Norfolk Children and Young People S Trust Board
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.