Outcome – what do we want to achieve through better partnership working?
Reducing harm, vulnerability and poverty
We will work in partnership to reduce the risk and harm to vulnerable people through developing multi-agency interventions that support small numbers of those at highest risk within the context of stronger more hospitable communities.
Our current priority is to support families were children are growing up in poverty though we would also like to support vulnerable adults with complex needs such as mental ill-health, poor physical health, substance mis-use and as a result may be more vulnerable to domestic abuse, sexual violence, homelessness and unemployment.
Why is this a priority?
Data & intelligence / The community analysis shows us that, using data published last year from HMRC, there are 8 neighbourhoods where there are over 40% of children living in poverty with particular concentrations in St. Pauls 2 where nearly two-thirds live in poverty and Oakley 3 where it just over half of the children live in poverty.
In addition, data from the child wellbeing index shows that six of the eight neighbourhoods also are in the worst 20% of neighbourhoods in the country for child wellbeing.
In January 2012, the Campaign to End Child Poverty published mid-2011 estimates for local authority wards only; this shows that Cheltenham has four wards with significantly higher levels of child poverty when compared to the Cheltenham average (16%); these are Hesters Way (34%), Oakley (35%), St. Pauls (36%) and Springbank (35%). These are the highest rates in the County.
It concludes that there are significant risks that the wellbeing of our most vulnerable families will be further harmed over the coming years and that the without new and innovative ways of delivering intensive family-based services, the public sector (and agencies who depend on public sector funding) will not be in a position to respond.
Research from the Swindon Total Place project found that services dealing with the most vulnerable families have historically been designed on dealing with the result rather than the cause and that services largely ignored the importance of community and strong social networks in preventing and tackling vulnerability. This has led to the development of the Inspiring Families project which aims to co-ordinate and package services to support children, young people and families within their community.
Community views / Basic Needs should have completed a countywide baseline study with people with mental health issues and disabilities about their aspirations and needs by April 2012.
Partner views / Partners on the Children and Young People’s Partnership identified that Children and young people with vulnerable and complex needs who are living in poverty.
Partners on the Health and Wellbeing Partnership identified that supporting vulnerable adults with complex needs (mental ill-health, poor health, unemployment, substance mis-use and domestic abuse / sexual violence) within the context of stronger more hospitable communities are a particular priority
Who will be accountable for this outcome
SLG sponsor
PLP lead
Task and finish group / ?
?
Who else will help deliver this outcome
What have we got already - projects, work streams, sub groups including those at the county level to deliver this outcome
·  IF project for children and families living in poverty
·  Cheltenham Safeguarding Forum
·  Barnwood Trust new strategy which is being delivered by Basic Needs in Gloucestershire
·  Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities
·  Targeted Youth Support Service
·  GCC locality working
·  First Steps to Success Project led by People and Places to provide bespoke support to adults with complex needs.
·  Addressing Barriers Project commenced in 2011 by People and Places and Third Sector Services.
·  Mentoring Project pilot in Cheltenham led by Independence Trust working with prolific offenders.
·  Cheltenham and Tewkesbury sub groups for domestic abuse and sexual violence and hate crime.
·  Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Board and Working Group (with strategy) at county level
·  County Hate Crime Group
·  County Preventing Violent Extremism Group to ensure referrals are made of young people and adults who are susceptible to radicalisation through vulnerability.
What are our gaps, missings and risks associated with the delivery of this outcome?
·  Gaps in the different thresholds that enable children and families to access services
·  Ensuring effective communication between partners.
·  Lack of resources for working with NEET young people.
·  Capacity of organisations to respond to demand.
·  Support for adults that are not part of a household which includes children
·  Better coordination and training for the frontline staff working with adults – help them become “navigators” to help with all aspects of people’s lives – not just their professional silo.
How will gaps be addressed through projects, work streams or task and finish groups to support delivery of this outcome
IF project to continue. To feedback to PLP if blockages from specific agencies.
A task and finish group should be set up to consider how we might roll out the IF way of working for vulnerable adults.
It was agreed that someone from the Public Protection Bureau should be invited to be a rep on the PLP
There was also concern about how housing providers can work more collectively to respond to the needs of the community, and whether it would be useful to bring them together.
How are we encouraging and supporting communities to do more to deliver this outcome
By working with Basic Needs on the outcome of their baseline study?
What we will do this year
Improvement Activity / Planned Benefits / Key Resources / Dates / Lead / Partners
Commit to supporting the IF project and for PLP to review the project in September 2012
We will pilot an extension to IF that will inform how best we use the IF model to support vulnerable adults with complex needs.
As part of the development of the CBC’s housing strategy, commit to organise a conference that will bring together a range of stakeholders ie housing providers, VCS, other stakeholders and the SLG to discuss the issues and how we can collectively work together to support some of the most vulnerable in the community and use our resources to best effect.
How will we know what difference we have made?
Indicator / Baseline / Target / Lead / Links
reduction in child poverty figures
What partnership resources are available to deliver this outcome?
What are the longer-term risks to the delivery of this outcome?
What are the linkages between this outcome and the other outcome cards?