Agenda item

Mr D McWilliams, Assistant Director: Early Help, presented a report which sought approval for a Whole Service Review for Early Help Service to commence, for implementation by April 1, 2018.

What is early help ?

Early Help is concerned with identifying needs within families early, and providing support before problems become complex and more costly.

Effective early help relies  upon local agencies working together to;

·         identify children and families who would benefit from early help

·         undertake an assessment of the need for early help and 

·         provide targeted early help services to address the assessed needs of a child and their family which focuses on activity to significantly improve the outcomes for the child.

Local authorities, under Section 10 of the Children Act 2004, have a responsibility to promote inter-agency cooperation to improve the welfare of children.

Guiding Principles

1. Build on what’s working well

•      Integrated locality working

•      Whole family working: One Family, One Worker, One Plan

•      Work restoratively ( Work ‘with,’ not ‘done too.’)

•      Continuous improvement

•      Value For Money

•      Culture of excellence

2. Whole service review & re-design

•      All staff and managers in scope

•      Reduced Management structure

•      New (fewer) Job roles

•      Clear progression routes

•      Workforce Development: Investing in training, professional development

•      Equity and Parity in pay across roles and responsibilities

•      Affordable and sustainable  fit for purpose structure: Low cost / High quality

•      Agile workforce, flexible working, responsive to needs and expectations of families

•      High quality delivery points, staff bases and negotiated space

3. Achieve our savings target for 2018/19

•      Whole Service Review: Timescales

•      Potential structure / operating model

•      Potential Savings through service redesign

•      Draft structure suggests a 20% saving based on reduction in management costs (Head of Service to Band I)

•      A further £150k will be achieved through smarter use of fit for purpose buildings and decommissioning or closure of some

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

-        A number of centres currently have historicalopening hours. Have you reviewed the impact that the reduction in opening hours may have in provision? Proposals will be based on footfall and participation levels – some provision, included targeted work, may be expanded. The redesign proposals will be informed by an impact analysis.

-        The Children’s Commissioner for England recent report suggested that 670,000 children are living in families that have vulnerabilities and 800,000 children and young people suffer mental health disorders. Reassurances were sought that this report would be considered as part of the review.

-        What linkages are there between early help provision and community involvement teams based in localities?

-        If buildings are closed, savings would be released to the ‘corporate pot’  however, there was the potential to utilise school sites more efficiently. Potential closure of a building does not mean a reductions or loss of the ‘offer,’ just that the provision will be targeted. The Early help strategy describes delivery points and negotiated space. This will ensure provision is delivered from the most appropriate and fit for purpose venues in a locality.

-        Reduced management cost- how will workers be supported? It was not proposed to reduce management oversight and supervision of frontline workers and their cases.

-        Risk about losing provision? There would be detailed consultations about roles and development – need to build skills confident and competent workers. Detached work was an area of development to ensure that ‘hard-to-reach’ individuals are supported in their families. A guarantee was sought that that detached youth workers would be part of the consultation.

-        What is the response of partners to these proposals? Partners were coproduced the early help strategy and were consulted at the start of the year. They are committed to this process and securing better outcomes for children and  young people.

-        Assurances were sought that the timescales for consultation and implementation were achievable. However, further details on the proposals were requested at an early stage in order that the implications of these proposals be fully understood.

Resolved:- 

(1)  That Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported.

(2) That Improving Lives Select Commission be involved in pre-decision scrutiny of the proposals at an early stage