March 2014

Early Intervention City Region
Action Framework
“Working with our Children & Families
to Build the Oakleaf Generation”
March 2014


Contents

Introduction

  1. Summary
  2. Introduction
  3. Our Challenges
  4. Vision, Mission & Aims
  5. Strategic Priorities & Objectives
  6. Early Intervention Action Plan
  7. How We Will Deliver
  8. Monitoring Progress

Appendix

  1. EISP Current Membership
  2. The Policy Context
  3. Resources and Recommendations from local, regional and international best practice used to inform the framework
  1. Existing Partner Actions
  1. EISP Charter of Commitment
  1. Feedback Questionnaire

1.0Summary

1.1The ‘One Plan’ was launched in June 2011 in response to a Ministerial call "to create and promote a deliverable vision for regeneration of the Derry City Council area, to secure the commitment of all stakeholders to that vision and to pursue single-mindedly its implementation". Within the ‘One Plan’ Early Intervention sits under the Transformational Theme of “Building Better Communities”. Transformation means fundamentally changing how organisations do business.

1.2To drive the Early Intervention process forward an Early Intervention Strategic Partnership (EISP) was established in 2011 comprising key public sector agencies and the chairs and vice-chairs of the relevant One Plan Sectoral working groups. The EISP has brought the framework to this stage. The framework will now be reviewed and formalised through an open and inclusive process. The EISP is not intended to be a service delivery body, rather a strategic lever and advocate for the development of an Early Intervention City and Region that adopts best practice and supports and champions the hard work of local service delivery bodies.

1.3For the Derry City Council area to be an Early Intervention City & Region the following 3 approaches have been agreed;

Intervening in the early stages of life - 0-6 years

Intervening as soon as an issue arises, for children, young people and their families

Creating a positive and supportive environment for Early Intervention that is underpinned by a Childs Rights approach.

It is also agreed that the systemic issues linked to deprivation need to be tackled to achieve positive change and that this region should strive to build an Early Intervention approach which over time will see the realisation of a new generation of children, young people and families with the skills, capacity, support and resilience that will ensure positive life experience and development – what the EISP has defined as an ‘Oakleaf Generation’.

1.4The Early InterventionVisionis

“This City and District becomes the best place to be born and grow up in by providing opportunities for every child and young person to reach their full potential.”

The Early InterventionMission:

“Work with children, young people and families to create and enhance

the City & District as an integrated early intervention environment”

1.5The Early Intervention Aims are:

  1. Children in the DCC area get the best start in life and are ready to succeed
  1. The DCC area, as an Early Intervention City and Region, has improved life chances by working with children, young people and families, particularly those at risk from adverse circumstances
  1. Children and Young people in the Derry City Council area are happy, successful, informed, confident and positive citizens

1.6The Framework is designed as the next step in achievement of the outcomes identified in the One Plan. It is based on the knowledge and best practice of early intervention approaches evidenced locally, nationally and internationally and is matched to the socio-economic and health characteristics of the Derry City Council area.

1.7The action plan names lead agencies and others who will deliver on actions identified by the EISP. This list is not exhaustive and all agencies and groups who feel they can contribute to this plan are welcome to engage and contribute to this process - we will be providing on-going opportunities to do so. The plan will be reviewed and updated to take account of shifts in policy and knowledge, agency role, and social context in which this plan aims to deliver. The actions are broken into 2 main types;

Actions to be taken forward by the Early Intervention Strategic Partnership

New Actions to be taken forward by EISP Partners

2.0Introduction

The ‘One Plan’ was launched in June 2011 in response to a Ministerial call "to create and promote a deliverable vision for regeneration of the Derry City Council area, to secure the commitment of all stakeholders to that vision and to pursue single-mindedly its implementation".

Early Intervention is a One Plan catalyst theme that sits under abroader Transformational Theme of “Building Better Communities”. Transformation means fundamentally changing how organisations do business.

