ROSSENDALE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S TRUST PARTNERSHIP MEETING

Transcription

1 ROSSENDALE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S TRUST PARTNERSHIP MEETING MINUTES PRESENT DATE: MONDAY, 26 TH MARCH 2012 TIME: VENUE: 2.00 PM Council Chamber, Futures Park, Bacup Liz Sandiford Rossendale Borough Council Andy Squire Tor View School Sue Taylor Accrington and Rossendale College Cllr Tony Winder Lancashire County Council Diane Booth Lancashire County Council Social Care Carmel Fenning Lancashire County Council Young People s Service Ross Hamilton Lancashire County Council Young People s Service Alison Smith Lancashire County Council Rossendale Workforce Planning Lead r:\business services\business support\governance and project support\project support\teams(work)\childrens trusts\rossendale\120326\minutes 26th march 2012.doc

2 2 Tim Beesley All Saints High School Janet Reidy Edenfield CE Primary School Natasha Shaw Lancashire Constabulary Barry Payton Haslingden Children s Centre Nicola Parker Lancashire County Council Early Intervention and Prevention Officer Jackie Cain - Minutes DISCUSSION ITEM 1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS 2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE ACTION NOTES Stasia Osiowy, Sue Harvey, Judith Finney, Talha Wadee, Christine Blythe, Alison Edgar, Helen Bolton, Jane Carwardine, Chief Inspector Jon Bullas, Councillor Sean Serridge NOTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING 23 RD MARCH 2012 MATTERS ARISING Agreed as correct

3 5. Rossendale Action Plan 3 Further to the Children s Trust priorities last year, the Board reviewed progress: NEETS: Carmel Fenning gave feedback: A new groups has been launched supported by all key agencies and this is now meeting. An event was held at the Old Fire Station targeting young people who are NEET and their parents. LCC has Secured funding from the European Social Fund to launch a number of initiatives focused on NEET. Through TYS: Can We Solutions secured to work with hard to reach vulnerable young people offering learning and support programmes. Liz Sandiford gave further feedback further: Twelve placements have been offered through Great Britain working work experience opportunities; this has resulted in two young person securing permanent employment and the others following a training pathway. A further eleven placements are now being offered. All participants received an accredited qualification in Work Skills from Accrington and Rossendale College as well as on-going support from Job Centre Plus. Rossendale Borough Council working with ACROSS now developed a work programme of work placements offering a rolling programme of 11 placements every 3 months to young people. Plans are well developed in relation to the development of a Vocational Training Centre by Accrington and Rossendale College at Stubbylee Park in Bacup. Improved Outcomes for Year olds: Liz Sandiford gave feedback: The Homeless Service transferred into Rossendale Borough Council. Young People are now being offered face to face interviews within a One Stop Shop environment, and the Team are currently exploring other suitable venues. 1 Queen Street opened offering improved accommodating to Young People. The Unit provides 14 self contained units for homeless young people with life skills training. Rossendale Borough Council s planned refurbishment of Clare House is now complete. The refurbished scheme provides some new direct access crash pad accommodation where young people will be able to stay short term up to 4-6 weeks respite to receive intensive support. Diane Booth gave feedback: A new Homeless Strategy and Action Plan has been developed and Social Care have developed a 12.5 bid to CLG to support the implementation of the Strategy which includes the provision of mediation, working with schools and looking to develop Passport to Housing. Further a joint protocol has now been established between Social Care and the Homeless Team for young people who become homeless. Through TYS: Barnardos to work across the East with young people who are NEET and known to Youth Offending Services to secure suitable and sustained housing options on release from custody. Domestic Violence: Liz Sandiford gave feedback : An initial overview of Domestic Violence Services has been conducted this included an Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Domestic Violence Services in Rossendale by Rossendale Borough Council and in informal meeting with Housing Options Team and Children s Centres. Further to that feedback: Operation of the MARAC has been raised - feedback has been given to the t Police and CSP. Police confirmed that representatives can attend for their relevant slots, rather than the whole meeting.

