Minutes of Meeting of the Joint Committee on Children and Young People held in the Boardroom, Assynt House, Beechwood Park, Inverness on Friday, 21 April 2006 at 10.30 a.m.
Present
Highland Council Members
Mrs M C Davidson (Chairman), Mr A Anderson, Mr L Fraser, Mrs S Slimon
NHS Highland Members
Ms P Courcha, Dr D Alston, Miss J Fraser, Mrs A Bethune
Children’s Champions
Mrs G McCreath, Mr W Fernie
Highland Council Officers
Ms H Dempster, Director of Social Work, Mr B Robertson, Education, Culture and Sport, Mr D MacDonald, Head of Education Services, Education, Culture and Sport, Mr G Watson, Community Development Manager, Education, Culture and Sport, Mr S Iliffe, Senior Manager, Additional Support Needs, Ms S Brogan, Senior Childcare & Family Resource Officer, Mr P Mascarenhas, Principal Youth Development Officer, Mr C Macaulay, Children’s Plan Co-ordinator, Mrs M Shearer, Senior Early Education Development Officer, Miss J Maclennan, Committee Administrator, Corporate Services
NHS Officers
Mr A Ward, Women and Children’s Services Manager, Mr S Loch, Nurse Manager, Women and Children’s Services, Ms S Amor, Child Health Commission
The Highland Council/NHS Highland
Mr W Alexander, Head of Service (Children, Young People and Families)
In attendance:
Mrs I Paterson, Highland Children’s Forum, Mr C Munro, Highland Children’s Forum, Mrs G Newman, Highland Children’s Forum, Ms C MacLean, CHIP+, Mr C Oughton, Highland Youth Voice Executive, Ms A Cail, Children’s Hospice Association, Dr M MacNeil, UHI Millennium Institute, Ms A Clark, UHI Millennium Institute, Mrs C Urquhart, Out of School Care Federation, Ms V Gale, Highland Pre School Services
1. Apologies For Absence
Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr A M Millar, Mrs O J Macdonald, Mr D Flear, Mrs J Baird and Ms A Darlington.
2. Minutes Of Meetings Of The Joint Committee
The Minutes of the Meetings of the Joint Committees held on 27 January 2006 and 10 March 2006 (Special Meeting) were circulated and APPROVED.
NOTED that the report on Surestart’s current initiatives would be submitted to the next meeting of the Joint Committee.
3. Rachel House At Home Team
Andrea Cail, Head of Policy and Practice/Depute Chief Executive, Children’s Hospice Association (CHAS) made a presentation to Members about the “Rachel House at Home Team” which was based in Inverness and worked with families who used the Rachel House Hospice. The team was now ready to take new referrals and had funding in place for three years. Beyond that time CHAS would continue to fund the Rachel House at Home Team for as long as the families needed the at home service.
The number and nature of referrals to CHAS in the Highlands and Islands were detailed. CHAS provided support to children with life limiting conditions and their families as well as crisis intervention and respite care. Many children and families encountered social isolation and CHAS provided opportunities for those in similar situations to meet together. CHAS faced a number of challenges including the need to raise awareness and professional understanding of the services it provided. It was important to acknowledge that CHAS’s purpose was not to fill gaps in service but to complement existing provision. They were satisfied, from information gathering, that the vast majority of those needing palliative care were aware of their services but further studies were planned to identify the availability of suitable provision for children over 16 years old. Whilst it was acknowledged that the issues surrounding Hospice Care for children were often sensitive, it was an initiative which worked well.
NOTED the presentation.
4. Revenue Monitoring 2005/06
Report No CYP7/06 by Bill Alexander, Head of Service (Children, Young People and Families) and Ron MacKenzie, Finance Manager, Education, Culture and Sport Service was circulated providing monitoring information to 28 February 2006 and the projected year-end position on those areas of expenditure that had been delegated to the Joint Committee. The Report highlighted budget pressures as Early Education and Out of Authority Placements and informed Members of the action taken since its last meeting to address these.
NOTED:-
(i) the report; and
(ii) that a report on Out of Authority placements and associated budget pressures would be brought to a future meeting.
5. Revenue Budget 2006/07
Report No CYP8/06 by Bill Alexander, Head of Service (Children, Young People and Families) and Ron MacKenzie, Education, Culture and Sport Finance Manager, was circulated which provided further detail with regard to the Joint Committee budget for 2006/07.
The budget was complex in nature and some areas still required confirmation, depending on decisions still to be made by NHS Highland and Highland Council. However, the Joint Committee budget for 2006/07 would be approximately £23.2m. The report showed how the overall figure had been derived, with most budget areas having been consolidated, managed and monitored within mainstream operational management. Other budget areas remained under pressure and would be the subject of separate reports. Each of the budget headings was then explained in detail.