SECTORAL CHANGES & CHALLENGES
Education / Health / Community / Voluntary
There is increasing recognitionthat education is wider than just schooling.
The best outcomes for children can only be achieved through a whole community approach in which schools, families, communities and statutory services work together more effectively.
Recognising the strong links between social deprivation and low educational outcomes the key challenge is to close this gap. / A key change is the embedding of recognition of good parenting giving our children the best start in life and the best chance to reach their potential as they grow up.
It is critical to maximise any potential investment in the support of child development of children from pre-conception onwards. / It is fundamentally recognised that the parent and carer are central to the social context of child development.
An effective Early Intervention approach in communities includes the provision of effective circles of care and support and the recognition of the structural issues that underpin a child’s security / The most significant change that needs to happen is that we respect and value those who work with young children.
Key to developing the early years workforce (From Childminders, Early Years Workers, Teachers through to Healthcare Professionals) is supporting the links and sharing of expertise and the development of knowledge, skills and dispositions required to work effectively with children and families.

The Early Intervention Approach for the Derry City Council area is being taken forward with three functions;

Intervening in the early stages of life - 0-6 years

Intervening as soon as an issue arises, for children, young people and their families

Creating a positive and supportive environment for Early Intervention that is underpinned by a Childs Rights approach.

The Early Intervention Framework and Action Plan are developed in the context of the Programme for Government, the Children & Young Peoples Strategic Partnership and the Western Area Outcomes Group.

The guiding principles of the framework are:

The welfare of the child is paramount;

The first five years of life are critical to a child’s lifelong development;

Children’s needs are best met in families and communities;

Relationships with individuals and families are core to positive intervention;

Respect and value for those that work with young children;

The best outcomes for children can only be achieved through schools, families, communities and other statutory services working more effectively together;

To minimise the potential impact of economic recession on access by children and family to essential services

These will be achieved through:

A Rights Based Approach

Leadership

Partnership working

Raising standards

Openness

Building on innovation and best practice

The Oakleaf Generation

The Early Intervention Framework envisages a point in time in the near future of the City Region when the impact of the multi-agency Early Intervention approach has effected transformational change on the experiences and outcomes for our children and families.

On that basis it is envisaged that we will begin to see over the next 10 years the emanation of a new ‘Oakleaf Generation’, a perpetual cohort of children, young people and families who are given the best start, the best intervention and best outcomes as a result of the developing Early Intervention City.

The Oakleaf Generation will be one that thrives in a society;

  • Where the status of family is protected and valued to enshrine principles of attachment, belonging, nurturing,and love in whatever unit constitutes a family group
  • Where the potential of children is defined by emotional awareness, environmental intelligence, resilience, social engagement and civic participation
  • Where agencies have ‘open and inclusive’ processes to engage with children and families as core principles in their work
  • Where the idea of ‘education’ is owned by the communities in which families reside and is not the sole responsibility of one agency
  • Where communities consolidate and uniformly promote the key messages to grow and support children and families
  • Where the Vision for Change is focussed on reduced fragmentation and transformational approaches

3.0Our Challenges

  • Some of the highest levels of deprivation including low household incomes and child poverty
  • Some of the highest worklessness figures in both Northern Ireland and the UK.
  • High levels of alcohol dependency,domestic violence and other adversities compromising parenting
  • Disconnected partnership and collaboration actions that undermine the potential for success
  • Gaps between higher and lower achievers despite education outcomes improving across a range of indicators
  • Some target audiences still not engaged and getting the messages despite innovative resource usage and strong network developments
  • Missed opportunities for shared learning to showcase local innovative practice on early intervention in specific communities
  • Family Support is still seen by many as a service rather than a way of doing things
  • Gaps still exist despite an abundance of family support initiatives and too often some interventions are not designed around the whole family
  • Under utilisation and harnessing of the expertise around Early Intervention that exists within the DCC area and outside
  • The impact of economic recession on the availability of existing services and on the social and economic circumstances of families
  • The need to expand on a community approach to learning so that all who are involved in education at all levels need work better with families and communities in the early years
  • The need for more effective circles of care and support within the community
  • A need for inclusive mechanisms to inform policy, decision makers and government.

4.0Vision, Mission Aims

The Early Intervention City and Region hasthree functions;

Intervening in the early stages of life - 0-6 years

Intervening as soon as an issue arises, for children, young people and their families

Creating a positive and supportive environment for Early Intervention that is underpinned by a Childs Rights approach.

