Children and Young People Strategic Partnership Minutes

Present

Mary Hall - Wear Valley LSP, Ian Williams - Easington PCT, Andy Wise - County Durham Youth Engagement Services, Phillipa Scott - Centrepoint, Ann Armstrong - DCC, County Durham Strategic Partnership, Frank Firth - DCC, Education, David Landes - Durham Dales PCT, Martin Armitage - Easington PCT, Kath Vasey - Sedgefield PCT, Mandy Malone - Derwentside PCT, Valerie White - Durham Dales PCT, Carole Dixon - County Durham & Darlington Acute Hospitals Trust, Janice Bray - Connexions, Mark Cain - CAMHS Strategy & Commissioning Sedgefield PCT, Fiona McGlone - Napier Watson, Carole Payne - DCC, SC&H, Amanda Johnson - DCC, Education, Malcolm K Pitt - Sure Start Stanley & Derwentside CYPPG, Mandy Taylor - Children North East, Gail Hopper - DCC, SC&H, Mark Gurney - DCC, SC&H, Patsy Fullen - Children's Fund, Brad Howe - Durham Constabulary, Anne Beeton - Children's Fund, David Cliffe - Drug & Alcohol Action Team, Paul Hebron - DCC, Education in the Community, Liam Cairns - Investing in Children, Jenny Cooke - Investing in Children, Jenny Walton - Investing in Children.

Apologies

Val Goodrum - Learning Skills Council, Lynne Gregory - DCC, Education, Carole Thompson - Durham Constabulary, Gail Thompson - DCC, Education, Denis Robinson - NCH, Melanie Fordham - Sedgefield PCT, Anne Holt - County Durham & Tees Valley Health Authority, Meg Boustead - DCC, SC&H, Sharon Pickering - County Durham & Darlington Priority Services, Nigel Dodds - Durham City Council, Tricia Cresswell - Durham & Chester Le Street PCT, Elaine Chandler - DCC, Education, Parent Partnership, Lesley Crawford - County Durham & Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust Suzanne Hood - County Durham & Darlington Acute Hospitals Trust, Mark Weeding - DISC, Christina Blythe - DCC, Youth Engagement Service, Gill Eshelby - DCC, Youth Engagment Service, Julie Scurfield - DCC, Youth Engagment Service, Andy Wise - DCC, Youth Engagment Service.

1. Minutes of meeting held on 17 May 05

Accepted.

2. Matters Arising

i.Youth Green Paper – A brief summary was circulated (see minutes file for copy). Janice Bray informed that due to the delay in publishing the paper consultation has been extended until November 05, implementation must be complete by 2008, the full paper can be viewed on the DfES website. JB will be attending a briefing in London therefore there will be more information at the next CYPSP meeting.

3. Chairs Update

Standing Items:

i. Voluntary & Community Sector Engagement Update Report

i. Voluntary & Community Sector Engagement Update - An update report was circulated (see minutes file on ECM website for copy) detailing progress, next steps and a copy of the invitation to colleagues in the Voluntary & Community Sector to attend workshops. Debbie Jones urged all partnership members to feedback information to their respective organisations; hopefully an outline strategy will be enabled by this piece of work.

ii. Children’s Fund Update

Children’s Fund Update – A presentation on the Children’s Fund Annual Report (see minutes file on ECM website for copy) was given covering: the 2003 – 2004 Plan, progress, participation, prevention, partnership, numbers of children & young people supported 2004 – 2005, age groups of children & young people supported, finance, summary of expenditure 2004 – 2005, analysis of central costs 2004 -2005, aims for the coming year. It was reported that the Children’s Fund have also started to run workshops for colleagues from the Voluntary & Community Sector, that Children’s Fund under spend will be cascaded down to the Local Strategic Partnerships and that a better view of the role of the Children’s Fund after 2006 when funding will be allocated through County Hall may be available by November’s meeting.

4. The development of an Audit Tool by Young People for the Every Child Matters Audit of Needs & Services

Jenny Cooke & Jenny Walton of Investing In Children gave a presentation on this piece of work (see minutes file on ECM website for copy) detailing: who was consulted, findings under the Durham Five Outcomes, crosscutting issues, what the audit tool measures and organisations/agencies audited. It was reported that this young people’s group had been established for approximately a year and had held three Agenda Days. A copy of the report will be available within the next few weeks, partnership members were requested to contact Investing In Children for a copy, tel no: 0191 386 7485.

Questions/Comments:

• It was agreed that the audit tool information will be very useful for the Local Children’s Planning Groups.
• An enquiry was made whether more work could be done with Health regarding for example the service provided by local Primary Care Health Centres and how welcome young people feel in these places. Amanda Johnson informed that such questions had been asked, but care was taken not to lead respondents in their answers and that currently a group of young people with Investing In Children are undertaking a mystery shopping exercise regarding sexual health.
• Gail Hopper commented that young people may not be aware of the services offered by community pharmacies. It was reported that Connexions also offer a range of services that young people may not be aware of. It was agreed that access to information is an issue.
• It was reported that in relation to community centres as well as leisure centres the project had asked young people what was available in communities, replies had varied from young people not knowing what was on offer, services only being open during the day to children being barred from them.
• Comment was made that the report is timely alongside the recent remarks of Sebastian Coe in relation to the Olympic Games in 2012 and the opportunity this provides to get more young people involved in sport.
• Regarding the use of local schools as a resource it was clarified that children & young people had given different answers in relation to age range; younger children wanted safe play areas, older young people just wanted a place to hang out or a youth club open more than one night per week.

