EARLY INTERVENTION & PREVENTION STEERING GROUP

Transcription

1 RECORDING OF MINUTES FORUM: EARLY INTERVENTION & PREVENTION STEERING GROUP DATE: 28 November 2012 TIME: 11.00am 1.00pm LOCATION: Pembroke Suite, Eastmoors Road PRESENT: Angela Bourge, Children s Services; Sally Westwell, FISS; Rachel Kelly, Cardiff Parent Network; Andrea Higgins, Education; Tracey Hardacre, Action for Children; Philippa Fido, Partnerships; Cheryl Chapman, IFST; Llinos Davies, Team Around the Family; Judith John, Homestart Cardiff East; Brenda Davis, Childcare Strategy; Jason Townsend, Family Information Service; Mike Friel, Cardiff Housing Services; DCI Danny Richards, South Wales Police; Debra Ennis, Action for Children; Sandra Dredge, C&V UHB; Jeni Belcher, Cardiff Parent Network; Pam Williams, Administrator & Minutes APOLOGIES: Sarah-Jane Bailey, Rachel Jones, Nicola Jones, Sheena Lawson, Sally Jenkins; Avril Hooper, Susan Schelewa 1. Minutes of the meeting (11 September 2012) P.2, Item 2 Membership Leoni Oxenham had now left her post and had been replaced by Nia Fussel. Representation is needed from the Third Sector; a newsletter sent out from c3sc on 27 November had requested three nominations for representation on this group. J J has agreed to attend at short notice, as a third sector representative for this meeting. P.4, Item 4 LD stated that she had sent corrections regarding Team Around the Family to Andrew Haley for the Eligibility Criteria document. She had not received any update. AB said that this document will be sent out for broader consultation and that Andrew Haley had considered the suggested amendments. The minutes were then agreed as a true record. 2. Parent Involvement (Current & future) RK explained that Cardiff Parent Network will receive interim funding for Families First funding for one year, to replace the current Cymorth funding that will end at 31 March This interim funding is being made available to allow the parents sufficient time to set themselves up as a registered charity which would in turn give them access to further funding to enable the Parent Network to be self-sustaining and self-governing. The Parents have voiced their concerns regarding this current situation and have no wish to become a governing body. They have composed a 1

2 letter which will be sent to Senior Officers, Chairs of strategy groups etc, setting out their concerns about the future and clarifying that the current members of the Parent Network have no desire to take on the responsibility of running the network as a charity as this was not why they signed up to join the Network. This means that if an alternative solution to funding cannot be identified, the future of the Parent Network is at risk. Action: Members should inform RK which key decision makers copies should be sent to. AB stated that when the Parent Network was established, it was intended that it should become self-sufficient over time. It would now be necessary to look at the original proposals. It appears from the feedback received that self-sufficiency is not a viable option as the Network has grown dramatically and it does not only support parent participation but also enables parents so shape strategic developments and influence planning at a strategic and service level. Parents have played a key role in supporting strategy groups in the past and everyone agreed that it would be beneficial to have parents involved in the future. The group felt that it would be a huge loss if the parent network ceased to operate. Worst case scenario would be that the Network ceases to exist in April RK explained that funding helps parents with mentoring, childcare and travel and without this assistance, parents may not be able to be involved. The Group felt that parent participation would be very important for Families First and it would be unfortunate to lose all the good practice that has been built up. However, it was also recognised that the Parent Network was much wider than Families First and that all statutory and non-statutory partners benefited from the work of the Network. Therefore there was some sympathy in the view that Families First should not be its only funder Action: AB to meet with RK to discuss implications of loss of funding and to check that this matter is on the agenda for the next Families & Young People Board. ALL 3. Development of an Early Intervention & Prevention Strategy How we will undertake the analysis and mapping exercise? AB stated that a mapping exercise will need to be carried out with all partners to identify the range of services that are available and gaps in provision. Timing will be crucial as it will be necessary to wait until Families First services commence and for new systems to become established and operational. Mechanisms for identification of families A system will need to be designed to look at how families are identified, ensuring services are integrated and sustainable. Developing the role of the parenting coordinator is a good starting point. The future of this role is uncertain; under Cymorth funding the post had status in leading on the Parenting Framework and influencing organisations to sign up to the framework. Parenting will not necessarily be as strong an element in Families First although it is likely to be an important component of some of the Families First commissioning packages. At the next meeting, the Group will look at the role of the Parenting Coordinator and the Parenting Framework/action plan. An updating and re-launch of the frame workwill 2