Following discussion, NOTED the overall 2006/07 budget was around £23.2m and AGREED the proposals with regard to:-
(i) Early Years Services;
(ii) Integrated Community School Approach;
(iii) Youth Action Service;
(iv) Additional Support for Learning;
(v) Changing Children’s Services Fund;
(vi) Changing Children’s Services Fund;
(vii) Voluntary Organisation Payments; and
(viii) Out of Authority Placements.
Also, AGREED reports to future meetings:-
(a) on how the Youth Action Service was working; and
(b) detailing what the Health Improvement budget was used for.
6. Involving Children And Young People In Policy Development
Report No CYP9/06 by Harriet Dempster, Director of Social Work was circulated setting out proposals to fulfil a recommendation arising from the HMIE report on Child Protection Services in Highland, relating to the involvement of children and young people in policy development.
AGREED that children and young people be consulted and involved in all areas of significant policy change and service development coming before the Joint Committee and that such reports would include reference to the consultation, how it was conducted, and would represent the views of young people to inform the debate. Where appropriate, young people would also be encouraged to present their views directly to the Committee.
7. Highland Children’s Forum: What Difference Would There Be If Children’s Experience Framed Policy?
Report No CYP10/06 by the Highland Children’s Forum was circulated which set out some of the views of children with regard to their experiences at school and which put forward the question of “what difference would there be if children’s experience framed policy?”. Copies of the Forum’s full report had also been circulated.
Following item 6 above, the need for feedback to be genuinely representational was emphasised. The Highland Children’s Forum was eager to work with agencies to design sensible and realistic ways to consult young people. A presentation on how this participation and inclusion could be maximised was made leading to the recommendations contained within the Forum’s report.
In discussion, points raised included the following:-
the importance of valuing the opinions of children and young people;
it should not be seen as token consultation;
the need to refocus some of the work currently done;
the importance of recognising what happened outwith the classroom and how this could be influenced through teaching methods and Early Education;
the developments which had taken place in Highland bringing youth work into policy be acknowledged. These developments had been enhanced by the introduction of Pupil Councils;
the potential to establish a Youth Voice Representative post to ensure young people were represented;
the importance of the inclusive school approach;
developing the professional expertise and post qualification training of teachers to ensure they were aware of the range of inclusion opportunities;
the need for elected Members to be more accessible to children and young people and to become more involved with them as a matter of course;
Children’s Champions engaging with young people;
that there were barriers hindering certain types of consultation from taking place, especially when Highland Council and NHS Highland were the ones being consulted, and the time constraints imposed;
that consultation did not necessarily mean that opinions expressed would be adopted but, where this was the case, the reasons would be explained to those who had been consulted; and
the ethos of consultation should be introduced as early as possible.
In particular, the work undertaken by Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People was welcomed. The method used to report her work to young people was seen as being readily accessible and a model of good practice which the Joint Committee could consider adopting.
NOTED the report.
AGREED that:-
(i) Chief Officers look at the recommendations of the Highland Children’s Forum report and inform Members of action required; and
(ii) copies of the Children’s Commissioner’s report were circulated to all Members of the Joint Committee.
8. Pupils Outwith Full Time Education
Report No CYP11/06 by Donnie MacDonald, Head of Education Services was circulated which set out a strategy to address the needs of children who were not in full time education, including measures to improve achievement, and which made reference to further developments at the Bridge and Black Isle Education Centre.
Speaking to his report, the Head of Education Services pointed out the proportion of lowest attaining pupils varied across Highland Schools. It was explained that low attainment could be attributed to a range of reasons, including how the curriculum was delivered and the transition between various stages of education. A number of initiatives and strategies to address this had been developed including the Home Tuition Service, the Bridge and the Black Isle Education Centre but early intervention was imperative. It was recognised that the curriculum required to be simplified whilst remaining flexible but problems could not be resolved solely by the Education, Culture and Sport Service working in isolation and that an integrated approach with other agencies should be adopted. A coherent range of provision across schools and other establishments was in place to meet needs including the Ambitious Excellent School initiative.
In discussion, the importance of investing resources in young people was acknowledged. A way forward had been reached which addressed local needs. By concentrating on a few pupils significant improvements could be achieved at school level but it was important that the Scottish Executive was made aware of the need to review the current tariff system whereby the success of schools was measured by academic attainment and not the overall improvement of pupils. Emphasis had to be placed on personal achievement which in turn would lead to improved attainment.
NOTED the current steps being taken by the Education, Culture and Sport Service, in collaboration with other services and agencies, to raise expectations and deliver improved attainment and wider achievement for the lowest attaining pupils in Highland.
9. Uhi Evaluation Of The Integrated Community School Approach
Report No CYP12/06 by Bill Alexander, Head of Service (Children, Young People and Families) was circulated, together with the summary evaluation, informing Members of a major evaluation report on a key aspect of the evaluation of integrated services.