Vision

“This City and District becomes the best place to be born and grow up in by providing opportunities for every child and young person to reach their full potential.”

Mission:

“Work with children, young people and families to create and enhance

the City & District as an integrated early intervention environment”

Aims:

  1. Children in the DCC area get the best start in life and are ready to succeed
  1. The DCC area, as an Early Intervention City and Region, has improved life chances by working withchildren, young people and families, particularly those at risk from adverse circumstances
  1. Children and Young people in the Derry City Council area are happy, successful, informed, confident and positive citizens

5.0Strategic PrioritiesStrategic Objectives

The priorities and objectives are derived from the One Plan and are based on the key challenges that our city and district faces, local area profile statistics and emerging trends.

Strategic Priority One: AN EARLY INTERVENTION STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Rationale / To build upon existing good work and prepare the way for transformational change we need to expand collaboration, raise awareness of best practice and advocate for new investment. A multi-agencyEarly Intervention Strategic Partnership will act asthe enabler responsible for creating a positive and supportive Early Interventionregion underpinned by a Childs Rights approach. The Partnership will drive positive change,agree and present priority actions, the resource implications and desired outcomes.
Strategic Priority Two: A GOOD START
Rationale / Evidence shows that infants and children thrive when parents and families are able to surround them with love, support and opportunities to learn and explore their world. Theyneed to be afforded the right supports and stimulus in their earliest years when they achieve their most rapid development because their development score at just 22 months can serve as a predictor of educational outcomes at 26 years. A child’s earliest experiences and environment (home, school and community) therefore set the stage for future development and success in life.Their families and communities are also key to helping children develop into happy, healthy, confident individuals.The first five years of life therefore are critical to a child’s lifelong development
Strategic Priority Three: CONTINUUM OF SUPPORT AROUND LIFE’S CHALLENGES & TRANSITIONS
Rationale / A focus on transitions will seek to ensure that the supports a child needs from its family, school and community are in place to deal with all the foreseeable and unforeseeable challenges that can affect a child’s emotional, physical and intellectual development. Children and young people experience many key and sometimes complex events or changes at different points in their lives eg; changes in care and learning settings, changes in social groups, changes in roles and experiencesas they grow. The support offered at these times of change will build the coping skills that can inform a child’s value base, emotional resilience, social and spiritual development and interests.

In the pursuit and achievement of its priorities the Early Intervention Strategic Partnership will work to ensure ongoing connection with the other Catalyst Programmes in the One Plan on areas of connection to Early Intervention.

Strategic Objective One: To enhance and connect from birth early attachment and communications programmes across the Council area.
Outcomes /
  • Enhanced collaboration and focus from policy makers and service providers on attachment and communication
  • Raised status and capacity in the service provider workforce
  • Parents and carers better equipped to provide a nurturing and stimulating home environment
  • Fewer children entering primary school with speech and language delay

Strategic Objective Two: Create a shared understanding and commitment to family support and nurturing.
Outcomes /
  • Equal access for children, young people and families who need more choices and chances to access appropriate services
  • Supports are in place to improve the life chances of those most at risk
  • Early intervention is evidenced through stakeholder commitment and workforce development

Strategic Objective Three: To build the resilience and capacity of children, young people families to cope with life’s changes and challenges
Outcomes /
  • Parents will have the capacity to support their children and engage with education, health and other service providers
  • Children will develop in an environment that builds their coping skills to adapt to life’s changes and challenges
  • Service providers will understand their role in supporting resilience development

6.0Early Intervention Action Plan

This plan is based on the knowledge and best practice of early intervention approaches as evidenced to date, as well as matched to the socio-economic and health characteristics of the Derry City Council area.

The action plan names lead agencies and others who will deliver on actions identified by the EISP. This list is not exhaustive and all agencies and groups who feel they can contribute to this plan are welcome to engage and contribute to this process, we will be providing on-going opportunities to do so. The plan will be reviewed and updated to take account of shifts in knowledge, agency role, and social context in which this plan aims to deliver.

