Minutes of the Meeting of the NorthernTestValley Locality Children’s Partnership held at WintonSchool on 14th January 2011.
Present : see attached list for details of names and roles
- Apologies : Steve Cottrell, HCC, Children Services DM
- Notes of Previous Meeting : tabled for those not in attendance. Also attached to these minutes
- Introduction
3.1 CM welcomed all attendees and reminded all of the work so far of the LCP ( papers attached). There was an overall aim of supporting and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and their families. Good work should be recognised and shared. All had agreed the importance of streamlining the system for all so that the number of meetings that professionals’ have to attend’ is reduced not increased. He gave the example of the North West Inclusion Partnership where 3 years ago there were 32 children permanently excluded and now, through partnership working, there were none. There are still big issues but an impact is being made. The NWIP is a key strand of the Locality Children’s Partnership.
Action: CM will be producing a draft structure for comment by members and the TestValley LCP Executive.
3.2 Priorities and Action Plan
CM stressed the synergy across the 2 LCPs in TestValley and the common areas of work across the two – some members worked across both LCPs.
At the last meeting, members had agreed a new piece of work with a key focus on 10-20 problem families.
Current priorities now include :
- Problem Families
- CAF and Safeguarding
- Teenage pregnancy
- Inclusion
- Finance and grant distribution
Sub Groups and leads may be needed.
MA had produced a draft Action Plan – linking with some aspects of the southern Test Valley LCP Plan – and this is being sent out separately for comments / amendments/ additions by members.
Action : members to respond directly to MA on this and revised version will be produced for next meeting
3.3HAT Funding
MR informed the LCP that Test Valley County Councillors and borough councillors were in membership of the local HAT and they had money for a project which they want to spend this year - £5000 for each LCP. They cannot carry this forward. Members were asked for a project proposal and SC proposed the following which was agreed by members :
Establishment of a 2 year project where the BST will work with Spring Meadow Children’s Centre staff and client group to:
- Provide education about the importance of making strong attachments to first time parents, through delivering a one-off 90 minute session each half term for one year, i.e. six sessions
- Train identified Children’s Centre staff in basic attachment theory principles during the first year, such that Centre staff take on the delivery of this 90 minute session from the second year onwards
- Create and deliver a 6-week intervention to run in the second year that targets parents identified through referral (health visitors, Centre staff, other) who would benefit from a more focused and sustained approach on the importance of making strong attachments.
This would create a two-tier approach that seeks to build capacity within the Centre at the first tier whilst offering a more targeted provision for additional need in the second. SC will conduct pre and post intervention measures for both tiers of provision as the project progresses, in order to show impact.
The £5K funding opportunity will be used to support the development of quality resources and for publicity/advertising.
Action : SC to submit this proposal in writing to the HAT as the northern TV LCP’s supported application for £5000 available funding
- Targeted Support
Following the previous meeting, J Lawrence and L Cox had met to discuss how to take this work forward and had produced a presentation on the issues (attached to minutes) . This was delivered and resulted in further discussion.
In order to ‘ensure children and young people receive a genuinely personalised package of support at the earliest possible opportunity’ (DCSF 2005) the following is needed :
- Better information sharing
- More holistic assessments of need
- Quicker access to appropriate services – working smarter
- Better co-ordination of support
- More effective processes for monitoring, review and evaluation
- Achievement of positive outcomes.- early identification of vulnerable children at primary level is key to this as it can be too late when they get to secondary school.
Targeted Support involves :
- A single point of contact for the family
- A support package for children, young people and families that draws on mainstream and specialist services of sufficient quality and quantity
- Better use of, and pooling of resources to meet children and young people in the greatest need..
The Continuum of Needs and Services and the CAF statistics for TestValley were shown. It was noted that since 2007 the number of CAF’s completed in TestValley have fallen by 44% and this was a priority to address within the Northern Test Valley LCP Action Plan.Why is CAF not working so well in TestValley ?
Features of Vulnerable Children and Young People, 0-19, in TestValley who are at level 4/5 of the Primary and Secondary Inclusion Map were listed., as were those at Tier 3 of the Children’s Trust Threshold Chart. Again the importance of early identification of problems was emphasised and ensuring that when a multi-disciplinary meeting is held with the family – all the correct people are around the table so that the issues are dealt with in one meeting.
A careful record is needed of what is done and the outcomes, as well as who else is involved.
The importance of a lead professional when 3 or more agencies are involved was stressed
Concern was expressed re loss of Tier 1 parent support workers.
Actions, benefits and challenges were listed together with next steps to take the project forward. JL stressed that family is to be held more responsible for actions to which they have committed and the use of Individual Action Plans for the family.
Header sheets for CAFs are to be used as referral forms to simplify the process.
