MINUTES of the meeting of theCHILDREN’S CENTRES AND EXTENDED SCHOOLS TOPIC GROUP held on TUESDAY3 NOVEMBER 2009
ATTENDANCE
Members of the Topic Group
J R Barfoot, T C Heritage (Chairman), F Button, M S Crawley, D Thomson (Parent-Governor) M A Watkin (Vice-Chairman)
Other Members present
None
Officers present
H Ashdown, Head of Childhood Support Services
F Coupe, Head of Partnership Commissioning
E Gibson, Democratic Services Officer
P Kellett, Strategy Manager (Extended Schools)
K Lalli, Commissioning Officer
N Rotherham, Scrutiny Officer
C Swindells, Strategy Manager (Children’s Centres)
Also in attendance
K Gilmour, Clinical Services Manager, East Herts
R Haynes, HobbsHillWoodPrimary School
H Jones, CountyManager, Pre-school Learning Alliance
L McIntosh, Integrated Partnership Manager, Beds and Herts, Job Centre Plus
A Welsh, Children’s Centre Manager, Pre-school Learning Alliance
1. / APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN / ACTION1.1 / It was noted that T C Heritage and M A Watkin had been appointed Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Topic Group for the duration of its work.
2.
2.1 / REMIT OF THE TOPIC GROUP
Members considered the main issues to be addressed about Children’s Centres and ExtendedSchoolsas set out in the scoping document.
3. / SCRUTINY OF CHILDREN’S CENTRES AND EXTENDED SCHOOLS (CCES)
3.1
3.2 / The Topic Group began with discussion on the progress of the implementation programme so far and its interest in considering the following points:
- were CCES being developed as they should be?
- would HCC be able to measure the extent to which CCSS were improving outcomes and having a positive impact on children’s school and family life and contributing to the wider community?
- could the scrutiny help improve service development and delivery?
3.3
3.4
3.5 / Helen Ashdown gave a presentation which provided information on the national context for the development of CCES and on the statutory duties that HCC was obliged to fulfil. Members noted that the focus was on children’s well-being, centred within the wider community, and on responding flexibly to local need. Development of CCES across the county was providing extra support to children, families and communities who needed it and a pathway to specialist services for those with more complex needs.
Members noted that providing parents, guardians and carers with clear signposting to support and specialist services was one of the main roles that the CCES would fulfil. CCES have a core offer and then offer additional services to meet local need, such as, for example:
- Family learning sessions
- Dads’ sessions
- Health eating information
- Smoking cessation advice
- Teenage issues such as contraception and sexual health
- Job Centre plus liaison
3.6 / CCES teams were working towards achieving their target of 82 children’s centres designated by March 2010 and all schools extended by September 2010. Roll-out was focused on the neediest areas first, with ‘need’ being identified by analysis of local data using a range of social deprivation indicators.
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.10 / Caroline Swindellsgave a presentation on the implementation programme for SureStart CCs.
The Topic Group noted that central to the development of CCES was the concept of seamless service from 0 -19. Transition from CC to ES would be managed and families would be helped and supported when children made the move at age 4 from CCs to the early years at primary school. There was discussion on the role of voluntary organisations and the contribution that they could make in providing services in the centres, and also discussion on engagement with local elected Members and the role that they could play in supporting CCES.
It was noted that data exchange between other agencies and CSF was imperative. Members considered whether restrictions on sharing data presented an obstacle to the integrated care and support that CCES aimed to provide. Officers confirmed that thePrimary Care Trusts do not share data on new births with HCC.
It was noted that Health Trusts have a ‘Caldicott Guardian’ responsible for the legal aspect of data exchange. Please see document appended on the ‘Caldicott Principles’.
3.11
3.12
3.13 / There was discussion on capital funding,which provided the accommodation for centres, and on revenue funding that was devolved to the CC or ES for day-to-day running and overheads such as:
- Salaries for CCES staff
- Administrative support in CSF
- Contribution to the commissioning of services
At the present time officers did not have all the information on what the Ofsted inspection programme would involve but would access this information as soon as it became available. / Action: H Ashdown
3.14
3.15 / Some of the challenges faced in developing CCES were considered, as follows:
- Recruiting suitably qualified centre managers, and developing training and development for them longer term
- Sustainability and funding for 2011 onwards
- Information sharing between different agencies (e.g. health)
- Maintaining and monitoring quality of services
- Method of monitoring outcomes
- Responding to the requirements of Ofsted inspections in future.
3.16
3.17 / Pauline Kellett gave a presentation which focused in more detail on Extended Schools
Members noted that ES were organised into 38 clusters of schools, or consortia, with each having a Hub school. Hub schools could be primary, secondary or special schools. Consortia would have the support of an Extended Schools Co-ordinator (ESCo) who were employed by the Hub school and whose remit was to develop groups of schools working together to achieve the core offer.
3.18 / Challenges for the future of ES were largely the same as for CC: sustainability and funding, and developing ways to measure outcomes and the positive impact that ES were having on the lives of children and families and on the wider community.
