Issue - meetings

- Joyce Thacker

Joyce Thacker, Strategic Director, Children and Young Peoples’ Services, reported on a recent Peer Challenge facilitated by Local Government Improvement and Development from 3^rd-7^th October, 2011.

The key focus of the Challenge had been safeguarding and an additional focus of looked after children.  The Authority had also requested 4 additional discretionary themes to provide an independent view on progress.

During the week approximately 68 interviews, focus groups and visits had been held with the Peer Team meeting more than 86 officers and Members from across the Council and partners.

The actions and recommendations arising from the Peer Challenge were being fed into the existing Improvement Panel action plan that continued to be monitored following removal of the Intervention Notice in January, 2011.

Agreed:-  (1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That a progress report be submitted in 6 months in relation to clarity of roles, responsibilities, relationships and leadership around Strategic Boards e.g. Children’s Trust Board, Health and Wellbeing Board, Local Strategic Partnership, Rotherham Safeguarding Children’s Board and the Rotherham School Improvement Partnership.

(3)  That a report be submitted on the 4 Big Things:-

Keeping Children & Young People Safe
Integral to the activity of all partners; specific arrangements put in place to keep the most vulnerable safe from harm

Prevention and Early Intervention
A new focus to help us target our activity effectively; underpinned by prevention and early intervention strategy

Tackling Inequality
The work we will do to narrow the gap between the life experience of the least deprived and most deprived families in Rotherham

Transforming Rotherham Learning
A delivery vehicle that will support us to achieve our vision by developing multi-agency learning communities with child-focused integrated teams.