrimary School / HCTP Lead for Primary Schools
David Ring, Head of Early Intervention, CSF / Lead for integrated practice and early intervention
Rebecca Price, Head of Performance and Improvement, CSF / Lead for performance and improvement
Gary Heathcote, Head of Strategic Commissioning, CSF / Lead for strategic joint commissioning
Andrew Wellington, HCTP Head of Children’s Partnerships / HCTP lead for children’s trust arrangements
METHOD:One day scrutiny DATE:17 June 2010
MEMBERSHIP :Peter Ruffles (Chairman), Chris Mitchell, Roger Beeching, Leanda Newlyn, Rose Cheswright, Aislinn Lee (Vice-Chairman), Nicky Betteley (parent-governor representative)
SUPPORT :
Scrutiny Officer: Tom Hawkyard, Head of Scrutiny
Lead Officers: Andrew Wellington, HCTP Head of Children’s Partnerships
Democratic Services Officer: Emma Lund
HCC Priorities for Action : -how this item helps deliver the Priorities
  1. Support economic well being
  2. Maximise independent living
  3. Ensure a positive childhood
  4. Secure a good education for all
  5. Reduce carbon emissions
  6. Promote safe neighbourhoods
  7. Be a leading council
This item helps deliver the following priorities by taking forward the Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes and the linked priorities in the CYPP:
  • Ensure a positive childhood – throughout the ECM outcomes
  • Secure a good education for all – through the Enjoying and Achieving outcome
  • Support economic well being - through the Achieving Economic Wellbeing outcome
  • Maximise independent living- through the Being Healthy outcome (for children with disabilities) and through the Staying Safe outcome (for care leavers)
  • Promote safe neighbourhoods - through the Making A Positive Contribution outcome
  • Be a leading council – through the overall work of the HCTP, on which HCC is the statutory lead body

CfP’S OBJECTIVES :
  1. Provides a critical friend challenge to executive policy makers and decision makers
  2. Enables the voice and concerns of the public to be heard
  3. Is carried out by independent governors who lead and own the scrutiny role
  4. Drives improvement in public services

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