Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Moorgate Street, Rotherham. S60 2TH

Contact: Dawn Mitchell, Senior Democratic Services Officer 

Items
No. Item

292.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 45 KB

Minutes:

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 16th July, 2014, be approved as a correct record.

 

It was noted that the Cabinet Member for Children and Education Services had approved the Elective Home Education Policy at her meeting on 16th September, 2014 (Minute No. 3 refers).

 

Arising from Minute No. 281(2) (Foundation Years’ Service for Young Children) it was noted that work was progressing well and would be submitted to the Partnership in the New Year.

 

The Chair reported that she had attended the Child Sexual Exploitation training session (Minute No. 282 refers).

293.

Issues and Concerns

Youth Cabinet

Minutes:

Dorothy Smith, Director of Schools and Lifelong Learning, reported that the Service was currently being inspected by Ofsted following the publication of the Jay report.  The inspection was in 2 parts, firstly focussing on Child Sexual Exploitation and secondly on the Safeguarding Service.

 

An update would be given at the next Partnership meeting.

294.

National Child Management Programme - Childhood Obesity Data pdf icon PDF 778 KB

Ward Data Update 2012/13

Catherine Homer

Minutes:

Catherine Homer and Joanna Saunders, Public Health, gave the following powerpoint presentation on the National Child Measurement Programme – Rotherham summary 2006/07 to 2012/13:-

 

-          The Programme measured the weight and height of children in Reception class (4-5 years of age) and Year 6 (10-11 years of age)

-          It assessed overweight children and obese levels within primary schools

-          Operational since 2006

-          It had been the responsibility of Primary Care Trusts to collect the data but had now passed to local authorities

-          Trend data now available for the 7 years 2006-07 to 2012/13

 

Participation Rates

-          Robustness of the data was highlighted using participation rates comparing Rotherham against England and statistical neighbours

-          Rotherham’s Reception Year participation rate had increased from 87.6% to 95.5% in 2012/13 comparing well with England (94.0% in 2012/13) and its main statistical neighbours

-          Rotherham’s Year 6 rate had increased from 78.6% to 92.8%. This was almost identical to the England average for 2012/13 and was second highest among its main Statistical Neighbours.

 

Prevalence of Overweight and Obese Children in Reception and Year 6

-          Performance had fluctuated over the 7 year period

-          It was cohort data and therefore did not measure the same children year on year

-          Reception

Percentages for Rotherham for obese and overweight/obese combined increased sharply in 2012/13 reversing a prolonged downward trend in previous years

No explanation but needed to be kept under review to ascertain if it was a reversing trend

Percentage for overweight and obese combined was now the same as the England average at 22.2%

-          Year 6

Prevalence of obesity and overweight combined in Rotherham was higher (35.5%) than the England average (33.7%)

It was clear that the increase in levels of excess weight was from Reception to Year 6 and was an area of focus

Whilst some children in 2012/13 would have been weighed and measured in Reception and Year 6, their first measurement was when the NCMP was in its infancy and participation rates were lower

Data over the coming years was much more robust with over 90% participation rates of measurements.  This would give a clearer picture of the change in weight between Reception and Year 6

 

Excess Weight Prevalence amongst Children in Reception Year and Year 6

-          The chart showed Reception excess weight prevalence by Rotherham Wards (based on residence of the children) 2010/11 to 2012/13 – residence data not available prior to those years

-          Highlighted the variation by Ward and whether the Ward percentage was significantly different from the Rotherham average

-          As the majority of children would attend their local school this also indicated which Wards had schools with greater levels of obesity (excluding schools with wide catchment areas e.g. Catholic schools)

-          Need to continue working with schools across the Borough with a focus on these areas

-          The HWF Services would be requested to target those areas in the marketing of their services

 

Rotherham Healthy Weight Framework

-          Current Framework to help  ...  view the full minutes text for item 294.

295.

Families for Change Progress Report pdf icon PDF 53 KB

Jenny Lingrell to report

Minutes:

Jenny Lingrell, Troubled Families Co-ordinator, reported that since the previous report in May, 2014, an additional payment by results claim had been submitted and further information published regarding the expansion of the programme.

