CHILDREN, FAMILIES & LEARNING PLAN 2006/08
2007/08 Action Plan
(draft)
Contents /Introduction 4
Be Healthy 5
Reduce health inequalities amongst children and young people across Middlesbrough by supporting children, young people and their families to make healthy lifestyle choices 7
Tackle the high levels of obesity amongst children and young people in Middlesbrough 8
Improve the availability of mental health services within the community that support the early identification of child and adolescent mental health issues 10
Continue to develop the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and build on the excellent work undertaken in Middlesbrough 12
Address the issue of alcohol and drugs use amongst children and young people through education, support and intervention 13
Increase the opportunities and services for children with disabilities or complex and challenging needs that facilitate them living with their families and within their own community. 14
Stay Safe 15
Tackling hidden harm 17
Improving information sharing 18
Developing a framework to tackle bullying across all services. 19
Strengthening local safeguarding arrangements. 20
To prevent accidental injuries through improved education and advisory services. 23
Reducing the impact of domestic violence 23
Enjoy and Achieve 24
Prepare and assist our children to acquire the necessary skills to enable them to have the best possible start in their learning life. 26
Tackle absence and exclusions within schools, by providing appropriate support mechanisms for children, young people, their families and carers. 28
Improve the educational outcomes for pupils in all schools, with particular emphasis on vulnerable groups. 29
Ensure all 11-19 year olds achieve success in line with their abilities, gain employment and contribute to their own and the community’s economic well-being. 33
To develop an effective and responsive extended schools provision that meets the needs of the local community. 36
To support learning through the active use of arts, sports, leisure, galleries, museums, parks, libraries and other cultural services. 37
Make A Positive Contribution 38
Develop arrangements that enable children and young people to have a strong and equal voice in the work of the Children & Young People's Partnership and its partner agencies. 40
Ensure that young people are supported to enable them to contribute effectively to their local community. 41
Develop opportunities for young people to participate in the planning of learning provision in Middlesbrough. 43
Promote positive images of Middlesbrough and its children and young people. 43
Develop early intervention and preventative services that reduce the risk of children and young people engaging in unlawful activities. 44
Achieve Economic Well-being 47
Provide appropriate learning opportunities that support young people into employment. 49
Ensure education and training provision meets the needs of employers, addresses skills gaps and improves the skills base in Middlesbrough. 51
Support learning providers in improving access to information, advice and guidance to enable young people to make informed choices on career and training pathways. 52
Ensure young people have access to stable accommodation that meets the decent, homes standard. 53
Support and encourage young people with disabilities to achieve their aspirations 54
Service Management 55
Develop an effective multi agency approach to workforce planning. 57
To promote innovation in ICT. 59
Develop our understanding of the needs of children and young people using appropriate, relevant and current data and information. 61
Develop arrangements for joint commissioning and pooling of resources. 64
Continue to develop the Children's Trust arrangements for Middlesbrough. 65
To manage and develop the department’s capital infrastructure to ensure it meets service delivery needs 66
Appendix 1 - Strategic Risk Management and Business Continuity Planning 68
Children, Families & Learning Department Strategic Risk Register 69
Appendix 2 – Overview Of CFL Workforce Plan 2007-2009 72
Introduction
/This action plan is organised around the five outcomes of Every Child Matters and outlines the progress made against our priorities during 2006/07 and the activities and actions that will be implemented during 2007/08 to achieve the objectives set out in the department’s strategic plan for the period 2006-2008.
The 2007 review process has been used to improve the clarity and consistency of the strategic plans for local children’s services. The wording of the priorities set out in this plan has been aligned with the priorities in the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP), which are mirrored in the Local Area Agreement and the Middlesbrough Partnership’s Community Strategy. This makes it possible to trace ‘golden threads’ through from the high level strategic plans to the more detailed implementation plans of partner agencies, including the Children, Families & Learning department.
As part of the review process, extensive data and needs analysis has been used alongside the views of children, young people and their families to assess priorities for action. This joint process has also helped to ensure that priorities are clear and consistent across all local plans and that actions are identified by the partner agencies to ensure these priorities are delivered.