Dr Stradling reported on the health, personal and social benefits respondents had highlighted as a result of the Integrated Community School Approach. Better communication and enhanced support systems were now in place as was parental consultation. Although there was always the potential for improvement she was satisfied that key aspects of the approach were moving in the right direction and were well embedded in structures. The surveys also highlighted that the systems now in place offered better support for pupils and there was a clear perception that it was linked to positive outcomes including improved attainment. Some concerns had been expressed at the impact the approach had on time, resources and training but she saw this as a natural response when something new was being introduced. The Integrated School Approach had delivered a fundamental change in practice, offering a better environment for children and their families.
In discussion, the following points were raised:-
• the success of the approach was warmly welcomed and the Minister for Children and Young People should be informed of its potential;
• the investment the various bodies had made in developing the approach was acknowledged;
• to ensure Highland Councillors were aware of the initiative it was proposed that it be reported to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee;
• the success of training teachers to date on the integrated approach was acknowledged but this had to be continuous with the needs of children as the focus:
• the improved links between Social Work and schools was welcomed; and
• the need to target Youth Action Teams.
NOTED the presentation.
AGREED that:-
(i) the Minister for Children and Young People be contacted to be advised of the successes of the Integrated Community School Approach; and
(ii) the Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee were informed of the benefits that can be achieved from an Integrated Approach.
10. Getting It Right For Every Child - Update
Report No CYP13/06 by Colin MacAulay, Project Manager was circulated which updated Members of progress regarding Highland’s collaboration with the Scottish Executive as a pathfinding authority for the implementation of “Getting it Right For Every Child” (GIFREC).
In particular, it was reported that the GIFREC Project Board had now met and a Project Plan had been agreed. Training, which would be heavily subsidised by the Scottish Executive or provided within existing training regimes, was also planned.
NOTED progress.
11. Early Years Review
Report No CYP14/06 by Bill Alexander, Head of Service (Children, Young People and Families) was circulated updating Members on the outcome of Area discussions to progress the Early Years review, involving local developments and further strategic proposals, including the requirement to identify funding to enable the review to continue over a three year period.
Early Years Services had developed rapidly and to ensure best use was achieved, a review of provision was underway. A number of challenges faced Early Years Services in Highland such as demographic changes, financial constraints, societal changes, resource and workforce matters, gaps in provision, transport and the need to ensure standards were met. Workshops and consultations had taken place and an overview of the situation in each Area was provided together with some pan-Highland strategic issues that had been highlighted. It was important a strategy, meeting local needs, was established based on wraparound provision and the organisation of services around Associated School Groups. To ensure services were shaped accordingly to meet evolving needs it was intended to continue dialogue at Area level but, given the complex nature and the significant impact on local communities, change had to be incremental and it was proposed that this be carried out over a three year period. Although savings would be achieved there would be a funding gap until 2009/10 and the proposal was to seek support from the Budget Working Group during the intervening period.
In discussion, points raised included the following:-
concern was expressed over the availability of accommodation not being made available in schools for Early Years provision;
Development Officers should have been involved in providing statistics on matters such as projected housing demand etc;
the need for the voluntary and public sector to work in partnership to find the best way forward;
the amalgamation of services and resources had positive benefits;
the importance of good communication;
the need to involve parents in the process and promote the benefits to them of wraparound care;
monitoring success and progress was vital;
ensuring a sustainable solution was found; and
a mapping exercise identifying training needs in the public sector, would be beneficial.
NOTED the progress being made at Area level and AGREED:-
(i) the strategy set out in the report, founded on integrated and wraparound provision, generally based in Primary Schools, and the organisation of services around Associated School Groups with joined up management structures but with dual provision continuing to be possible, where appropriate, until other options were available;
(ii) analysis of how success was measured including wraparound care;
(iii) the proposals regarding pan-Highland issues as detailed in the report; and
(iv) to enable the review to continue over a three year period, to seek the support of the Council’s Budget Working Group as detailed, namely, 2006/07 - £400,000, 2007/08 - £300,000 and 2008/09 - £200,000.
12. Early Years Workforce Development
Report No CYP15/06 by Sam Brogan, Senior Family Resource Officer and Moira Shearer, Senior Early Education Development Officer was circulated which set out a strategy to meet the challenges involved in new regulations for the qualification of the Early Years workforce and which sought endorsement of a Highland Staff Training Guide.
AGREED:-
(i) the strategy; and
(ii) to endorse the use of the Highland Staff Training Guide.
13. Date Of Next Meeting
NOTED that the next meeting of the Joint Committee would be held on Friday, 23 June 2006 at 11 a.m. at Sabhal Mor Ostaig, Skye.
The meeting ended at 1.10 p.m.