 

Rotherham had submitted 5 payment by results claims (July and October, 2013, February, May and August, 2014) for families who had achieved the outcomes set out in the Troubled Families Financial Framework.

 

An outcome was achieved if school attendance for all children in the family had increased to more than 85% and had been sustained across 3 school terms.  It was also possible to claim an outcome for school leavers; the improvement needed to have been achieved in conjunction with a sustained reduction in involvement in crime or anti-social behaviour.

 

An additional payment was available where an adult family member had engaged with Employment Support (Wiseability) or the Work Programme.  If they had entered or sustained employment for a period of 6 months it was possible to claim an outcome regardless of the progress in relation to attendance and anti-social behaviour.

 

The total outcome achieved so far represented 64.7% of the total cohort ‘turned around’.  The trajectory for Payment by Results claims remained above the projected outcomes and on target to claim 730 outcomes by May, 2015, despite the complexities associated with families who had an inter-generational history of dysfunction.

 

Partnership arrangements were working well particularly with South Yorkshire Police.  A single point of contact had been established to enable information sharing on a family by family basis where needed.  A review of the Police and Young Peoples’ Partnership Officer had been completed and new management arrangements would become operational in September, 2014.

 

Capacity to deliver the role of lead worker for the Family Common Assessment Framework remained an issue.  There was often reluctance to take on the role particularly from some schools and health providers.  A proposal to inject extra capacity to deliver the leadworker role would be considered by chief officers in October.

 

Despite significant effort to join up employment support provision and the work of the Families for Change to deliver high quality support to individual family members, the number of families who were finding continuous employment was below expectations.  The Troubled Families Unit target was for employment outcomes to represent 1% of total outcomes claimed, therefore, this must be an area of focus for future payment by results claims.  Rotherham’s performance as at May, 2014 was 4% but had increased to 8% in August. The ESF provision would end in March, 2015, and the design of delivery of the new provision would be led by the Local Enterprise Partnership.  This would potentially deliver better outcomes with this cohort of families especially if the Ambition Project proved successful and expanded similar model was adopted to meet the needs of families with multiple problems.

 

The expanded programme would be based on a cluster of 6 headline problems:-

 

-          Parents and children involved in crime or anti-social behaviour

-          Children who had not been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 295.

296.

CSE Update

Joyce Thacker to report

Minutes:

In light of the Ofsted inspections taking place there was no update given at the meeting.

297.

Child Poverty Needs Analysis pdf icon PDF 45 KB

Michael Holmes to report

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report by Michael Holmes, Policy and Partnership Officer, setting out the approach and progress to date in refreshing the Borough’s 2011 Child Poverty Needs Assessment (CPNA).

 

Rotherham’s first CPNA was produced in 2011 and informed the Early Help Strategy.  Although there was no specific guidance indicating how regularly CPNAs should be updated it was felt that, given the economic downturn and the introduction of a significant Government Reform Programme, particularly Welfare Reform, it was appropriate.

 

The initial approach to developing an updated Needs Assessment had considered whether it should be expanded to provide a more comprehensive analysis of poverty in the Borough i.e. to look at issues for those without dependent children.  There was a range of existing and emerging data that indicated large numbers of people without children were struggling to make ends meet.  Whilst still being underpinned by relevant statistics, the Assessment should centre on a small number of key areas.  The suggested focus was:-

 

-          Employment status (unemployed, long term unemployed, part-time work, casual works, skills)

-          Family composition (lone parents, number of children)

-          Household income (wage levels, benefit levels, pensions)

-          Disability

-          Health (including mental health and drug/alcohol dependency)

-          Teenage pregnancy

 

Initial discussions had also taken place with Age UK Rotherham to ascertain how issues for struggling older people could be effectively captured in the Needs Assessment with the emphasis probably more on qualitative information rather than statistics.

 

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised/clarified:-

 

·           There was some value in looking at inequality across the Borough to fully capture the picture of child poverty

·           In the most deprived areas child poverty was at 50% - in others it was 3%

·           The Assessment would include an update on the “500 babies”

·           Resource capacity was an issue – updating the current assessment would be easier than broadening it out into a much wider assessment

·           Pensioner poverty was increasing and ought to be included

 

Resolved:-  That the proposed approach for the update of the Poverty Needs Assessment be approved.

