Draft minutes

Proposed venue: Town Hall, Moorgate Street, Rotherham. S60 2TH

Contact: Debbie Bacon, Senior Democratic Services Officer 

Items
No. Item

147.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 21st March, 2012, were approved as a correct record.

 

Arising from Minute No. 142 (Early Help Strategy) it was noted that there had been a successful launch on 27th April.  A copy of the document had been circulated to those who had attended the launch and posted on the website.

 

Copies would be sent on request.

148.

Issues and Concerns

Minutes:

LAC Council

Currently meetings were being held fortnightly for Voice and Influence training and development sessions.  These were to support the development of those individuals then the LAC and about working with them on expectations, communication, exercise, confidence, develop further positive relationships and exploring what their particular goals were

 

At the moment 20 members attended the sessions, held at My Place, aged between 13-19 years old and a combination of young people living in foster care, residential placement and leaving care accommodation. 

 

They had a particular programme around collaborative working and over the last year had a number of things on that agenda such as work on anti-fascism, lesbian, gay and homophobic issues and participated in trips to York. 

 

Youth Cabinet

The Cabinet now had a Constitution with some key objectives and was operating much more effectively than previously.  It was open to young people aged 11-18 years who lived or attended school in Rotherham.  It was made up of all the members of the Rotherham Youth Parliament plus up to 4 members of the LAC Council who were eligible to join.  Each secondary school and college in Rotherham may appoint up to 4 young people also.

 

Currently it had its full membership.

 

It was noted that the Youth Cabinet could be used as part of any consultation exercise, preferably at the beginning when the consultation was being designed.

 

Agreed:-  That the Youth Cabinet’s objectives be circulated to the Partnership

 

Parent and Carers Forum

The Forum had carried out work for disabled children which was to be used as best practice nationally together with the work on the Charter particularly.  They had been asked to present the work on the Charter at the Regional Conference for Local Authorities in Leeds.

 

The Forum demonstrated strong partnership work with the local authority and more importantly work with families.

 

The Forum had also done some successful work with CAHMS and as result would be hosting the Parent Hour.  This gave them the chance to speak to parents whilst their children were being assessed.

 

Ofsted

An Ofsted Thematic Inspection on Safeguarding Children with Disabilities had taken place since the last meeting.  Some areas for improvement had been found but was reasonably satisfied.

 

Overview Report

On 29th May the overview report on the death of child ‘S’ was to be published.  A press conference had been arranged but any queries should be directed to Craig Robinson (South Yorkshire Police), Joyce Thacker or Alan Hazel.

 

Academisation

As from September, 2012, 3 Rotherham Primary Schools would become Academies:-

 

Thurcroft                     sponsored by Aston Academy

East Dene       )

Coleridge         )           sponsored by Heath Park, Wolverhampton

 

Children’s Festival

This year’s Festival starts in June at Magna and would run for 3 weeks.  It was a fantastic showcase for the work of the Borough schools pupils.

 

Information could be obtained from Fiona Radcliffe,

149.

2011/12 Outturn on Commissioning Priorities

Minutes:

Claire Burton, Operational Commissioner presented the outturn progress towards achieving the outcomes and objectives in the CYPFP Commissioning Plan.

 

It was proposed that slight changes be made to the objectives in light of clarification of some of them and also reflecting the shift to a preventative approach.  Revisions would also be required once the strategic priorities for the Health and Wellbeing Board had been finalised.

 

Discussion ensued on the proposed changes as follows:-

 

Children Get the Best Start in Life

Breastfeeding

-        Addition of 2 objectives

To increase breastfeeding rates

To progress through the Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative Accreditation stage process in the hospital and community setting

 

Obesity

-        Additional reference in the ‘partners involved’ section of the Plan

 

Fewer Children and Young People are Harmed by Alcohol and Substance Misuse

-        Adopt a prevention focus and ask all partner agencies to implement the use of the screening tool

-        Explore the options regarding decreasing Know the Score Service and to increase its capacity by combining it with the CAMHS Service

 

Children and Young People affected by Domestic Abuse are Supported and Protected

-        Agencies felt that there was a group of young people “missing” – particularly the 16 year old parents

 

All Rotherham Schools will perform well or at least above Government floor targets - Key Stage 2

-        A significant amount of work had taken place to improve performance

-        Not a single agency issue

-        New Inspection Framework with effect from September – “satisfactory” will require improvement

 

Agreed:-  (1)  That the progress against the outcomes as at March, 2012, be noted.

 

(2)  That the changes to the 2012/13 Commissioning Plan to ensure it remained current and tackled the most important issues for children and young people be agreed.

 

(3)  That progress reports continued to be submitted on a quarterly basis with any specific issues reported as required.

 

(4)  That information be sent to all schools on how to refer pupils to the weight management clubs.

 

(5)  That methods of communication to all Head Teachers be explored.