Training needs to be devolved down from head teachers / assistant heads as these people are often not the person doing the CAFs. The next training for CAF Completers and Lead Professionals is on 8th February in Romsey between 09.15am – 16.30pm
LCP Action : Some members had expressed an interest in being involved and they and other interested parties are invited to a meeting at the Education Centre on 15th February 2011 at 2.30 – 4.30 pm. Suggested membership of this LCP Sub Group to include :
- Sam Severe : Children Centres
- Sal Wright : TVBC
- Chris O’Dea : NHS
- Sandra : primary Heads
- Charlie Curry : Secondary Heads
- Police
- YOT/YISP
- Housing : Sarah Smith, Testway Housing plus TVBC Housing Representative
- CAMHS – Lyn Hearn to be approached.
LCP Sub Group members to be asked to identify top 10 vulnerable children / problematic families who access a lot of resources to the meetings to discuss and agree how to improve this situation / impact on improving outcomes for these families and the young people involved..
At the meeting, members will need to agree the process and how to put procedures in place.
Clarity is also needed on the legal frameworks within which different agencies have to work.
Feedback is needed on what is working and what is not working
Need for primary school information and involvement to be discussed at Andover Area Partnership for Learning (AAPL) meeting on 3rd February .
JB suggested involvement from Andover Young Carers and Turnaround Project who also may work with identified families.
- Safeguarding
5.1 Andrew Lund tabled ‘Draft Terms of Reference : District Multi-Agency Safeguarding Meetings for the information of TVN LCP members, plus the minutes of the November Local Multi Agency Safeguarding Forum Meeting. The need for education representatives from each cluster was requested for attendance at these quarterly meetings which are held alternating across Andover and Romsey. Suggestions were put forward – a CPLO per cluster ; Rachel Moore as Partnership Inclusion Manager ; ? Ann Hughes from Knight’s Enham. Meetings for 2011 are :
- 31st January : TVBC Offices, Romsey : 2pm
- 21st March : TVBC Offices, Andover : 2pm
- 25th July : TVBC Offices, Romsey : 2pm
- 31st October, TVBC Offices, Andover : 2pm
5.2 The question was raised again about why not to many CAFs were being done in northern TestValley . Staff training is key . It had been noted at the Multi agency Safeguarding Forum that it was difficult to manage a CAF when all Services are not involved and the responsibility this places on the Lead Professional when it comes to move the case forward and ‘ handing on the baton’ for the most relevant agency to take on.
- Finance
LP re-inforced the need to continue a Test Valley Multi-Agency Finance Sub Group to examine bids for grants and make recommendations to the North TV LCP in respect of bids from organisations within its geographical area..JB and TL will lead on this in the future.
The future on grant availability is uncertain but the LCP will be kept informed.
With respect to the Children’s Services Integrated Grant this year the LCP was informed that the following proposals had been submitted to Hampshire County Council for approval - but amendments could be made by HCC. In future such bids would come via the LCP before submission.
- Andover Young Carers : £21,000
- Andover Mencap : £15,000 – play activities
- TVCS : £11,000 – Turnaround activities
- Junction : £12,500 - 16-25 year olds ‘It’s Your Move’
- Any Other Business
LP introduced Tony Lee, who will be replacing her as District Manager for TestValley when she leaves in February. Tony is currently at Eastleigh.
- Date of Next Meeting : 15th March 2011 1.30 pm – 3.30pm at WintonSchool.
Attendees at January 2011 NorthernTestValley Locality Children’s Partnership
Chris McShane : Head of WintonSchool and Chair of LCP
Lynn Penny HCC : Children’s Services District Manager :
Richard Butler, Head Teacher, JohnHansonSchool
Louisa Hiscock, Head Teacher, TestValleySchool
Miles Edwards, Head Teacher, Andover CE Primary School
Kim Francis, Children’s Centre Leader, Poppies Children’s Centre
Verna Brown, Health Policy Manager, TVBC
James Moody, LSP Manager, TVBC
Jean Humphrey, Area Manager, Wessex YOT
Ann Turnbull, Head Teacher, AbbottsAnnSchool
Sally Smith, Head Teacher, AppleshawSchool
Clare Hannah, Head Teacher, VigoInfant School
Janet Blann, CEO, TV Community Services and Chair of LSP
Angela Rice, Head Teacher, ClatfordSchool
Sara Allen, Head Teacher, PortwayInfantsSchool
Pamela Simpson, Head Teacher, Kimpton CE Primary School
Charlie Currie, Head Teacher, HarrowWayCommunitySchool
Luciana Lattanzi, Early Years Advisor, Services for Young Children
Andrew Lund, HCC , TV R&A Children’s Services
Sandra Hunter, Head Teacher, KnightsEnhamSchool
Tony Lee, HCC District Manager, Children’s Services
Julie Lawrence, HCC,Team Manager Children’s Services
Lesley Cox, HCC , Education Centre Manager , Education Inclusion Services
Sarah Couch, BSTL Manager, BST
Mollie Antrobus, Community Involvement Officer, TV Community Services