Children & Young People's Strategic Partnership Minutes

Agenda Items covered in this meeting include:
1. Minutes of Last Meeting / Matters Arising
2. Local Preventative Strategy / IRT
3. Children’s Fund – report tabled by Liam Cairns
4. NSF – Claire Hartley
5. SEN Strategic Development Plan – Lynne Gregory
6. Any Other Business
7. Date and Time of Next Meeting

Present: Debbie Jones, Head of Children’s Services, SSD, David Shipman, Operations Manager, SSD, Gill Eshelby, Deputy Head of Co Durham Youth Offending Service, Christina Blythe, Head of Co Durham Youth Offending Service, Mary Hall, LSP Manager, Wear Valley District Council, Anne Rendell, Inclusion Development Officer, Durham LEA, Liam Cairns, Investing in Children, Louise Charlton, Senior Planning Manager, Priority Services, NHS Trust, Carole Payne, Operations Manager, SSD, Janice Bray, Executive Director, Connexions, Jackie McHanwell, Regional Manager, CYPU/GO Children’s Group, Nikki Roberts, On Track Manager, On Track, Children’s Fund, Martin Armitage, Head of Mental Health Children’s Services, Easington PCT, Denis Robinson, Assistant Director Children’s Services, NCH, Mark Gurney, Operations Manager, SSD, Kath Tansey, Coordinator, Home & Hospital Support Service, Education Department, Peter Withnall, Senior Educational Psychologist, Education Department, Clare Beighton, Children’s Services Integration Manager, CDDPS, Frank Firth, Strategy & Special Projects Officer, Education Department, Neil Malkin, Head of Community Safety, Durham Police, Maureen Clare, Head of Access & Inclusion, Durham LEA, Lynne Gregory, Head of Learning Support Services, Durham, LEA, Amanda Johnson, Head of Education Services, Durham LEA, Claire Hartley, Policy Lead – Children, Strategic Health Authority, Sue Younghusband, Public Health Specialist, Durham Dales PCT, David Landes Durham Dales PCT.

Apologies: Isobel Porter, NSPCC, Bernd Bangel, Youth Development Officer, Sedgefield Borough Council, Tony Guest, Sedgefield Borough Council, J. Lester, Durham City Council, Paul Hebron Education Department, Mark Cain, CAMHS, Fiona Callaghan, Sure Start, Brian Brown, Sure Start, Norman Reed, Education Department, Kath Vasey, Sedgefield PCT, Anne Armstrong, Corporate Policy Officer, Economic Development & Planning, Nick Tzamarias, Derwentside District Council.

1. Minutes of Last Meeting / Matters Arising
Minutes were accepted and agreed as a true record.

• Page 2 – Children’s Trusts – Darlington, Newcastle, Gateshead and South Tyneside have been successful and will lead the way for the region. It was noted that 37 out of 45 were approved as Pathfinders. Stockton were not successful.
• Page 3 – YOS Preventative Agenda – Christina Blythe noted that there are concerns from YOS regarding the non-involvement of Youth Offending Service in the Children’s Agenda nationally and that they have received virtually no information. It is essential that children who commit crime are also seen as children at risk. The Youth Crime Prevention Strategy has to be part of the Children’s Agenda and continuing to stigmatise is not good. Christina noted that she had attended a useful regional meeting of the Youth Justice Board and Children’s Fund, when some of the issues where discussed. The Children’s agenda is progressing faster than the crime agenda, there is a need to address this.
• Page 4 – Next Steps for the Partnership – Debbie commented that some feedback has been received in relation to her report that was presented at the last meeting, however it would be helpful to have more feedback. Further work is to be undertaken on the job description and person specification for the Project Development Officer post. A request was made for volunteers to undertake this work and for them to contact David Shipman. Christina Blythe queried why the Police are not involved in the report and asked what the framework will be to make this Partnership truly holistic. Debbie noted that guidance will be put together for a potential formula that will not exclude any partners. Debbie went on to suggest that further work be undertaken by partners on how the Project Development Officer post would work. Written responses are required to confirm partners’ commitment.