 

(6)  That the Safeguarding Board pick up the issue of children and young people affected by domestic abuse.

 

(7)  That a report be submitted on the progress made with KS2 performance.

 

150.

Children, Young Peoples and Families Partnership Structures

Minutes:

Sarah Whittle submitted the revised representation of partnership governance relationships providing clarity of how the partnership groups, focused on delivering the vision for children, young people and families, interfaced with wider partnership and management arrangements in the Borough.

 

The terms of reference for the Children, Young People and Families Partnership and Think Family Strategic Group were also submitted for information.

 

Agreed:-  That the governance arrangements be included on the Council and partners’ websites.

151.

Troubled Families Initiative

Minutes:

Jenny Lingrell, Think Family Co-ordinator, presented report on the above Initiative.

 

In December, 2011, the Government announced that they had created a Troubled Families Unit, £448M nationally, within the Department for Communities and Local Government to lead a national progress to address the needs of families with multiple problems and significantly reduce the demand that was made on public services.  Whilst hosted in the DCLG, the Unit was funded from across 6 Government Departments.

 

The Government estimated that there were 730 such troubled families in Rotherham.  They proposed to use the additional funding to offer local authorities up to 40% of the cost of interventions that could help turn around the families’ lives, payment on achievement of successful outcomes.

 

The Authority had been asked to compile a list of 730 named families to fit the funding formula devised by the Troubled Families Unit and following the criteria i.e. crime/anti-social behaviour, education and work.

 

Rotherham had signed and submitted a Memorandum of Understanding with DWP that would allow them to share information regarding benefits claimants.  Once the data had been subject to analysis, local intelligence and officer and partner knowledge would be applied to decide a final list.  A weighting process could be applied to agree which families would make up the final cohort and which year proposed to claim for their engagement in the Programme.  This would allow the Authority to reflect local priorities including a focus on addressing the needs of the Borough’s most deprived communities.

 

The report had been submitted for information due to it sitting across the children and adults agenda.  The Local Strategic Partnership would provide the governance and the Think Family Board for the steer.

 

Agreed:-  (1)  That the progress made locally in progressing the agenda, in alignment with the Deprived Communities and Health Inequalities agendas, be noted.

 

(2)  That the proposed governance arrangements for the programme of work and future reporting arrangements be agreed.

152.

Addressing Vitamin D Deficiency - Current Position and Plan for the Future

Minutes:

Rebecca Atchinson, NHS Rotherham, reported that local investigation had been undertaken in Rotherham with regard to the perceived increase in the Vitamin D deficiency rates.  A prevention project plan had been developed to address the deficiency across target communities in Rotherham.

 

Vitamin D deficiency rates had been sought from Rotherham Foundation Trust Laboratories in February, 2012.  Over a 15 month period 625 babies, children and young people had been tested with 53% found to be significantly or mildly deficient.

 

Prevention of Vitamin D deficiency could be developed by education on dietary advice and safe sun exposure.  A small amount of the Vitamin could be found in some foods (oily fish and eggs).

 

NHS Rotherham’s Pharmacy Team had developed a clear pathway to help diagnose and treat people.  The Chief Medical Officer had written to all Directors of Public Health recommending that action be taken.  It was recommended that the education drive on Vitamin D deficiency be increased and further promote the Healthy Start Scheme to maximise take up to address deficiency rates in pregnant women, new mothers and children under 5. 

 

It was proposed to further extend the Healthy Start Scheme to the target communities to reduce the potential levels of Vitamin D deficiency in children and pregnant women/new mothers.  Maximising take up would be supported by the clarification of the promotional role of the universal health services (Health Visiting and Maternity) including the clarification of where Healthy Start vitamins were available.  Further information would also be provided to GPs to help them encourage families to collect their Healthy Start vitamins.

 

It was noted that the issue had been raised/discussed at a recent meeting of GPs.

 

Agreed:-  (1)  That it be noted that Vitamin D supplementation was a Public Health priority.

 

(2)  That the Healthy Start Scheme across Children’s Services be promoted and maximise take up.

 

(3)  That the extension to the Healthy Start Scheme to additional vulnerable groups be noted.

 

(4)  That the presentation given to the meeting of GPs be circulated for information.

153.

Minutes of the Safeguarding Board held on 2nd March, 2012

Minutes:

The minutes of the safeguarding Board held on 2nd March, 2012, were submitted for information.

 

Agreed:-  That a report be submitted to a future meeting on Key Performance Indicators.

154.

Any Other Business.

Minutes:

There was no other business to report.

155.

Date and Time of Future Meetings

Minutes:

Agreed:-  That meetings for the Municipal Year 2012/13 be held on Wednesdays at 2.00 p.m. in the Town Hall as follows:-

 

18th July, 2012

19th September

21st November

23rd January, 2013

20th March

22nd May