Agenda item

Anne James, Head of Service, Permanency and Specialist Services, presented the Corporate Parenting Strategy 2018.

The HWB were asked

• to endorse the Corporate Parenting Strategy
• to lead on Priority 7, to improve health and well-being by providing high quality services and information to children, young people and carers.

The following was highlighted:

• It had been 2 years since the launch of the Strategy in 2015; it was time to review; consider what worked well; to note the remaining challenges.
• There had been changes in legislation and national policy, notably the Children and Social Work Act 2017 that imposes further duties to support those leaving care to the age 25.
• Young people through the Children in Care Council and Care Leavers United group were consulted to ascertain their views and priorities.
• City Partners participated in the consultation process.  During the process they were requested to reaffirm their commitment to the strategy.
• Priority 7 of the strategy is supported with 4 Actions:
  • Action 1: We will improve the timeliness of health assessments and ensure that health care action plans are shared with carers, children and young people and other professionals involved in their care as appropriate.
  • Action 2: We will pilot the use of personal budgets to support emotional and mental health
  • Action 3: We will implement the recommendations of the CQC thematic review 2017 into children and young people’s mental health.
  • Action 4: Review the quality of health passports with care leavers and implement their recommendations for improvement.

The following was noted from the discussion that arose:

1. Cllr Craig requested sight of the more detailed plan of action that enabled the Strategy.  AJ confirmed that this could be provided.  That there was a strategic delivery group, that was multi-agency based, supporting the delivery of the strategy.  That would test and provide concrete evidence to demonstrate achievements and challenges.
2. Cllr Holland supported keeping the Strategy at Board level to ensure the principles of the Strategy was everyone’s business.  It was proposed that the HWB review progress quarterly to enable it to take responsibility for the outcomes.(Action AJ)
3. A discussion on how those outcomes would be measured followed and it was proposed that Statistics would be shared with the HWB on the priorities. (Action AJ)
4. Richard Lyle (CCG) shared that partners were mapping ways to share best practice and resources around Children’s services.
5. Vicki Morris supported the strategy commenting on the challenge to improve the education outcome for care leavers and the importance of their retention in the education system as opposed to exclusion.
6. Mayor Rees, endorsed the good practice of engaging with City partners, including the business sector, to fulfil the priority outcomes.  The challenge was to negotiate, in such away, with the business sector to draw out their requirements but to build in their commitment to fulfilling the cities strategy priorities.
7. Discussion extended to identifying the need to share the strategy citywide to capitalise on the voluntary sector and good will of those wanting to contribute.  Ensuring wide spread media communication in easy digestible formats on all platforms.

The HWB RESOLVED:

1. To endorse the Strategy
2. To hold all partners to account
3. To lead, that is champion and be accountable for the outcomes of priority 7 and listed actions by way of quarterly reviews to monitor progress.