Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director for Children and Young People’s Services.

Recommendations:

1.    That Cabinet accepts the grant funding and approves the approach to the governance and management of the grant.

Consideration was given to the report submitted which sought approval to spend the Family Hubs and Start for Life grant using the approach outlined.  The grant was made available to Rotherham from the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) as one of 75 Local Authorities that was pre-selected. 

The grant provided an opportunity for additional investment, circa £3.4m over 3 years to the Council.  The funding was predominantly for ‘transformation,’ (with 5% ring fenced for capital adjustments & upgrades to existing buildings).

Family Hubs were a way of joining up the planning and delivery of Family Help and Support Services to improve access, connections between families, professionals, services, and providers, and to put relationships at the heart of Family Support.

The conditions of the grant were prescriptive and the programme was required to be transformational.  The proposed programme and approach would add value to the existing services.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health explained that Public Health consultants had worked closely with staff on the proposal.  The Health and Wellbeing Board would also receive progress reports.

The Leader welcomed the proposal indicating the multi-agency working being accessible to the community will be of benefit.  Previous studies had shown the benefit of this provision.

Resolved:

1. That Cabinet accept the grant funding and approve the approach to the governance and management of the grant.