4 4 Anticipate that the arrangements will improve with introduction of the multiagency safeguarding hubs. Funding: Rossendale Borough Council allocated additional funding to support the STAR Centre through an interim financially challenging time. Big Lottery Funding has now been awarded so no risk to the service. Anticipated that the funding arrangements may improve as the provision of core funding and service in relation to perpetrators, impact on young people and commissioning arrangements are being considered by the Safer Lancashire Board. Young People who drink, take drugs and are involved in risk taking behaviour. Liz Sandiford gave feedback: Additional funding has been identified to support interventions this includes: Rossendale Forum who have established a Rossendale Issues Group and allocated 10,000 to support interventions in relation to Children, Young People and Alcohol. Plus LDATT who allocated 30,000 to focus on literature to parents, developing the skills of parents to hold difficult conversations and the provision of diversionary activities. Rossendale Borough Council Communities Team undertook an engagement session with young people which confirmed what type of activities young people would like to engage in. A programme of Diversionary Activities delivered in partnership including Young People s Service, Voluntary Sector, Leisure Trust, Borough Council, Schools including: Fusion 1 being delivered at Haslingden Sports Centre until July 2012 sessions designed by young people for young people and will include sports, dance, and gaming. On average of 20 young people attend the project each week with a variety of sports on offer from Street Dance, Boxing, Table Tennis and a Chill Out Zone on offer. Building social cohesion within the community has been the driving aim of the project, many of the young people who attend the project would not consider the Sports Centre a place for young people to hang out, however through offering this project at a subsidised rate this has allowed barriers to be broke down to reach out to young people from socially deprived backgrounds. Fusion 2 been launched and delivered at Alder Grange. This project again followed the same model as above and had strong links with the YPS. And is predominately focused on Football. Positive Futures volunteer funding has supported young volunteers who were interested in gaining coaching qualifications. Two young volunteers have completed their FA level 1 coaching certificate and have been assisting in leading the Fusion 2 project with the mentor. In addition 5 volunteer from Fusion 2 attended the Event Management course. Following this the volunteers organised a mini football tournament applying the skills they had gained through the course. The volunteers take responsibility for shaping the project, organising registration and suggesting new activities. This project and the volunteer development have provided a positive environment for young people to attend on a Friday evening. 30% of the young people attending both projects have received 1-1 support through the Fusion project either from the youth worker or sports coaches; this support has range from emotional support to problems in friendships. Fusion has provided a positive environment for young people to enjoy and access support if needed. The local Neighbourhood Forums have reported a drop in anti-social behavior in the Haslingden area since the project has begun. 50% of the young people who attended Fusion have followed up by joining the new Parkour club which runs in addition to Fusion. 25% have shown a significant increase in confidence and social skills since starting the project. Two

5 5 Safeguarding issues identified, these were resolved by support to the young person through the team. White Horse Project funded to extend provision through Deepen, 127 young people attended aged 11-18yrs Trinity Baptist Church street dancing and youth activities at Bacup Crawshawbooth Youth Activities, 8 young people aged 13-17yrs Bacup Rossendale Raptors Basketball at Bacup Hub Rossendale Children and Young People s Trust supported Lancashire Alcohol campaign in it s social media and poster campaign. Speakeasy (training for parents on difficult conversations) been extended to include alcohol. The Alcohol network are undertaking a number of measure in Rossendale including test purchasing Carmel Fenning gave feedback: Through TYS: Proffitts to work with 8 young people who have an interest in Adrenaline Sports, REAL offer face to face individual therapy sessions, New Ground to engage with young people engaging in risk taking behaviour including counselling, mentoring group work and peer support. Early Break attended the Trust and briefed the Trust on Performance and the work of Early Break. Information in relation to the services they offer was circulated to all schools and Children s Centres. Infant Mortality Liz Sandiford gave feedback: Environmental Health promoting Breast Feeding whilst targeting food premises. Rossendale Borough Council implemented Breast Feeding Policy at Work. Rossendale Borough Council venues been identified as come Breast Feeding friendly increasing the opportunities for breast feeding. The partnership continues to support and support the work of smoke free homes. Beermats have been circulated to all public houses and clubs with baby safe messages. Baby safe messages have been communicated through social media and all partner agencies. Partnership Outcomes A Rossendale Children and Young People s Networking event was held on the 11 th November, 77 people attended. Further to the event,a pamphlet of key agencies with addresses and telephone numbers ed to all schools. Arrangements for sharing and circulating information relating to new policies and strategies been established e.g.: Pan Lancashire guidance for people working with Children who self harm and Young Peoples Guidance on Alcohol. The Trusts Chair visited the Chair of the High School and Primary Schools to brief on the work of the Trust, increasing engagement with schools.

