CHYP IN
News for the voluntary and community sector
working with Children and Young People In Newcastle
Welcome to CHYP IN Spring 2014
CHYP IN network 2014
The voluntary sector forum for organisations working with children and young people in Newcastle
The CHYP IN network 2014 dates for your diaries, all beginning at 10.00 am, are:
· Tuesday 17 June, in the Hall at St James’ United Reformed Church, Northumberland Road
· Tuesday 14 October, venue to be confirmed
At the last CHYP IN meeting:
Initial Response Service Karen Simmons from Children's Social Care spoke about the Initial Response Service and the new ‘front door’ into children’s services, where referrals and concerns are directed to the appropriate support. Karen spoke about the development of a Multi-Agency Strategic Hub (MASH) where staff from different agencies (children’s social care, police, NHS) work in the same room. The MASH will boost quality information sharing to protect children or prevent crime; it will be virtual for a month and then go live at the end of April or early May.
The Youth Contract in Newcastle Geraldine Smith, Gateshead and Newcastle Partnership Officer at Newcastle City Council gave a presentation on the new youth employment initiative, which is part of the national Youth Contract programme. Funding of £4.5 million covering the north east was confirmed in November.
People at the meeting had a lot of questions and very strong views about the development of the Youth Contract so far, which has had no involvement of the local voluntary sector working with young people with the greatest needs, nor of young people themselves.
It was agreed at the meeting that the proposed task groups offer a way for the sector to get more involved, along with a meeting with the project manager when he or she is in post. Meanwhile Newcastle CVS and the voluntary sector reps on the Childrens Trust Board, Jeff Hurst and Simon Campbell, will meet with Rob Hamilton in early April about the concerns raised.
Play and Youth Support team Jo Taylor, Senior Play and Youth Support Officer outlined the work of the new City Council team to support play and youth groups around policies, the Youth and Community Opportunities Fund, using the Investing in Children Award and much more.
CHYP IN: Child Poverty Strategy consultation meeting
Wednesday 14 May, 10 am to 12pm at Newcastle CVS, Higham House, Newcastle
The Government has launched a consultation on its Child Poverty Strategy 2014 to 17. Newcastle CVS has arranged a workshop about the consultation, in order to make a joint response. Sarah Bryson from Children North East, who spoke at the CHYP IN event in October about Poverty Proofing the School Day, will bring up to date perspectives from their work. If you would like to come to the meeting, contact Pam Jobbins at Newcastle CVS. Call 0191 235 7017 Email
Responses to the consultation must be made by 22May.
To find out more visit www.gov.uk/government/news/child-poverty-strategy-consultation-launched
Review of Newcastle Children’s Trust arrangements
Friday 4 April, 3.00pm to 4.30pm at Newcastle CVS, Higham House
Newcastle Children’s Trust Board has asked Paul Brownlee, Service Manager, Young People’s Services at Newcastle City Council to undertake a review of the Children’s Trust Board, including the role of the Board, its composition and its relationship to partnerships within the Children’s Trust and to other partnerships including the Wellbeing for Life Board.
Newcastle CVS and the Children’s Trust Board voluntary sector representatives have arranged a meeting with Paul Brownlee on 4 April to hear more about the review and to consider what it means for the voluntary sector and its ability to participate and influence services for children and young people in Newcastle. If you would like to attend the meeting please contact Martin Gollan at Newcastle CVS.
More about the review
The statutory requirement to have a “Children’s Trust” was removed in 2010 and there is no longer a formal requirement to provide a Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP); the current Newcastle CYPP expires at the end of March 2014. However, the ‘duty to cooperate’ to improve the wellbeing of children and young people (section 10 of the Children Act 2004) remains in force and is the underpinning principle for a Children’s Trust or similar arrangement.
Section 10 sets outs that the Local Authority must make arrangements to promote co-operation between itself, relevant partners andorganisations who are engaged in activities or servicesrelating to children and young people. Also under the Act relevant bodies, which are mostly the statutory sector and schools, have a duty to cooperate to improve the wellbeing of children relating to:
· physical and mental health and emotional well-being
· protection from harm and neglect
· education, training and recreation
· the contribution made by them to society
· social and economic well-being
Youth and Community Opportunities Fund (YCOF) showcase
Wednesday 16 April, 1.00pm to 3.00pm at Conference room, College St.
