Children & Young People's Strategic Partnership Minutes

Agenda Items covered in this meeting:
1. Minutes of Last Meeting
2. Matters Arising
3. The Green Paper – Every Child Matters – Implications for C&YPSP
4. LPS/IRT Update
5. Communities of Learning
6. Youth Crime Prevention Strategy
7. Children’s Fund
8. NSF Update
9. Date of Future Meetings

Present: Debbie Jones, Head of Services for Children & Families (Chair), Carole Payne, Operations Manager, SSDBrian Kirkup, COSIP Coordinator, Youth Offending Service, Paul Hebron, Youth Development Officer, Education Department, Mandy Taylor, Assistant Director, Children North East, Sue Younghusband, Durham Dales PCT, Claire Hartley, County Durham & Tees Valley SHA, Tricia Cresswell, Durham & CLS PCT, Jackie McHanwell, Government Office North East, Patsy Fullen, Children’s Fund, Wendy Baker, Director of Service Integration, Easington PCT, Mary Hall, LSP Manager, Wear Valley District Council, Mark Gurney, Operations Manager, SSD, Frank Firth, Strategy & Special Projects Officer, Education Department, Kath Tansey, Coordinator, LSS Home & Hospital Support Service, Judy Lomas, Economic Development & Planning, Gill Eshelby, Deputy Head, Youth Offending Service, Christina Blythe, Head of Youth Offending Service, Terry Sharkey, Youth Offending Team Manager, Maggie Bosanquet, Environment & Technical Services, Phillipa Scott, Centrepoint, Marian Dilley, North Durham Health Care NHS Trust, Chris Tennick, Connexions, Mark Weeding, DISC, Brenda Curry, Chester-le-Street District Council, Amanda Johnson, Head of Education Services, Education Department, Clare Beighton, CAMHS.

Apologies: Liam Cairns, Investing In Children, Janice Bray, Connexions, Brian Brown, Sure Start Programme ManagerDavid Landes, Durham Dales PCT, Denis Robinson, NCH, Julie Scurfield, IRT Project Manager, Neil Bellerby, Centrepoint, Helen Tucker, Derwentside PCT, Maureen Clare, Head of Access & Inclusion, Education Department, Norman Reed, Senior Policy Officer, Education Department, David Miller, Head of Environment & Resources, Environment &Technical Services Department, Harry Cronin, Director of Mental Health & Nursing Services, Co Durham & Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust.

1. Minutes of Last Meeting
These were agreed as a true record.

2. Matters Arising

• Partnership Development Officer – the job description and person specification are to be imminently approved. The County Council have agreed to fund £25,000 towards to post. A letter was distributed to members in relation to further funding for the post. Once funding has been approved, the post will be advertised. There is a need to progress this post, as it is a significant role to be filled. Debbie Jones encouraged members to respond promptly to the funding letter.
• Children’s Centres – Frank Firth commented that the proposal was put to the Sure Start Regional Team on 15 October 2003, who liked the plan. The plan is not yet signed off by the five PCT’s and will be re-submitted on 12 December 2003, when it will hopefully be approved at a local level. Following this, the plan will be submitted to Margaret Hodge. There are some local issues that need to be addressed prior to this.
• Social Care Leadership Initiative – Debbie Jones has met with the facilitator. There are to be five sessions taking place before the end of April. It is proposed that the Project Team and representatives from voluntary organisations are included. Possible dates are: 8 or 19 December (this session may be moved to 5 or 6 January); 3 February (will be a 24 hour event); 3 March and a date in April. It is proposed that the third session will be for the whole Partnership. Dates will be confirmed as soon as possible. Expressions of interest are required and these should be submitted to Carole van Hoof (PA to Debbie Jones). It was noted that the DOH will meet the cost of the 24 hour event, however, funding will need to be identified for the others.

3. The Green Paper – Every Child Matters – Implications for C&YPSP

• Debbie Jones stated that the Green Paper Team are to visit Durham on Thursday 27 November 03. They have requested to meet the team in Durham. In all they are looking at five local authorities, to get a good cross section of views. This is viewed as an excellent opportunity for Durham.
• Lynne Gregory and Carole Payne then gave a presentation to the Partnership around the implications of the Green Paper for the C&YPSP.
• Carole Payne noted that a Core Coordination/Integration Team has been established, which consists of Debbie Jones, Amanda Johnson, Lynne Gregory, Carole Payne and Judy Lomas. The team have a detailed project plan and have key timescales to work towards. The first step is to work on values/principles/outcomes, then move on to processes, which should result in the structures becoming obvious.
• Partnership members, within groups, were asked to consider the final slide of the presentation and give feedback. Questions for consideration were as follows:
  i) What is the potential role for C&YPSP in a Children’s Trust for Durham?
  ii) What does this mean for existing and future accountabilities?
  iii) What does it mean for existing and future partnerships?
  iv) What should next steps be?