3 be necessary and organisations will be asked to sign up to this again. The Group are concerned that parenting programmes could disappear within the new funding structure; bids have been submitted but outcomes not yet known. The work this group undertaken on the parenting framework and the role of the parenting Co-odinator in January will help to influence shape the services that Families First providers deliver so the timing is right. AB said that an inter-active session would be useful to understand the framework, analyse the programmes and look at the outcomes of the random controlled trial recently undertaken on the Family Links parent Nurturing programme. It would be helpful to get a view from the group and to establish expectations from the new service providers. TAF research has shown that parenting support is a key element to the success of TAF internvetions. A recommendation for awareness training for professionals could be included in the parenting framework. Professionals will need to understand what programmes they are referring families to and the different eligibility criteria. They will also need to understand the approaches so that they provide consistent messages to families who have completed the programmes, as they support families through the maintenance phase. Action: AB to meet with DE and RK in December to discuss participatory session re Parenting Framework and Parent Coordinator role. Action: Families First providers to be invited to next meeting. AB/DE/RK AB/PW 4. Development of a workforce strategy LD explained that the Families First workforce development group had met three times since September and their next meeting in January will focus on services that will be needed within Families First. CC had found it useful and said that training would be useful to all services, sending a consistent message, upskilling workforce and improving motivational interviewing techniques. Events have been set up already for successful providers and information will be sent out soon from the Partnership CC stated that the Vale can now access the same opportunities for training. 230 have applied for IFST training and 140 have been trained so far. The accreditation process is being monitored and will embed the model. LD said that TAF will be working with the restorative approaches development manager on a stepped approach to training, involving senior management. 5. Interface issues Families First Commissioning The commissioning team will know by the end of this week, lead providers will be notified on 7 December which will be followed 3

4 by a 10 day call-in period. Following this, Families First contracts will be awarded on 20 December. Action: PF to send information re lead providers for circulation to group PF TAF interviews will take place in December and contracts will be awarded on 7 January. BD stated that the Family Information Service contract with Welsh Government will finish in March in its present form; WG want to integrate the service for young people and parents. Currently the service is used for childcare and signposting to childcare providers and has 3 officers in post in Cardiff. BD has a meeting with Rachel Jones and Sheena Lawson next week to discuss revised tender. JT said that they have an online library on their website: Members were asked to look at the information and if they have any ideas for improvement, please contact JT. Any flyers/circulars for inclusion on the website should be sent to JT over the next few weeks. IFST CC explained that IFST has been operational for nine months, working at Tiers 3 and 4. The accreditation training has been good and they have kept in touch with those professionals they have trained. Communities First is being re-structured and should be linked into this group. Four cluster leads have been appointed: Adam Rees for the East Cardiff cluster: adam.r@c3sc.org.uk John Hallett for ACE cluster: johnh@elycaerau.com Su West for STAR cluster: suweststarcf@gmail.com Allan Herbert for BRG cluster: AllanHerbert@srcdc.org.uk Families First Steering Group LD stated that a threshold document is being put together by the Families First Steering Group. There is an opportunity through this group to look at systems to help organisations with the referral process, how to structure advice/guidance and to look at the Team Around the Family structure. Good practice models will highlight early intervention and prevention at the lower tier level. Children s Services will review its eligibility criteria. It would be useful to have a sub-group to discuss these issues and it was decided that LD would lead with representation from Families First, Flying Start, Communities First. Action: AB to speak with Andrew Haley regarding representation from I&A AB 6. Social Impact Bonds The briefing paper for C&YP Scrutiny Committee on Social Impact Bonds (November 12) had been circulated to the group for information. 4

5 A Cabinet paper in December will recommend that Children s Services undertake a feasibility study to determine whether the development of a SIB that focuses on Looked After Children (LAC) would meet local need. This will be an innovative approach to bring back to Cardiff: LAC currently in external residential places LAC currently in residential places in Cardiff, who will be rehabilitated home If the outcome of the feasibility study determines it is viable to set up a SIB, then Children s Services will work with an agency to draw in investors to fund a provider to deliver services, paid on an outcome based approach. There will be financial savings to the Council, but this will be only done in the child s best interest. Further information on Social Impact Bonds is available on: 7. Date & time of next meeting The next meeting will be held on 15 January 2013, , in the Monmouth Suite, The Conference Centre, Eastmoors Road, CF24 5RR. Dates of forthcoming meetings 12 March Monmouth Suite, Eastmoors Road 5