The review of the department’s plan in 2007/08 will coincide with the review of the CYPP, the Community Strategy and the Local Area Agreement. This will produce a three-year strategic framework for local children’s services informed by the Comprehensive Spending Review and clearly linking all of the relevant strategies.
Be Healthy
Key Achievements in 2006/07
/Challenges and Emerging Issues
/Local health inequalities have been reduced through:
· The development of a multi agency directory of local services, projects and initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles
· A series of locality based exercise and nutrition sessions were provided by Sure Start in partnership with other agencies for young children and their parents/carers.
· Sure Start’s outreach support pilot project was delivered at the antenatal clinic at James Cook Hospital.
· Paediatric speech and language services have been offered in all schools, reducing ‘no show’ rates at clinics from 75% to 5% / · Engaging more effectively with young people about the support that’s available to them and their families to help them develop a healthier lifestyle.
· Access to specialist services to meet the health needs of children in local authority care who are placed out of the area.
· Breast feeding rates have improved to 47%, but more support work is needed to raise initiation and maintenance rates towards the national average of 71%.
The high level of obesity has been addressed by promoting healthy eating and participation in physical activities, including:
· 26 schools having met the new standard in 2006/07 and a healthy standard for non-school settings has been developed.
· The introduction of healthier menus to all schools, which are being monitored regularly during lunchtime inspections.
· The development of a ”Food in Schools” toolkit for catering unit supervisors and healthy school co-ordinators.
· Increased spending on school meal ingredients, which has increased consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. / · Getting all schools and Pupil Referral Units to achieve the new Healthy Schools Standard by December 2009.
· Ensuring that healthy eating continues to be promoted through every aspect of the school meals service.
· Obesity levels are likely to rise in the short term, so it is important that monitoring and promotion programmes in schools are maintained and effective.
The availability of mental health services has been improved:
· The waiting time for referrals to the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) reduced from 13 to 11 weeks.
· The Portage Service is now available across all localities through Children’s Centres and more than 70 staff have been trained in delivering the service. / · Improving access to emergency CAMHS services
· Staffing capacity issues within CAMHS LACS service have impacted on availability and responsiveness of this service to the needs of children looked after by the local authority.
· Securing ‘Investing in Children’ accreditation for the local CAMHS service.
The high rate of teenage pregnancy is being addressed:
· The teenage conception rate has reduced by 13% since 1998, which is above both regional and national rates of reduction.
· Sex and relationship education has been delivered in schools through the SexEd2Day roadshow.
· The C-Card scheme is now available in all youth centres, supporting safe sex and pregnancy education. / · Piloting the provision of school-based sexual health services in a local secondary school.
· Targeting areas in Middlesbrough with the highest level of under 16 pregnancies
· Increasing the number of young people accessing sexual health advice and/or condoms through the C-Card Scheme.
Use of alcohol and drugs amongst young people has been addressed through targeted education and support work:
· NRF project funding has been secured to underpin a new strategy for developing drug and alcohol education in schools.
· A standardised resource pack has been developed for brief interventions around cannabis and alcohol use.
· A new integrated specialist alcohol and drug service has been commissioned to start work from 1st April 2007.
· A multi agency alcohol strategy has been developed. / · Improving drug and alcohol education in schools, providing support and training for school staff in delivering resource pack.
· Rolling out the School Drug Referral Scheme to all schools.
· Improving early identification of, and intervention in, drug and alcohol misuse.
Services for children with disabilities have been improved:
· South Tees service for children with disabilities disaggregated, with a separate Middlesbrough service making provision for local children and young people from July 2006.
· A short break menu brochure has been produced for children with disabilities and their parents and/or carers.
· The number of children accessing a service from the Children With Disabilities team has increased from 178 to 200.
· The pilot work around person centred reviews has become established, with all young people with a disability aged 14+ now being offered a person centred review.