Following discussion, the feedback from the groups was as follows:

• To be a driver for Children’s Trusts, the correct membership of the C&YPSP, is needed alongside overarching strategy.
• There are issues around representation. Need to ensure information is disseminated. How representative will Children Trusts be of those who attend the C&YPSP. Mapping information is required – what is already out there?
• Will Children’s Trusts address the County versus local issues? Will Children’s Trusts create a two tier system and is this helpful to children and families? Need for local accountability structures. Concerns around Regional Government and the timescales for this.
• Will Children’s Trusts cover all services? Accountability – where do children and young people fit in? Potential to have control over budgets. Issues around legislative change.
• The need to re-enforce / build up commissioning. Consider the option of bringing together Chief Officers/Directors with direct control over budgets to steer debate and underline commissioning process. Concerns over lots of planning and no action. Need to link local to County agenda. Dual accountability to LSP’s and C&YPSP.

4. LPS/IRT Update

• Mark Gurney gave a presentation to update the Partnership on progress to date.
• In relation to IRT, workshops have been organised in the pilot areas to bring together all agencies and begin looking at issues such as information sharing, developing practitioner guidance and data protection. Durham University are to assist with the pilots. Work has been commissioned to engage children, young people and families. Mark noted that the IRT and LPS sub-groups are to merge in the near future.
• Members were encouraged to view website www.irtbridges.org.uk, which is a service directory. A website may be something that Durham could look to developing in the future. In relation to the audit of current information sharing practice in Durham, the questionnaires have now been distributed.
• In relation to LPS, Mark stated that by January 2004, in each PCT/District Council area, there will be a Local Children's Planning Group. Regarding the work on accountability and terms of reference, it is vital that this is completed.

5. Communities of Learning

• Lynne Gregory distributed a briefing paper about Communities of Learning and Durham’s SEN Strategic Plan 2002-2007. Members were encouraged to view the SEN Strategy on Durham County Council’s website. The idea behind Communities of Learning is to encourage the concept of working together and there is the potential for the groups of schools to work together, in particular with regards to SEN.
• This concept promotes inclusive practice and there will be greater transparency regarding funding.
• Development work to date has included work on structures, with 14 communities being proposed, these are subject to further consultation. Also a resourced nursery review, which has proposed to establish ‘outreach nurseries’ in each community. This will offer more flexible use of nursery staffing and enable most children with SEN to attend the nursery closest to their home. There has also been consultation with schools on funding and systems to establish a fund for each community to manage.
• Tricia Cresswell raised a query on how this fits with Children’s Centres and therapy sessions. Further discussion is required with Lynne and Frank Firth.
• A query was raised as to why special schools are not on the communities list. The remit for special schools is currently under review.
• Consultation with schools has been phased. Initial consultation on the strategic plan was done with all key stakeholders in schools. Head-teachers have been consulted with in relation to the school groupings. With regard to the funding, consultation has been done with Head-teachers and the outcomes will be discussed with Governors.

6. Youth Crime Prevention Strategy

• Gill Eshelby gave a presentation on the Youth Crime Prevention Strategy 2004-2006. This has been approved in principle, by the Children’s Fund Executive Group on 30 October. Members were asked to give approval to the Strategy.
• Mary Hall raised concerns that this strategy has not been discussed at a local level and that this would need to take place before any approval can be given. It was noted that it has previously agreed discussions would take place at the Children’s Fund Executive Group, one of whose functions is to ensure that localities are represented in terms of decision making. Comment was made that the wider Partnership has delegated responsibility for process to sub groups.

7. Children’s Fund

• Patsy Fullen reported that Anne Beeton, Chair of Durham Dales PCT, has been appointed and the Independent Chair of the Executive Group. Patsy went on to say that each LSP has submitted plans which will be presented to the Executive Group in December.

8. NSF Update

• Claire Hartley requested to table a report to the next meeting in January 2004, this was agreed.

9. Date of Future Meetings
20 January 2004, 4pm-6pm, Committee Room 1B, County Hall
9 March 2004, 4pm-6pm, Committee Room 1A, County Hall
18 May 2004, 4pm-6pm, Committee Room 1A, County Hall
20 July 2004, 4pm-6pm, Committee Room 1B, County Hall
21 September 2004, 4pm-6pm, Committee Room 1B, County Hall
16 November 2004, 4pm-6pm, Committee Room 1B, County Hall