6 6 6. Launched the Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy and contributed to the development of the model in Rossendale. Commissioned a Prevention and Early Intervention family programme of support Delivered a co-ordinate activity programme for the Summer of 2011 reducing duplication and meeting any gaps in delivery, leading to a reduction in referrals to social care. LCC Social Care delivered training including case studies in relation to appropriate and inappropriate referrals to social care for a range of partners in Rossendale. Availability of Level 1 safeguarding training promoted to voluntary sector organizations. The Trust reviewed the conclusions of any death and overview panels and reviewed the specific actions undertaken by partners following the death of a young person in Rossendale. The Borough Council has commenced team around the Child meetings sharing from partners experience. The Borough Council and County Council working together exploring options for data sharing inrelation to the promotion of Sure Start Audit Of Referrals Homelessness Diane Booth from Social Care reported on an Audit of Referrals which have been received and closed over an 18 month period. The highest number of referrals were made by the police, followed by another agency, then family, an internal department and schools. The audit of the referrals identified that a large percentage of referrals received were appropriate and related to safeguarding. However, in a number of instances, many families would benefit from CAPSS support, CAMHS or contact with other early intervention service rather than a referral straight to social care. Diane Booth briefed the partnership on the introduction of the East Lancashire 16/17 year old prevention of Homelessness Strategy. Diane explained that the Social Care Team had been working closely with the Borough Council and the Young People s Service to develop the strategy. A group of existing staff from within Rossendale will work as a team with young people who are at serious risk of homelessness. This will be a task and finish group headed by Lesley Morville, Children & Parenting Support Services. Diane confirmed that the team were looking at how they could work through schools and exploring with Greenvale Homes the Passport to Housing Qualification.

7 Safeguarding Looked after Children 7 Diane Booth reported on Safeguarding, Child Protection figures for Rossendale had reduced and positive improvements had been made. Children s Social Care will be re-organising its services due to the MUNRO report. Diane explained how she was looking to build relationships across the District in particular with schools. Through the Rossendale Trust s communication arrangements Diane s and the social care team s details have been circulated to all schools. Diane Booth further reported on a safeguarding issue across schools this had prompted a multi agency response and through the Trust s communication arrangements all schools and the voluntary sector had been alerted. Actions: Diane Booth to attend the next Primary Heads meeting on the 22 nd June 2012 Diane Booth went through the report which detailed the reasons for children and young people becoming a child looked after. Alcohol abuse was identified as the main factor for a child to be taken into care. It was noted there was an Emotional Health Service to work with pre-school children but there was a high demand for this service. Early Break works with Young People who have Alcohol issues but the Intervention & Early Prevention team have picked up that there is no service available for a young person living with alcohol abuse. Inspire is an adult support service and does not cover care services for the child. Liz Sandiford reported that 10,000 had been identified to support this Agenda and could be used to kick start such a project if needed. Schools felt there was a need for an Adult Alcohol worker to work within schools and families. Sue Taylor mentioned that family support workers would pick up if there were any issues as a consequence of the alcohol abuse. They can support the family, get a child to school and work with the parent if they need support at home. Actions: It was agreed that this needed to be the subject of a wider discussion as a future meeting.

8 11. Workforce Planning 8 Alison Smith from Lancashire County Council briefed the Board on the Lancashire Childrens and Young People s Workforces Strategy. It was explained that the strategy had six priority areas: Safeguarding Early Support Initiatives Strong and Effective leadership Total Family Maximising opportunities towards health reforms An engaged, high performing resilient workforce As a consequence of the development of the strategy, there were a number of free or shared development opportunities being created across partners and all information was available on the CYP Workforce Strategy website, details of which would be circulated with the minutes. Actions: Andy Squire to advise the next Secondary Heads meeting of the strategy and the availability of training places. Website Link for the CYP Workforce Strategy CYP Workforce Group Website The 'hidden harm' E-learning module is a new online learning package which helps parents and professionals combat alcohol-related 'hidden harm' as part of Alcohol Awareness, if you want to add training to the website the contact is laura.marcella@lancashire.gov.uk