Newcastle Play and Youth Support Team are hosting a Youth and Community Opportunities Fund (YCOF) showcasing event. This will be an opportunity for organisations to showcase some of the positive activities that the YCOF has funded in 2013/14 and the benefits to young people across the city. Please confirm your attendance by emailing
Newcastle Progression Forum
The Newcastle Progression Forum is a multi-agency forum set up to address transition issues for children and young people from primary school through to further education. The voluntary sector members on the Forum are Avril Gibson from the Northern Learning Trust and Lee Peacock from Children North East, and there is a voluntary sector group to support their involvement.
Since September a task and finish group has been looking at the impact of the changes in providing Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG); statutory changes include schools having responsibility for IAG for Year 8 to Year 13. A survey carried out by Newcastle CVS found that there are a number of voluntary sector staff qualified to deliver IAG, and that some organisations have been accredited with the Matrix Standard. Many voluntary organisations were found to be encouraging and supporting young people and offering advice and information that leads to learning or career pathways.
The Progression Forum has agreed the task and finish group’s proposal that a Learning Advocate role in communities is developed. A voluntary sector meeting about the new role is being planned for 28 April 2014. To find out more about the Progression Forum and to get involved contact
The continuum of help and support
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013 sets out a clear expectation that organisations and agencies will work together and collaborate to identify children with additional needs and provide support as soon as a problem arises. Newcastle City Council along with its partners and the voluntary sector has revised the document that describes the thresholds used in making these judgements. The continuum of help and support was previously known as the thresholds document.
The document describes four levels of need for help and support on the continuum, universal, additional, integrated and specialist, and includes the indicators for these levels. It retains the ‘windscreen’ model in a clearer and simplified form. Presentations and case studies are being prepared, so that managers can discuss using the document with practitioners, and multi-agency workshops will be held from the summer. Newcastle CVS will circulate more information in the future; meanwhile to download the document visit
www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk/networkinginvolving/children-and-young-people/information-newsletter-and-resources
Fair Choices for Tough Times: 2014 to 2015 budget
The City Council budget proposals, Fair Choices for Tough Times 2014 to 15, went to the Cabinet in February following consultation which included meeting with the voluntary sector. The budget is very complex with many parts that impact on children and young people in the city; it also recognises the role of the voluntary sector throughout.
The City commissions £200 million in goods and services from businesses in the North East and £50 million from the voluntary sector. The City made a commitment to grant aid £6 million to the sector through the Newcastle Fund, and £2 million through Ward Committee grant aid in 2013 to 16, as well as the new Wellbeing Fund of £200,000 per year for two years through the Ward Committee mechanism to small community projects.
Safeguarding Children’s Board
The proposal to merge co-ordination roles and reduce support for the Safeguarding Children Board and Safeguarding Adults Board will not take place, following the consultation on the budget proposals. Savings will be made through efficiencies.
Cheviot View
The City Council budget proposals published in November 2012 included a proposal to close Cheviot View, which provides short breaks for children with severe disabilities and complex needs. Options for alternatives were explored during the year and parents and services users were consulted in detail. The plan now is to merge the Thomas Bewick School educational offer with the short breaks offer at Cheviot View, closing the eight bed residential unit and the flat at the Thomas Bewick site. Newcastle CVS made a response to the budget proposals, visit
www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk/representinginfluencing/cuts-and-the-budget
The final budget paper that went to the Cabinet on 24 February is on
http://democracy.newcastle.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=857&MId=5113&Ver=4
Family services review
Following consultation on the City Council budget proposals Council has decided to merge the family services review and the early years review. The Council wants to improve the way that families access services, smooth transitions, and to make savings. The savings in the City Council budget proposals include £4 million from the Sure Start budget.