· The number of children accessing flexible services through a direct payment has increased by 78% to 32. All eligible families are offered a direct payment and the take up rate is now 25%. / · Providing services that are considered to be culturally sensitive, reflecting the needs of young people and their families.
· Developing an improved system for ensuring that the Children With Disabilities team completes assessments within timescale
· Increasing the numbers of young people receiving having a person centred review by 10% in all age categories.
· Increasing the number of children accessing services via direct payments.
Reduce health inequalities amongst children and young people across Middlesbrough by supporting children, young people and their families to make healthy lifestyle choices
To promote a healthier life-style for children, young people and their families
Key Actions
/Completion Date
/Lead Officer
Targeted campaign to engage pregnant mothers in improved healthy lifestyles / March 2008 / L ThompsonImprove the health outcomes for children looked after by:
· Auditing the health assessments completed for CLA to identify ways of increasing the number of young people attending assessment appointments / March 2008 / J Yielder
· Reviewing and revise Health Assessment Protocol / Dec 2007 / S Robinson
· Developing and implementing a system for tracking health outcomes for CLA / March 2008 / S Robinson
· Organising a Health Roadshow event to enhance foster carers, staff and adopters understanding of promoting health of children / June 2007 / J Wilson
Training all youth workers on health issues including drugs, sex and relationships, diet and exercise and risk taking behaviour. / March 2008 / J Lodge
Target
/Ref No.
/2004/05 Result
/2005/06 Result
/2006/07 Target
/2006/07 Result
/2007/08 Target
/Increase number of pregnant women registering with Sure Start / - / - / - / - / 10%
The percentage of new mothers known to have initiated breast-feeding. / BH1b [LAA] / - / 43% / - / 47% / 45%
Ensure children looked after receive their annual health checks / PAF C19 / 84% / 80% / 85% / 88% / 90%
The percentage of 13 – 19 year olds participating in accreditation in personal, social and health education through the Youth Work Process / [LAA] / - / 30% / - / - / 38%
Tackle the high levels of obesity amongst children and young people in Middlesbrough
To encourage healthy eating and participation in physical activities within all schools, youth centres and outdoor education centres
Key Actions
/Completion Date
/Lead Officer
Being pro-active in providing programmes of indoor and outdoor physical activity through the Youth Service. / March 2008 / J LodgeDeliver holiday play schemes with a range of physical and health activity for children during the summer holidays / Sept 2007 / J Robinson
Providing a school environment that encourages healthy food choices at lunchtime and throughout the day by:
· Embedding the healthier menu cycle introduced into schools in 2006/07 through regular monitoring. / 31/03/08 / A Blower
· Ensuring that catering facility proposals included in the BSF programme support healthy eating priorities. / 31/03/08 / A Blower
· Embedding and monitoring use of the ‘Food in Schools’ toolkit introduced in 2006/07. / 31/03/08 / A Blower
Target
/Ref No.
/2004/05 Result
/2005/06 Result
/2006/07 Target
/2006/07 Result
/2007/08 Target
/Reduce the level of obesity amongst 11-year old children / BH2a [LAA] / - / 14.1% / - / - / 14.8%
The percentage increase in the number of children consuming 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day based (2006 Young People’s Survey baseline) / BH3a [LAA] / - / - / - / - / 5%
The percentage increase in the number of pupils in school sports partnerships who engage in 2+ hours of sports activity per week. / BH3b [LAA] / - / 79% / - / - / 80%
Introduce the government’s healthy eating standards to all schools:
· food-based standard
· nutrient standard / - / - / Yes
- / Yes
- / -
Yes
The percentage of primary schools offering a salad bars at lunch time / 64% / 98% / 100% / 98% / 100%
The percentage of secondary schools offering a salad bars at lunch time. / 0% / 83% / 100% / 83% / 100%
Maintain the minimum food cost in primary schools to ensure the provision of quality, fresh ingredients. / 46p / 50p / 54p / 60p / 60p
To increase the contribution made by the Healthy Schools Standard (HSS) in improving health outcomes