Agenda and minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 31 January 2023 as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Resolved: - That the Minutes of the meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission, held on 31 January 2023 be approved as a correct record of proceedings.

To receive declarations of interest from Members in respect of items listed on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

There were no items of business on the agenda that required the exclusion of the press and public from the meeting.

To receive questions relating to items of business on the agenda from members of the public or press who are present at the meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public or press.

To receive communications from the Chair in respect of matters within the Commission’s remit and work programme.

There were no communications from the Chair in respect of matters within the Commission’s remit and work programme.

To consider any updates from the Corporate Parenting Panel.

The Corporate Parenting Panel met on 31 January 2023 and further information would be provided regarding the outcome of that meeting in due course.

This report provides an update on the delivery associated with the recent Cabinet approval to spend the Family Hubs & Start for Life grant using the approach outlined.

The Chair invited Susan Clayton, Head of Service Early Help and Family Engagement and Alex Hawley, Consultant in Public Health to introduce the report and presentation.

At the autumn budget, the Government announced their ambition to have a network of family hubs across the country to create a strong start for life. These would offer parenting programmes, breastfeeding support and infant-parent mental health support. In April 2022, the Government announced that 75 local authorities would receive funding directly. 

The ethos of the family hubs programme was to make services more accessible for children and families. Those services could be provided through using a physical space but there was also a big emphasis on having virtual spaces for those who were able to self-serve. The family hubs programme needed to be attuned to the needs of local families to ensure they get the right help at the right time. The community and voluntary sector were a big part of the whole family support service being offered as well to reduce the amount of times families were being moved between services.

The programme would enable the creation of a single digital offer combining the different websites and platforms available to families, children and young people. The programme would also transform the way existing services were delivered, with emphasis around co-location. This did not mean co-location in terms of being in the same office but was also around ensuring that pathways were aligned and joined up between services so that they could be accessed in person at a family hub or another building or through the digital offer.

The services being provided would need to be clearly branded and communicated so that these could be clearly identified by families who were signed up to the family hubs programme.

Whilst there was still a key emphasis on the Start for Life offer within the family hubs programme it now brought together services for families with children of all ages, 0-19 or up to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It was important that family hubs would become a place that welcomed everyone and not just those with problems.

There were key family hubs principles around enabling services to be brought together, better collaboration, working across the public, private, voluntary and community sectors. The family hub model that had been agreed included ‘Family Hub Plus’ settings in the north, south and central of the borough, along with ‘Family Hub Extra’ and ‘Family Hub Satellite’ settings. The main difference between the Plus and Extra settings was space. The three buildings that had been earmarked as the family hub plus settings were Maltby Steppingstones children’s centre, the Swinton, Brookfield children’s centre and at the moment The Place as the central location.

It was noted that The Place and Swinton Brookfield were not large buildings, which was why other buildings would become ‘extra’ hubs to allow delivery of the required services to continue. A number of voluntary sector organisations were committed to become a family hub  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

This report summarises the key points arising from members of Improving Lives Select Commission’s review of the draft Child Exploitation Strategy (2023-2028) in advance of its submission to Cabinet.

The Chair welcomed Helen Sweaton, Joint Assistant Director, Commissioning, Quality and Performance to the meeting. Helen introduced the report noting that the workshop was well attended. It produced some really positive and constructive feedback which would inform the development of the new strategy. The comments received during the workshop were extremely helpful including some really practical tips as to what could be included to make it mean more to members of the public.

The Chair indicated it had been a very useful day and all comments had been taken on board.  She asked that in terms of recommendation three, that the service provide details of the best time for the Improving Lives Select Commission to receive the further update on the progress and implementation of the Strategy.

Resolved: That Improving Lives Select Commission:

1.    Notes the outcomes and recommendations of its review of the draft Child Exploitation Strategy as outlined.

2.    Notes that the recommendations have been forwarded to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and will be incorporated in the final strategy.

3.    Receives further updates on the progress and implementation of the Child Exploitation Strategy.

To consider and approve the Commission’s Work Programme.

The Committee considered its Work Programme.  

Resolved: That the Work Programme for 2022/23 be approved.

For the Chair/project group leads to provide an update on the activity regarding sub and project groups of the he Improving Lives Select Commission.

The Chair advised that there was no progress report on sub and project group activity.

To consider any item(s) the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There was no urgent business.

The next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission take place on 25 April 2023 commencing at 10.00am in Rotherham Town Hall.

The next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission take place on 25 April 2023 commencing at 10am in Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved: That the next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission would take place on Tuesday, 25 April 2023, commencing at 10am at Rotherham Town Hall.