Agenda item

16:30 Partner updates - open forum

Minutes:

D Gornik informed the meeting that following on from the Early Help Conference in late 2016, thresholds have been looked at and on 16 February 2017 there will be another Conference to discuss Early Help.  Thresholds for Early Help are clearly defined when Safeguarding is an issue but we need to get smarter about lower levels of need.  Early Help is the responsibility of everyone.  We must work with partners, with families, health, police, 3rd sector as well as all locality teams.  Not everything needs to come to the Front Door if communities are working well.  The Conference will look at where people currently go to find out information and we need to base Early Help in those locations.

 

D Gornik then talked about the pledge re school readiness for 0-5 year old children.  All services in early childhood from pre-birth are involved and KPI’s are looked at across health, LA, and some 3rd sector partners.  We came up with 7 outcomes and are now cross referencing these with partners to see what is happening towards these outcomes.  We are making progress with obtaining outcomes data from partners and now have in place a sharing agreement with multi agency providers so we are able to talk about shared actions/outcomes. 

 

This is challenging schools as children are now very ready when starting school.

 

J Graham talked about young people being ready for work.  Work is being done with Chamber of Commerce to improve awareness of differences in how some GCSE’s are now done.  In order to improve life chances we are looking at issues such as CSE, teenage pregnancy etc and making links with partners; we have created a booklet for signposting and are working on community pilots to make communities aware of what help is available.

 

K Crichlow asked if Wirral is joined up with those already in statutory services.  J Hassall responded that the challenge is around working in some communities where there are low aspirations and low expectations of professionals who work with families in communities; these are often communities where there are high numbers of children and families receiving statutory services.  J Graham said we are working to raise expectations.  M Atkinson added that schools and GP’s would be prime partners who know the families. 

 

Cllr Meaden expressed concern that in some areas which are not being piloted things are getting worse. 

 

E Quesada suggested that at the next meeting this group could look at how we commission locally, regionally etc and how to develop more effective commissioning strategy in order to develop services where they are most needed.

 

J Hassall reminded the meeting of the effectiveness of the 2 pilots carried out in schools; they needed just a small amount of money to draw in more money from the community.  We need to build on this model.

 

J Graham said that we also need to ensure that we deliver services in locations which are most appropriate for people to be able to access them.

 

Cllr Smith commented that things are getting worse as more families are in poverty than before.  E Quesada said that we need to look at how communities can help themselves rather than being reliant on LA; asset based community development.  M Jones reminded the group of the knock on effect on health services which are already at capacity and that do need to look at how we can commission differently.  E Quesada said that we need also to be aware of what not to commission.  J Hassall added that we need to make sure we spend the money available wisely, according to need. A Davies also added that schools’ budgets are being cut so they aren’t able to deliver the support they would like to and have done in the past.  M Jones and Cllr Meaden said that many LA’s are looking at Manchester for how things are done.

 

J Hassall said the next meeting will look at commissioning.

 

It was resolved that the Board noted all comments.