Local Offer Workstream
Meeting on Thursday 30th April 2015

Present:
Rob Fuller, Andy Smith, Ashley Poulton, Anne Wakeling, Diane Chandler, David Johnson, Rachel Akers Kathy Forsdyke and Leanne Smith

Apologies from Heidi Redmond and Maria Faller

Kathy introduced Leanne Smith to the Workstream - Leanne has joined the Local Offer team as a development worker and was working through her first week’s induction.

Matters Arising from the last meeting

  • CAF ( Common Assessment of the Family) – there is now a copy of the parent’s leaflet on the Local Offer and a link to the CAF site on the NCC website. It was noted that there will be changes to the CAF system in the near future.
  • Self Assessment: Kathy had conducted a self assessment of the Local Offer that had been distributed to the workstream for comments. No comments were made by the members: See agenda items for action on self assessment
  • Quality Management of Local Offer providers
    Following advice from the last Workstream, Kathy had asked the Quality Assurance Management Board for guidance on good practice and was still waiting to hear back. Defer to next agenda

Local Offer Team
The first SNIX newsletter had been produced and issued. It was suggested that the Local Offer could provide gift vouchers for feedback/articles in the future. Kathy reported that there had been plenty of anecdotal compliments on the newsletter, these would be appreciated in a form that can be published on the Local Offer too.

Shooting Stars have agreed to be involved in the planning of the newsletter, although they have not provided any articles or information for the imminent summer edition. It is important that it is not made into a task for them, and we will try to ensure that we get their views orally and then produce a written format on their behalf. It was suggested that they could provide the results from their planned inspection of the Mounts Leisure Centre for the next newsletter as an example of the work that they do.
“Go For IT” will be asked if they can provide an article for the autumn edition. The tennis group can be asked to provide an article on their recent experiences.

Shooting Stars, Ashley and the Local Offer are planning a film, “how to use the Local Offer” and will be using Greenfields School as a base to access their equipment.

Feedback It is part of the legislation that users are able to give feedback, both of the Local Offer and of the services. Feedback received since the launch of the searchable site was reported to the workstream:

A parent had reported that there was a gap in information and in services for autistic young people aged over 18:
The Local Offer team have been asked at events about services and information for young adults leaving schools : It was agreed that the Local Offer will provide information leaflets about what choices are available and how to find more information.
This may be an area with gaps in service.
Adiscussion took place about how people manage change and the worry about transition from 14
Rob suggested that the Local Offer could be developed to provide a search more unique to an individual: If someone knows what they are looking for the Local Offer can provide good information, but it can be more challenging to start from awaiting diagnosis to early help.

The same parent also suggested that the Home page could provide more guidance notes. The Local Offer will investigate with the webteam if a prompt could be available.
The other feedback reported a fault, that was fixed by the developers and fun-days advert in the holiday that needed no response.

Helen Devine is the Social care Commissioner and is keen to view the Local Offer. She has been included in the SNIX distribution group.
She is also keen to include the perspective of children and young people.

Health
The Healthwatch conference was attended by the Local Offer in the winter. A co-production day had been held in Leicester in February and Rachel Akers , Kathy and Helen Adams ( Health Commissioner Children & Young People’s Commissioning Manager – SEN & Disability NHS Nene & Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups)had attended along with representatives from Northamptonshire Parent Forum group and this had been a useful day.
The Commissioners’ strategic plan had been distributed with the agenda for information.

Education

Heidi had arranged for a short survey to be made available at the Inclusion Network meeting for schools’ Sencos held in February 2015. At the time 64.2 % of Senco’s surveyed had used the Local Offer, and 40% of schools were still to publish their revised SEN policy relating to the new legislation. They will be reminded at the next round of meetings that the policies need to be made available to parents under the legislation.

Social Care
The Social Care representatives were unable to comment on the impact that the new Care Act could have on the Local Offer, but it was acknowledged that the entitlement to assessment and the new rights should be referenced. The Local Offer will provide relevant links
Safeguarding
The Local Offer provides information and links to the NCC safeguarding webpages.
Andy suggested that the Local Offer could be a really good medium for safeguarding information to be shared for young people in a way that is different to the reactive style that the Social Care team has to offer, such as simple guides to staying safe, keep safe places, internet safety etc. Ashley is meeting with Louisa Jepson and will send links to the Easy Read guides

Agreed to produce top tips for online safety and top tips for keeping safe. These can also be published in an edition of SNIX

Transitions Work
The old webpage of My Life My choice will be closed shortly. The information that was held on this site is now all on the Local Offer and Maria, Kathy and the webteam have been working on making this available on the Transition Webpage via Local Offer filters.

Self Assessment

Support and information for young people moving from children’s social care into adults. This is in essence the transition work, but there is an opportunity for the Local Offer to make sure that this information is available for families and young people.

Children in the Secure Estate
This group of young people are now included in the legislation and are entitled to the same support for SEN and disabilities as their peers.
Anne W is meeting with the Youth Offending Team about providing support for young people and will find out information for the Local Offer to publish.

Kathy will ask Bob Fletcher for advice about young adults.
We will discuss again at the next workstream as there is an impact on health care for this group too.

The self assessment has also highlighted that we need to provide information about the transfer from paediatric care to adult care and also continuing care arrangements for children.

It was noted that vulnerable and hard to reach families will need additional support.

Future Developments

The Local Offer needs to decide how the service will be governed at the end of the transfer period at the end of the work stream in 2017

The Local Offer, NPFG and IASS are hosting a Fun Day for our users. It will be held on 13th September 2015 at Northampton College. Planning has started for the event, which will be primarily activities that can be found on the Local Offer. There will be an opportunity for information and consultation. It will be filmed.

Phase 2 developments
Kathy proposed establishing an interactive map on the Local Offer – the workstream considered this to be a very good idea. Kathy will discuss with the webteam

A named transition worker will be allocated to each school on the Local Offer. ( Maria to advise)

It was agreed that the web team will be asked to develop an Easy Read tile to be used as a filter.
We need to establish a new tile for the filtering behind My choice My Life tile. Some discussion took place about the best name for this. And that it would be good to have a sub section behind it ( this may be covered by the Transition webpages design. ) Suggestions included “preparing for adulthood”, Steps into Adulthood” “ Leaving School” We will be restricted on character size and we already use Adulthood which could be confusing.

The Local Offer has to be reviewed by August 2015 involving young people and their families. A viewpoint questionnaire is being planned. It was agreed that focus group sessions could be held during the summer to ask parents their opinions.

Any Other Business

Kathy is willing to provide 20 minute induction for any new staff : a useful opportunity.
Kathy has been attending the Learning Disability Communication panel