9 12. Prevention & Early Intervention 9 The Board reviewed the Gaps in Service discussed at the Resources Panel: Support to families through the provision of diversionary activities through the Summer Holidays Fun 4 Families had run for the last two years, the programme was fully evaluated and the positive impact on families was recognised. The programme needed additional funding to support the programme for Support for young people living with alcohol abusing parents The relative merits of the Holding Families was discussed, it was noted this was not focused on prevention and early intervention. The work of the Emotional Health Team who work with the under 5 s was also discussed. It was recognised that the early support family workers were picking up issues, but skills not well developed in dealing with alcohol and drugs issues. It was agreed that this issue needed to be discussed at a future meeting. Smoking Cessation High Schools It was noted that this had previously provided in High Schools and withdrawn, it was noted this was an emotive subject. The Health improvement team were currently looking into the evidence base in relation to the value of a smoking cessation in schools. Counselling Services The relative merits of offering counselling services to young people were discussed focusing on a range of issues including: bereavement, issues with peers and issues with parents and breakdowns within the home. It was noted that this had been successful in other areas and was achieving successful outcomes. Counselling in the Bengali Community was specifically raised dealing with DV. It was mentioned that a Counselling service within the Bengali Community was needed who would deal with Translation Services and issues with Domestic Violence. This is a complex gap, would need to recruit someone with Bengali translation skills. It was agreed that the full availability of existing services within schools need to be. Liz Sandiford is to look at funding of 2500 for The Moorlands Holiday scheme which used to be run and organised by Rossendale Social Services, but now by Natalie Morris, who is the Extended Schools Manager at Haslingden Primary School. The Moorlands home in Rochdale basically provides a week's holiday to children from less fortunate families or families going through difficult situations for free. It takes place in August over a 3 week period, taking 10 children per week, 30 children in total. They are requesting 2000 to contribute to the home and transport costs of 500.

10 explored before anything commissioned Moorlands Holiday The home based in Rochdale provides a week s holiday to children from less fortunate families or families going through difficult situations free. Rossendale is allocated 3 weeks in August, 30 children attend. Children are nominated by schools, health and social care. Staff time to transport the children is provided free but 2000 is provided for the home and 500 transport costs. Nicola Parker confirmed that there is currently 160,000 of funding available through Prevention and Early Intervention. The following actions were agreed: 30,000 to be allocated for Fun for Families it was noted a bid would need to be prepared. 115,000 allocated to re-commission the Prevention and Early Intervention Family Support. However, clear outcomes and evaluation a requirement of the extension. Going forward the Board needs to reflect on the future of the service in light of the need for a service which can work with older children and in the area of emotional health. There was also a need to consider the linkages with the Emotional Health Team, the CAPSS Team and CAMHS. 7,500 to be allocated for School Counselling Service exploring how this could support young people in light of the discussions re impact on young people re DV and Alcohol abuse in the home. Also needs to be considered against an evaluation of what currently exists within schools, provided by school nurses and pastoral leads in schools to avoid duplication. Nicola Parker to liaise with Natalie Morris at Haslingden primary in relation to the Moorlands Holiday. Judith Mace to seek feedback from Carol Kay re progress on smoking cessation in schools. 14. LDAAT Update on progress in relation to LDATT expenditure deferred until next meeting on the 28 th May 2012.

11 15. Young People s Service 11 Ross Hamilton from the Young People s service provided information to the group on the Go4it website. It was explained that the intension that there would be a single point of contact for young people to go to, to find out about what is going on in their area. Ross was attending the Rossendale Young People Voluntary Sector Forum to give training on the site. Short training sessions can be arranged, which will enable groups to input information and events onto the website. Action: Partners to promote the Go For IT Website and contact Ross through the Young People s Service if they would like training on uploading content on the site. 16. Summer Fun Liz Sandiford advised that Jackie Cain was currently pulling together all the information for Summer Fun IT would be helpful if all details in relation to any activities or things for young people to do are ed to Jackie as soon as possible. Lancashire County Council are supporting the publication and it will be distributed through schools. Action: All activities for Summer Fun to Jackie. 17. ANY OTHER BUSINESS dates of future Rossendale Young People & Children'meetings to Diane Booth 18. DATE OF NEXT MEETING Monday, 28 th May 2012, 2.00 pm Council Chamber, Futures Park, Bacup Jackie Cain Jackiecain@rossendalebc.gov.uk