3.19
3.20 / Frances Coupe and Kulbir Lalligave a presentation on commissioning services for CCES and how commissioners would identify and draw up contracts with lead agencies to run the CCs.
The issue of funding after 2011 was raised with regard to the commissioning process. In response to a request from Members, officers would provide:
- a written report on the funding structure, together with a chart showing how commissioners/providers/funding linked together;
- information on the formula for the disadvantaged subsidy and free school meals.
H Ashdown
Action:
P Kellett
3.21
3.22
3.23
3.24 / Kay Gilmour gave a presentation on Hospital and Community Health Staff (HCHS) Children’s Universal Services delivered through CCES. This provided information on the national policy context, the strategic direction of HCHS and on the Child Health Promotion Programme.
There was discussion on the health-related services that could be delivered at CCs, including:
- Breast feeding advice
- Support services for post-natal depression
- Healthy eating and prevention of obesity
- Health visitor sessions
- Chlamydia screening
- Immunisation against HPV
Members noted that there may be some cross-county uptake of service (for example Hertfordshire residents using CCs in Essex and vice-versa). Service-users were not constrained to using CCs in their own area.
3.25
3.26
3.27
3.28 / Lisa McIntoshprovided the topic group with information on the out-reach work that JobCentre Plus does in CCs.
There was discussion on levels of unemployment across the county and Members were pleased to note that Hertfordshire had employment rates that were better than the national average. Unemployment tended to be located in clusters and JobCentre Plus focused their outreach work on areas in the county that have the highest unemployment rates. Lisa McIntosh would supply Members with data on employments rates.
Members noted that JobCentre Plus officers were dedicated to breaking down barriers to employment. JobCentre Plus provided support in returning to work, for example for single parents on income support. They could offer work-focused interviews, sign-posting to training opportunities and help with understanding the benefits system. Parents and carers often needed help with ways of making childcare more affordable (such as via child tax credits) and were assisted with working out a ‘better-off’ calculation. JobCentre Plus could also offer one-to-one outreach work if there was the demand.
Members noted that the costs to JobCentre Plus for providing these services included: staff training, travel, insurance and costs of providing mobile phones and laptops. / Action:
L McIntosh
3.29
3.30 / Members received a presentation fromHelen Jones from the Pre-School Learning Alliance, a national educational charity and voluntary sector provider. The presentation provided information on their role as a lead agency for a number of CCs in Hertfordshire.
Angela Welsh, CC Manager responded to questions from Members and there was discussion on the services provided, such as courses for new parents, and partnership work with other agencies such as health professionals.
3.31
3.32
3.33 / Richard Haynes gave a presentation on his role as head teacher in a school that is both extended and acting as a Hub for a cluster of other extended schools in the area. The topic group considered the management structure at the school, Hobbs Hill Wood Primary.
Members discussed the role of the Family Support Worker (FSW) and the outreach work that they do, particularly with vulnerable children and families. Members noted that the FSW was the main contact point in cases of need and there was discussion on the training and continuing professional development needed for this role.
Members agreed to send any other questions to the Scrutiny Officer for consideration at the next meeting. / Action: All to note
4.
4.1 / DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting would be on Friday 4 December in Room 246 County Hall (start time to be confirmed).
Elaine Gibson,
Topic Group Administrator
November 2009
Caldicott Principles
The Caldicott report: A review was commissioned in 1997 by the Chief Medical Officer of England "owing to increasing concern about the ways in which patient information is being used in the NHS in England and Wales and the need to ensure that confidentiality is not undermined. Such concern was largely due to the development of information technology in the service, and its capacity todisseminate information about patients rapidly and extensively".
A committee was established under the chairmanship of Dame Fiona Caldicott, Principal of Somerville College Oxford, and previously President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Its findings were published in December 1997.
The Committee produced six key principles which govern the use of patient information. A key recommendation was the establishment of a network of organisational Guardians to oversee access to patients-identifiable information. All NHS organisations are now required to have such a Guardian, known as the Caldicott Guardian.
Caldicott Guardian Principles
Principle 1: Justify the purpose(s)
Every proposed use or transfer of patient-identifiable information within or from an organisation should be clearly defined and scrutinised, with continuing uses regularly reviewed by an appropriate guardian.
Principle 2: Don’t use patient-identifiable information unless it is absolutely necessary
Patient-identifiable information items should not be used unless there is no alternative.
Principle 3: Use the minimum necessary patient-identifiable information
Where use of patient-identifiable information is considered to be essential, each individual item of information should be justified with the aim of reducing identifiability.
Principle 4: Access to patient-identifiable information should be on a strict need to know basis
Only those individuals who need access to patient-identifiable information should have access to it, and they should only have access to the information items that they need to see.
Principle 5: Everyone should be aware of their responsibilities
Action should be taken to ensure that those handling patient-identifiable information, clinical and non-clinical staff, are aware of their responsibilities and obligations to respect patient confidentiality.
Principle 6: Understand and comply with the law
Every use of patient-identifiable information must be lawful. Someone in each organisation should be responsible for ensuring that the organisation complies with legal requirements.
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091103 Minutes