2. Local Preventative Strategy / IRT

• Mark Gurney gave a presentation to the Partnership re: Local Preventative Strategy and IRT and stated that it would be useful to share the linkages between the two and that approval would be sought to take the work forward. (Hard copy of presentation enclosed).
• Christina Blythe raised a query in relation to the Information Sharing Protocol and whether this is different to the one that is already in place. This current protocol will need to be explored to determine whether it is sufficient. Neil Malkin noted that this current protocol is only a framework, which needs further development.
• Julie Scurfield, who currently works for the Youth Offending Service has been appointed as the Project Manager.
• Development is needed from the bottom up, including strategically. There will not be one framework that can be implemented everywhere.
• Frank Firth talked about some software that could possibly be of use to the project, however it would depend on the quality of information given in the first instance.
• David Shipman went on to talk about the need to establish a multi-agency group to take forward the work of the LPS and the production of a Local Preventative Strategy. It is proposed that the first meeting of this group be held on 9th September 2003, with representatives from key agencies and to include the IRT Project Manager and the Strategic Partnership post. More details will follow. It was proposed that Partnership members take this to their respective management teams to determine who would be appropriate to nominate.
• Mark went on to talk about the establishment of a multi-agency sub-group. Membership of this group will be, Mark Gurney, SSD; Liam Cairns, IIC; David Landes, Durham Dales PCT; Janice Bray, Connexions; Terry Sharkey, YOS; Lynne Gregory and Frank Firth, Durham LEA. Consideration is to be made as to whether young people should be involved in this group. Christina Blythe noted that there is a clear need for a sub-group and raised the point of accountability and direction. Debbie noted that once the Green Paper has been published, the issues of accountability and a reporting process will be looked into.
• Amanda Johnson raised concerns about the group commissioning their own work, however there do need to be mechanisms in place to share information and consult. Agreement in principled, however this would need to be revisited in the future.
• Possible pilot areas for the project, Easington because of the deprivation within the area and due to their being many services already in place and The Dales, to address rural issues. It has been agreed that links will be made with current Best Value work. Christina Blythe commented that it may have been good to have a pilot in Durham as there is a Youth Inclusion Support Panel in Durham. It is also hoped that work undertaken by CAMHS can be linked along with Sure Start, Children’s Fund and Children’s Centres.
• Jackie McHanwell noted that there will be a mid-year review of IRT & the LPS progress.

3. Children’s Fund – report tabled by Liam Cairns

• Liam briefly explained the purpose behind his report, stating that it was presented to the Children’s Fund Partnership on 11th July and details progress from the lead agencies (Investing in Children and the Children’s Society). One of the recommendations of the report was that the partnership arrangements be changed and that responsibility for the Children’s Fund be relocated to the Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership for County Durham.
• A weakness that was outlined was the Children’s Fund Partnership and that it was badly attended, not really functional and debates were not progressive. The proposal to included the Children’s Fund Partnership within the Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership were endorsed at the meeting on 11th July. Liam requested that this be agreed in principle, however acknowledged that there are some issues to be addressed, which are outlined in his report. Partnership members agreed to Liam’s proposal, in principle.
• Discussion took place around the issues that need to be addressed and it was agreed that the existing Steering Group would continue, on a temporary basis, reporting to the Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership. Liam to prepare a report and present it to Cabinet, before the next Partnership meeting.
• Jackie McHanwell commented that an Action Plan had been requested and this may be useful to the Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership.

4. NSF – Claire Hartley

• Claire gave some brief background to the NSF, then went on to discuss the Hospital Module, which is the first module, and applies to every department and service within a hospital that delivers care to children and young people. Claire went on to say that she attends a Children’s Business Meeting which aims to improve the contribution from Health services to Partnerships. This is also acting as a Steering Group for the Hospital Module.
• In relation to the Emerging Findings, the consultation process ended on 10th July and the Strategic Health Authority provided a response, stating that there is a lack of funding, no milestones to measure against and timing issues.
• There is a need to continue giving feedback to this Partnership. It was agreed that the Children’s NSF would be a standing item on the CYPSP agenda.
• Hard copy of presentation enclosed.

5. SEN Strategic Development Plan – Lynne Gregory
Due to time constraints, it was agreed that this item would be deferred to the meeting on 16th September.

6. Any Other Business
i) Getting to know you event
Janice Bray stated that this was a working day which was facilitated by ACAS and was very useful. The day was attended by agencies of people who work with children and young people, looking at what services can be offered and what services children and young people want. A regional response to the NSF was drafted.
ii) Timing of Partnership
Debbie Jones proposed that the meetings begin at 4pm, to allow sufficient time for all items to be thoroughly discussed and debated. This was agreed by Partnership members.
iii) Agenda Items for next meeting:

• SEN Strategic Development Plan
• Partnership & location
• Children’s Fund – Executive Group
• Green Paper
• NSF

7. Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership will be held on Tuesday 16th September, 4.30pm, Committee Room 2, County Hall.