Debbie Jones reminded the partnership that this work came out of work commissioned over two years ago, which became the Durham Five and predated the Every Child Matters Agenda. Equivalence and the audit tool are crucial; all partners were requested to take this very important work forward.

5. Local Planning Groups Update:

i. Derwentside

Derwentside – Malcolm Pitt reported on: progress regarding pathfinders; money available from the Children’s Fund for a Participation Officer; the planning group starting to move into phase 2; Communities of Learning looking to join the planning group; consideration being given to Family Support having input. He also reported that priorities will be agreed on time in September and that other strategies are currently feeding in, that there are more than 5 priorities and there may be shared priorities to take on board as a county. Meetings have taken place with the District Council, PCT, & LSP, consultation work has been done and a joint response has been agreed.

ii. Durham and Chester-le-Street

Durham and Chester-le-Street – Update to be provided at the next meeting.

iii. Easington

Easington – Copies of an update presentation were circulated (see minutes file on ECM website for copy) Martin Armitage reported: given the different structure within Easington after consultation it has bee agreed to appoint work stream leads to join the executive group, the appointment of a field officer has had a significant impact, the appointment of a Children’s Project Manager will also help to move the agenda forward, a local ECM consultation event was held on 14 July 05, a local Strategy Development Conference is planned for Sept/Oct and service developments are going ahead in school nursing, substance misuse and counselling.

iv. Sedgefield

Sedgefield – Kath Vasey reported: a presentation has been given by Ron Walker of the Learning Skills Council regarding the 14 – 19 Strategy and Sedgefield are keen to make linkages, a meeting has taken place with Communities of Learning Chairs, Extended Schools Road Shows (predominantly secondary) have strengthened the local network and 3 pathfinders have been submitted all of which are making progress.

v. Durham Dales

Durham Dales – An update report was circulated (see minutes file on ECM website for copy) covering: preparation for future developments relating to ECM & Building Schools for the Future which will need to link to the development of Local Area Agreements, which will also link the two Dales to the development of a rural pathfinder with key sub regional agencies I including DEFRA, One North East & Government Office; the Dales planning group will be the lead group for taking forward the rural pathfinder relating to Health and Quality of Life for young people; a consultation event for the LSP Board on ECM will take place on 12th August 05; the Children’s Centre Agenda is moving forward; visits are planned to areas of rural good practice; the planning group are looking at the development of a Youth Bus; the group has also agreed to take forward work on a Communication and Participation Strategy and Action Plan; and interviews take place on 25th July 05 got the Participation Worker in Wear Valley.

6. Functional Model Children’s Services

Papers were circulated (see minutes file on ECM website for copies): copies of the ‘Every Child Matters Change for Children – Consultation on Functional Modelling Focus Groups’ presentation; ‘Every Child Matters in County Durham – Discussion Paper Initial Modelling’; Focus Group Consultation Questions; Focus Group Consultation Response Form; Questions for Partnership Consideration and Partnership Questions Response Form.

• The partnership was asked particulary to consider: Does the model ensure Schools and Health partners will be engaged? Does the model deal appropriately with interface with LSPs and District Councils? Will children be appropriately safeguarded under the model?
• Feedback was given (see attached notes) this will be collated alongside all other consultation responses.

7. Youth Services Curriculum Statement

Paul Hebron circulated copies of the Education in the Community newsletter ‘Youth Services Curriculum Statement’ covering: the aim of the curriculum statement; core values; the five broad areas of content of the curriculum; pedagogy; monitoring and assessment. PH explained that curriculum work is based on a voluntary relationship with young people and that the curriculum had been worked out with young people, which was a great experience.

8. Durham Constabulary Youth Strategy

• Copies of a presentation ‘Youth Strategy’ were circulated (see minutes file on ECM website for copy) covering: the beliefs of Durham Constabulary regarding young people, what the strategy defines in relation to the role of Durham Constabulary, the proposal to reduce youth involvement in crime, the strategy outlining the Constabulary’s commitment to educate & work with young people, the importance of prevention and the focus on risks that may effect the safety & well being of young people. The presentation also covered how the Constabulary will achieve their aims; the priorities focused on by the original Youth Strategy, explanation regarding why the strategy is being updated, the aims of helping young people to be healthy, stay safe, and be a good citizen.
• Regarding engaging in dialogue with young people Brad Howe informed that he had worked with Youth Issues Officers and taken the strategy out to young people. It was suggested that young people could be included in designing the strategy at a very early stage, BH clarified that progress is being made regarding involving young people in the policy group. It was also suggested in relation to the focus of the strategy on young people at risk that there could be opportunities to bring in the wider community, get other groups of people to mix with young people, which could benefit the community as a whole.

It was agreed that the new strategy is a very encouraging turn around from the historical approach, and that its refreshing approach can be built on.

9. Any Other Business

None.

Papers circulated in meeting information pack:

• Voluntary & Community Sector Engagement Update Report
• Presentation handout – ‘Durham Children’s Fund’
• Presentation handout – ‘Every Child Matters’ Investing In Children
• Report of Dales Children and Young People’s Planning Group 19.7.05
• Presentation handout: ‘Every Child Matters Change for Children – Consultation on Functional Modelling Focus Groups’
• ‘Every Child Matters in County Durham – Discussion Paper Initial Modelling’
• Focus Group Consultation Questions
• Focus Group Consultation Response Form
• Questions for Partnership Consideration
• Partnership Questions Response Form.
• Presentation handout - ‘Youth Strategy’ Durham Constabulary

Papers circulated at meeting:

• Presentation handout – ‘Easington Local Planning Group Update 19.7.05’
• Education in the Community newsletter ‘Youth Services Curriculum Statement’

Contact Anita Spence for further information.