The Council “has agreed with partners in the NHS and schools to undertake a root and branch whole-system review of all family support services in the city for children and young people aged from conception to 25 years”. The review, on a cooperative basis with partners and parents, will also involve reviewing children’s social care and will lead to changes in commissioned services. As well as providing commissioned services, many voluntary organisations carry out activities that directly compliment commissioned services. Newcastle CVS has asked the City Council for early voluntary sector involvement.
Operation Sanctuary
Operation Sanctuary is an investigation into allegations of a series of sexual offences involving vulnerable female victims, including teenagers and adults. Key messages have been published. Please can you make sure that this information is communicated to front line staff and volunteers who may be working with vulnerable individuals? For the key messages document visit Newcastle CVS website
www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk/networkinginvolving/adult-wellbeing-and-social-care/information-newsletter-and-resources
Safeguarding: guidance flowchart on sexual exploitation
Northumbria Police has produced a guidance flowchart for agencies receiving information on child sexual exploitation (CSE) and sexual exploitation of vulnerable adults. The chart sets outs the various routes that can be taken by practitioners if they are aware or have concerns that a child or vulnerable adult is involved or at risk of sexual exploitation.The basic message is to follow multi-agency safeguarding adults and safeguarding children procedures.
Recently a voluntary sectorworker said that the Northumbria Police protection team was very helpful to them and was open toan informal discussion.
The Guidance flowchart is on Newcastle CVS website, visit
www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk/networkinginvolving/adult-wellbeing-and-social-care/information-newsletter-and-resources
Children and young people’s health related behaviour survey
Newcastle City Council worked with schools and the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Community Services during 2013 to find out about young people’s health related behaviour. 4,222 young people in primary and secondary schools responded to the survey; the pupils were from across the city although fewer schools in the East took part. The survey asked about healthy eating, drugs alcohol and tobacco, emotional health and wellbeing, physical activity, relationships and sexual health, safety and school.
There are comparisons through the Schools and Students Health Education Unit (SHEU) survey in a number of other areas, with nearly 70,000 pupils involved. Many of the trends and changes compared to other areas, and to a survey in 2011 are positive. For instance, in year 6 only 2% of girls had had an alcoholic drink in the previous 7 days compared to 6% in 2011; 38% of pupils said their parents smoked compared to 42% in 2011. In 2011 23% of year 10 pupils had been in a sexual relationship – this had fallen to 18% in 2013.
But some finding raise concerns, such as that 56% of boys in years 8 and 10 have seen images online that were for adults only, compared to 47% in the wider sample.
For the summary document on Newcastle CVS website visit
www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk/networkinginvolving/children-and-young-people/information-newsletter-and-resources
Income Support for lone parents
From April 2014 there are increased requirements for work related activity for lone parents with children under five who are claiming Income Support:
· Tailored work focused interviews for lone parents with a child aged 1 to 4 years old
· Mandatory work related activity for lone parents with children aged 3 and 4 years old
If parents do not comply with these requirements they could be subject to benefit sanctions.
Safe Network new guide for Trustees
Safe Network is the voluntary sector safeguarding website run by NSPCC and Children England with free resources and support, especially for smaller voluntary organisations. Safe Network has produces a new guide for Trustees, Everyone’s Business Safeguarding for Trustees. The guide is free and can be downloaded from:
www.childrenengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Everyones-Business-Safeguarding-for-Trustees.pdf
To find out more about the Safe Network and how to register for free support visit www.safenetwork.org.uk
Integrated working training and support
Common Assessment Framework (CAF) Practice and Refresher training
8 April, or 15 May or 16 June, 9.15am to 2.30pm at Newcastle Civic Centre
The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is the primary generic early assessment tool used in Newcastle, when children have additional needs that are not being met by a single agency. The CAF is used to coordinate a response to those needs. This course combines two previous courses and is suitable for experienced CAF practitioners and their managers who have undertaken full CAF and lead practitioner training before and need a refresher, as well as new staff who are likely to be involved directly with CAF assessments and to act as lead practitioners. The training will also cover the pre-CAF which helps in the decision about using a CAF.