A report by the Interim Director of Children’s Services provided an update on the range of activities currently commissioned by the Children’s Trust through external funding grants to be replaced by the Early Intervention Grant (EIG) from 2011-12. The range of activities in 2010-11 included:

·  Parenting, Behaviour and Family Support, Teenage Pregnancy, Substance Misuse, Positive Activities for Young People, Sure Start and Aiming High for Disabled Children and Families.

The Cabinet noted that the Early Intervention Grant would be expected to cover other activities such as payment for Wirral’s element of the pan Merseyside Connexions Contract. The report included proposals for the priorities to underpin the next round of commissioning and offered options for the length of the contracts and suggested a time line for the process. The proposals were:

  (a)   In line with the Council’s priorities as listed in the Cabinet Resolution at its meeting on 9 December 2010 which recommended that provision should focus on early intervention supporting vulnerable children.

  (b)   Promoting greater involvement by the voluntary and community sector and also in

  (c)  Producing efficiencies in service provision.

RESOLVED:  That the following be approved:

(1)  the priorities underpinning the commissioning of the early Intervention Grant to be as follows:

·  Sure Start

·  Parenting, Behaviour and Family Support

·  Services for  Disabled Children

(2)  the commissioning Time line (Appendix One) as attached to the report;

(3)  twelve months as the agreed contract period for commissioning in round one; and

(4)  the Children’s Trust Executive oversee and agree service specification and be accountable for the time line.