Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Strategic Lead for Attendance and Parenting, about the Rotherham Parenting Strategy which contained Rotherham’s commitment to supporting mothers, fathers and carers, recognising the important influence they have on a child’s development, achievements and self-esteem.

The report stated that the parenting support, developing out of the Strategy, demanded that account be taken of the needs of all vulnerable groups. A parent or carer can expect to receive a level of service depending on their needs, or the needs of their children. There will be a range of parenting support in each neighbourhood. Rotherham’s Parenting Strategy will be delivering on a four tier intervention model, as follows:-

Level 1 – Universal

Level 2 – Co-ordinated Early Intervention

Level 3 – Complex Support

Level 4 – Intensive Support

The report included general definitions of each level and identified key agencies delivering support. The list of providers was not exhaustive and might change over time. It was anticipated that each neighbourhood’s Parenting Champion will update the information and inform locality teams.

The Scrutiny Panel welcomed a group of parents, most of whom were participating in the Families and Schools Together (F.A.S.T.) programme based in Catcliffe. Each parent explained the way in which this innovative project had helped to develop and improve aspects of their family life. Also attending this meeting was a parent who received services from the Family Intervention Project and one who had taken part in the Carnegie parenting programme.

The Scrutiny Panel’s discussion of this issue included the following salient points:-

-     the content and purpose of home to school agreements;

-     the Carnegie parenting programme;

-     engaging with parents, the parents forum and parental influence upon the Strategy;

-     Parenting Early Intervention Project;

-     the F.A.S.T. programme at Catcliffe, which already had many parents awaiting the availability of places in the future;

-     anti-social behaviour family intervention projects (FIP); Court orders sometimes required attendance at such projects;

-     Working with Parents National Occupational Standards and Training;

-     the role of Parent Support Advisers;

-     the funding of the parenting intervention and support projects, which would end in March, 2011 and the need to find alternative methods of funding (possibly mainstream funding) to enable the projects to continue beyond that date.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the group of parents be thanked for their contributions to today’s meeting and for their continuing support for the Rotherham Parenting Strategy.

(3) That a further report about the strategy for early intervention be submitted to a meeting of this Scrutiny Panel in March or April, 2010.

(4) That this Scrutiny Panel shall give further consideration to the need for continued funding for parenting intervention and support projects, at its next meeting on 5^th February, 2010, during consideration of the 2010/2011 budget for Children and Young People’s Services.

(5) That a progress report about the Rotherham Parenting Strategy be submitted to a meeting of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel in six months’ time.