298.

Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy pdf icon PDF 31 KB

Paul Theaker to report

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Paul Theaker, Operational Commissioner, presented the final draft of the Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy and associated action plan which had been widely consulted upon.

 

The draft Strategy had drawn on national and local guidance, local needs information, surveys of local Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Services and information from key stakeholders.

 

The responses from the consultation had been evaluated and the draft Strategy amended to take into account comments made.  Also the Health Watch Rotherham report on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services was reviewed to ensure that the key findings were addressed.

 

The key recommendations outlined within the Strategy were:-

 

Recommendation 1 – ensure that services are developed which benefit from input by young people and parents/carers

 

Recommendation 2 – develop multi-agency care pathways which move service users appropriately through services towards recovery

 

Recommendation 3 – develop family focussed services which are easily accessible and delivered in appropriate locations

 

Recommendation 4 – ensure that the services being delivered are effective, appropriate and represent the best value for money for the people of Rotherham

 

Recommendation 5 – ensure that the services being provided are delivered at the appropriate time as required and not restricted to normal operating hours

 

Recommendation 6 – ensure that services across all tiers of provision are delivered by appropriately training staff and that training and support is provided to Universal/Tier 1 services to ensure that patients do not unnecessarily move to higher tiers of provision

 

Recommendation 7 – ensure well planned and supported transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult Services

 

Recommendation 8 – Explore the option of a multi-agency single point of access to Mental Health Services for children and young people to ensure that appropriate referral pathways are followed

 

Recommendation 9 – ensure that services are better able to demonstrate improved outcomes for children and young people access Mental Health Services

 

Recommendation 10 – promote the prevention of mental ill health

 

Recommendation 11 – reduce the stigma of mental illness

 

Recommendation 12 – ensure that patients do not face inappropriate delays in accessing services, across all tiers, for assessment and treatment which adversely affect their recovery

 

The Strategy would be considered by the CYPS Leadership Team, Youth Cabinet, Cabinet Member as well as the CCG and their various governance routes.  It would then be submitted to the Health and Wellbeing Board for approval at its November meeting.

 

Resolved:-  That the final draft of the Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy 2014-19 be endorsed.

299.

Young Carers pdf icon PDF 152 KB

Paul Theaker to report

Minutes:

Paul Theaker, Operational Commissioner, presented a report on how young carers were directly supported in Rotherham.

 

The commissioned Barnardo’s Young Carers Service had provided a successful statutory Young Carers Service for the past 7 years on behalf of the Local Authority for young carers aged 8-18 years.  The person cared for would usually be a family member such as a parent, grandparent, sibling or someone very close to the family.  Through a process of assessment planning and review, the Service sought to minimise any negative impact of the caring role thus enhancing the opportunities for young carers to achieve their full potential.  This included taking appropriate action when the caring role was such that it posed significant safeguarding concerns.

 

Service support was delivered through assessed need for individual work.

 

During the year the Service had re-established the Rotherham Young Carers Committee and had been working in partnership with the UK Youth Parliament to introduce a local Young Carers Card to enhance support for young carers in their place of education.

 

For many of the young carers and families supported, the process of achieving improved outcomes could be erratic.  This was reflected in the “no change” and the deteriorating scores.  Change within the family had been a major factor in decreasing scores.  The Service had seen a huge increase in deprivation with families regularly presenting with issues of food, fuel poverty and debt.  The Service distributed food vouchers to young carers’ families during the difficult times and worked in partnership with agencies to find solutions to their hardship.

 

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.

300.

Key Stage 2/Key Stage 4 Indicative Outcomes pdf icon PDF 36 KB

Karen Borthwick to report

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Karen Borthwick, Head of School Effectiveness, presented a summary of the available performance data for the academic year 2013/14.  The data had not been validated and national comparative data was not yet available.