The actions are broken into 3 types;

  1. Actions to be taken forward by the Early Intervention Strategic Partnership
  2. New Actions to be taken forward by EISP Partners
  3. Actions that fall within the remit of Partners existing operations (appendix 4)

1

March 2014

AN EARLY INTERVENTION STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Strategic Objective 1: To enhance and connect from birth early attachment and communications programmes across the Council area.

Strategic Objective 2: Create a shared understanding and commitment to family support and nurturing.

Strategic Objective 3: To build the resilience and capacity of children, young people & families to cope with life’s changes and challenges

EISP Led Action / EISP Partners – New Partner Led Action / Existing Partner Responsibility
(Appendix 4)

Key

EISP Led Action

Action / Strategic Objective / Outcome / Lead / Partners / Completion
Review structure of EISP and identify the best model to oversee the implementation of the action plan / 1,2,3 /
  • Establishment of an Early Intervention Oversight Group to meet twice a year with ToR
  • EISP to drive attainment of the action plan forward with ToR and meet bimonthly
  • Ongoing monitoring and review of progress against targets
  • Enhanced linkages between Western Outcomes Group, EISP and Locality Planning Groups
  • Dissemination of Early Intervention Charter of Commitment
/ DHC / EISP / December 2013
Explore feasibility of 5 Early Intervention Zones / 1,2,3 /
  • 5 EI Zones established covering the DCC area
/ EISP / Western Outcomes Group
Locality Planning / March 2014
Establish & launch the Oakleaf Generation concept as the framework for our longitudinal approach / 1,2,3 /
  • An agreed definition of the ‘Oakleaf Generation’ as the framework for our longitudinal approach and how this translates into outcomes and impact for children
  • A shared understanding of the aims and objectives and stakeholder roles in the Oakleaf Generation approach
  • Branding & communication in place
  • Baseline documented in 2013
  • Longitudinal study of the Oakleaf Generation commissioned
  • All parents given journal to record progress of their child as part of the Oakleaf Generation
/ DHC / EISP Locality Planning,
Service Providers,
WHSCT,
5 EI Zones / March 2014
Action / Strategic Objective / Outcome / Lead / Partners / Completion
Develop and agree communications plan / 1,2 /
  • A Programme of 6 ‘Learning and Sharing’ sessions - articulating and sharing local, regional and international best practise
  • Monthly Early Intervention City Bulletin contributed to by partners and shared with stakeholders
  • Opportunity for EI stakeholders to focus in on a particular service/ organisation/ emerging trend identifying if and how value can be added
  • Identification and sharing of successful interventions and learning shared with all partners
  • Ability to plan for emerging challenges through innovative approaches
  • Service provider network in place
/ EISP / HSCB
CES
WHSCT
5 EI Zones / February 2014
Implement the learning from the UNICEF Child Rights Process & Rights Respecting School Programmes with awareness of the particular rights of young children / 1,2 /
  • Integration of Child Rights agenda and Ethos
  • Enhanced input from children/young people
  • Shared Child Rights toolkit
  • Enhanced input from young children and parents including age appropriate strategies for engaging babies and young children from a rights based perspective
  • Integration of this approach into UNICEF and other initiatives in city
/ DCC/
WEL/ Early Years / EISP / Ongoing
Develop monitoring and evaluation process to track delivery and outcomes of Early Intervention City action plan / 1,2 /
  • Baseline of current delivery
  • Annual Early Intervention City meeting with stakeholders assessing progress
  • EISP to meet 6 times per year
  • Strategic EI Key Influencers to meet twice per year
  • Consistent measurement process and timetable
  • Uniform reporting template
  • Database of progress
  • Longitudinal study of Oakleaf Generation
/ EISP / WHSCT
5 EI Zones WELB
ILEX
Early Years/QUB / June 2014
Establish area as a pilot research & learning site for Early Intervention work to identify and develop research opportunities and partners / 1,2 /
  • Showcased best practice in DCC area
  • Build an asset base of evaluation and research
  • Enhanced knowledge base linked to 3rd level education
  • Learning opportunity for Early Intervention students
/ EISP / 5 EI Zones CES
QUB/UU/Regional Colleges / Ongoing

A GOOD START