 

The 2014 assessment results showed improvements at every key stage:-

 

Early Years Foundation Stage

-          Rotherham’s performance for a good level of development had increased by 6.5% to 62.2% - 2% above the national average at 60.3%

-          Average Total Points had increased by 1.3 to 34.3 and 0.5 above the national average of 33.8

-          The percentage inequality gap reduced by 3.2% to 32.5% - 4.1% below the 2013 national average

 

Phonics

-          68.7% of Y1 pupils achieved the standard mark in the 2014 national phonics screening check – an increase of 6.2% - national figure of 74%

-          Gap to the national average reduced slightly to 5.3%

 

Key Stage One

-          Improvement in overall results in Rotherham was in all subjects and levels

-          Improvement at L2+ was below the national average improvement – widened gap

-          Gaps to the national average for all pupils’ range from inline at L3+ writing to 6.1% below at L2+ reading

-          Gap wider at L2+/L2b+ than at L3+

 

Key Stage Two

-          Increase in all subjects at all levels

-          Rise between 2.4% and 5.3% at L4+, between 6.7% and 7% at L4b+ and between 3.9% and 8.3% at L5+

-          Progress measures had increased by 5% in reading, 2% in writing and 2% in mathematics

-          Gap to national averages had narrowed in all subjects at all levels and above the national average in mathematics for the first time

-          Significant improvement at L4b+ in all subjects had shown an increase of 6.9% in the Government’s ‘good level 4’ outcome

 

Key Stage Four

-          Provision 5+A*-C including English and Mathematics – average 60.1%

-          Provisional 5+A*-C – average 67.1%

 

Narrowing the Gaps

-          Girls continued to outperform boys in reading and writing at all key stages but the gap had narrowed

-          Significant improvement in boys’ attainment at KS2 in reading and L4b+ mathematics which had impacted on the improvement in the L4b+ reading, writing and mathematics combined outcome

-          Attainment at KS1 for those eligible for Pupil Premium had increased at L2+ and L2b+

-          Attainment at KS2 for those eligible for Pupil Premium had increased at all levels in all subjects with a significant improvement in reading and L5+ mathematics

-          Percentage of pupils in good or better school – 78.8% (72.2% primary, 87% secondary and 100% special schools)

 

Key Stage 5 (A Level Results)

-          Overall pass rate on results day was 98.6% - national average 98%

-          -0.1% lower for Rotherham than in 2013 but reflected a national trend with the pass rate reported to be down for the first time in over 30 years

 

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.

301.

Partnership Arrangements to deliver School Improvement

Karen Borthwick to report

Minutes:

Karen Borthwick, School Effectiveness Service, gave the following powerpoint presentation:-

 

The Local Authority Champions Educational Excellence by

-          Building strong and effective working relationships with education leaders in their area and encourage school and setting leaders to support and challenge others

-          Understanding the performance on schools and settings in Rotherham, using data and wider intelligence to identify those schools and settings that require improvement and intervention

-          Take swift and effective action when failure occurs in a maintained school or setting using Warning Notices and Interim Executive Boards whenever necessary to get leadership and standards back up to at least ‘good’

-          Intervening early where the performance of a maintained school or setting is declining ensuring that they secure the support needed to improve to at least ‘good’

-          Encouraging good and outstanding schools and settings to take responsibility for their own improvement and to support other schools and settings

-          Supporting the development of a diverse market of excellent providers to support school improvement

-          Signposting where schools and settings can access appropriate support

-          Securing strong leadership and governance for schools and settings that are not providing a good enough education

 

Vision

-          Working in partnership to ensure that all schools or settings are good or better so that every child or young person is given the very best start in life

 

Principles

-          We are all responsible for all Rotherham’s children and young people

-          Schools are responsible for their own improvement

-          All Rotherham learners will achieve; no-one will be left behind

-          Learning is the core business; investment, policy and strategy must be driven by opportunities for learners

 

Partners in School Improvement

-          School Effectiveness Service

-          Learning communities

-          Wider School Improvement Community which includes

Learners First Schools Partnership

Outstanding Schools

Teaching School Alliances

 

School Effectiveness Service

-          Maintain a robust system for the collection and analysis of school performance data to ensure the effective risk assessment of schools

-          Deliver effective strategies for early intervention when schools or setting show signs of declining performance.  This will include the use of statutory powers

-          Provide appropriate and effective support and challenge to all schools and settings

-          Champion the attainment and progress of all children and young people within the Borough

-          Act as an advocate for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and for children and young people in care and for other vulnerable groups and individuals

-          Secure a wide range of educational options for parents and families

-          Ensure local authority colleagues are well informed of national and local developments so they can play a collaborative part in the activities set out below

-          Connect improvement activities and programmes to local authority-wide Head Teacher and Governor meetings

 

Learning Communities

-          16 geographical learning communities

-          Supported by a consultant Head Teacher to help analyse performance.  This will inform the brokerage of personnel or support

-          With the aid of the above, Head Teachers and colleague should test  ...  view the full minutes text for item 301.

302.

CYPS Self-Assessment pdf icon PDF 50 KB

Sue Wilson to present

Minutes:

Anne Hawke, Performance and Improvement Officer, presented the CYPS Self-Assessment Our Story 2014.

 

Although it was not a requirement to have a self-assessment for Ofsted, it was seen as good practice in order to demonstrate the Authority’s strengths and areas for development.  It had been agreed to create a series of story boards illustrating the detailed information that underpinned the document.

 

It detailed the journey of the child through their social care journey incorporating all the different elements that were in the Single Inspection Framework.

 

The key messages had been compiled into a single page document.

 

Whilst it was a good start, it was thought that the joint priorities of partner organisations should be added.  It was acknowledged that there was much more information/evidence which would be provided to the Inspectors.

 

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.

303.

Transformation Challenge Award (MASH Bid) pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Sue Wilson to report

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Michelle Hill, Performance and Improvement Officer, present a report regarding the above bid.

 

In accordance with Cabinet (Minute No. 49 refers), a successful Expression of Interest had been submitted to secure £0.7M of grant funding from the Programme.  Rotherham had been invited to present a final bid proposal by 1st October, 2014.

 

It was proposed that the bid fund the development of a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) underpinned by the development of a Single view of a Child information dashboard.

 

The critical criteria to be met for the scheme were:-

 

-          Savings must exceed the amount of grant/capital receipt flexibility sought

-          The bid must have a positive impact on service users

-          As a minimum, bids must be in partnership with at least one other partner.  This could be another local authority, public authority, the voluntary and community sector of a private sector partner

-          For capital flexibility only – that the value of the asset sale is genuinely additional to those disposals that would have happened anyway

 

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised/clarified:-

 

·           TRFT was still to join the Hub

·           Discussions had taken place with the voluntary and community sector with regard to a presence but it had not been felt possible.  However, it was now felt that this should be re-visited given the nature of the work and rebuilding confidence and trust

·           Savings were prescribed in the bid conditions.  It was not expected that the reduction of costs would be removed from the budget but may be savings in the way of reduction of incidences of domestic violence thereby creating savings in Police time and A&E attendances

 

Resolved:-  That the principle of Rotherham developing and submitting a Transformation Challenge Award Bid by the 1st October, 2014, deadline be noted.

304.

Budget Analysis across all Agencies

Joanne Robertson to present

Minutes:

Joanne Robertson, Finance Manager, submitted a report summarising responses to a request for information from all partners.  Partners had been requested to provide details of the estimated budgets supporting the 6 priority areas within the Children and Young People’s Plan for the 2014/15 financial year.

 

Discussion ensued on the difficulty partners had in breaking down funding and the complication of any funding being double counted.  Whilst it was felt it would be useful to know what each organisation spent on activities, the work that would be needed to get any meaningful information was not felt to be a good use of resources.  It may be more useful to know who was commissioning what service.

 

Resolved:-  That the issue be discussed at the next Partnership meeting.

305.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

CSE Update

Resolved:-  That Jane Parfrement, Director of Safeguarding, Children and Families, update the Partnership at the next meeting.

 

Terms of Reference

Resolved:-  That the membership of the Group and each member’s role be considered when refreshing the Terms of Reference.

306.

Dates and Times of Future Meetings.

Wednesday, 19th November, 2014

14th January, 2015

18th March

27th May

15th July

 

All meetings will be held at 2.00 p.m. in the Town Hall

Minutes:

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership be held on Wednesday, 19th November, 2014, commencing at 2.00 p.m. in the Town Hall, Rotherham.