Children, Young People Families forum

Thurs10 October 2013

Meeting notes

Attendees:

Alison Miles (Southwark Parent Carers’ Council),Andre Ferguson (Meakabears Deaf Support), Anna-Marie Weier (London Met), Charlene Stakemire (Southwark Law Centre), Deborah Boyd (Homestart Southwark), Ika Bigby (Victim Support London), Jamie Anglesea, Miranda Halsem & Sam Adofo (Salmon Youth Centre), Jean Tucker (Pre-school Learning Alliance), Jenny Hinds (Blackfriars Settlement), Kari Pilkington (Family Action), Laura Dix (Solace Women’s Aid), Leo Schwartz (Cambridge House),Linda Cleverly,Liza Dresner (Resources for Autism), Marva Trenton (Lifelong Family Links), Stephen Dering (Greenwich Association of Disabled People), Tracey Franklin (Inspire).

VCS Reps:

Carolyn Martin (Family Action), Gordon McCullough (Community Action Southwark), Hazel Saunders (Faces in Focus) Natalia Sali (Contact A Family).

CAS:

Phil Mawhinney, Deborah Hayman.

  1. Welcome, introductions & updates (Phil Mawhinney, CAS)
  • PM welcomed attendees and asked everyone to briefly introduce themselves.
  1. Improving the health & wellbeing of children, young people & families in Southwark

(Jodie Adkin, Southwark council)

  • JA gave a short presentation on the new Health & Wellbeing Strategy from the Health & Wellbeing Board. The board is includes representatives from both Southwark council and the NHS, as well as other partners including the voluntary community sector (VCS).
  • The H&W Strategy is a key document – it informs the priorities in the Children & Young People’s Plan, which in turn influence commissioning priorities.
  • Attendees then broke into groups to look at two ‘typical’ case studies (based on real life cases but with changed names) –
  • ‘Fatima’: a 16-year old girl with mental health needs; immediate family has died of cancer; has a poor social network and her few friends are a negative influence; smokes and drinks heavily; has previously been employed but finds it difficult to sustain; has lost tenancy before and experienced periods of homelessness.
  • The ‘Bayo’ family, recently moved to the borough from overseas; includes three children under five; recent visit to A&E resulted in GP registration, where the GP found children in general good health although some are overweight and not meeting some developmental milestones; lives in poor quality private housing; both parents work manual shifts; has informal childcare arrangements through good community links with church; mum is recently pregnant again.
  • Attendees identified 3 things for each case study –
  • What is important to them from their perspective, e.g. a supportive group of friends.
  • What they need to improve their lives, e.g. secure tenancy.
  • Service provision to meet those needs, including existing provision or where there is a gap. This included VCS providers outlining how their own services meet particular needs, e.g. counselling, parenting support, financial or legal advice.
  • Following the exercise there was a brief discussion.
  • One of the points raised was about the limited or unclear support available to people/families with no recourse to public funds. Many people with NRPF are unwilling to approach VCS services due to fear of being reported, never mind approaching statutory services. Proposed changes to national legislation could mean people become even more hidden and therefore unable to access the care and support they need.
  • The notes from the exercise will be written-up and sent to council officers to help inform the implementation of the Health & Wellbeing Strategy and the Children & Young People’s Plan.
  1. Refreshments & networking
  1. Representation (Phil Mawhinney & VCS Reps)
  • PM explained CAS’s current system of VCS representation, based on a network of ‘Reps’ who attend various strategic partnerships, such as the council-led Children & Families Trust.
  • Reps then gave short summaries of recent policy developments from their particular partnership:
  • Gordon McCullough (CAS) – Health & Wellbeing Board, Safeguarding Children Executive Board
  • Natalia Sali(Contact A Family) – Children & Families Trust
  • Carolyn Martin (Family Action) – Safeguarding Children Main Board,Corporate Parenting Committee
  • Phil Mawhinney (CAS) – Safeguarding Children Board – child sexual exploitation subgroup, Safer Southwark Partnership.
  • Read the latest policy ‘Dispatches’ on the CAS website.
  • There wasan open discussion in which attendees raised points of interest of concern for Reps to take forward. Key points included the following:
  • Who will be eligible for the new education, health & care plansfor children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)?
  • Are the needs of parent carers taken fully into account under the forthcoming reforms? Under the Children & Families Bill, parent carers are not assessed for support.
  • Schools conduct separate SEND assessments, so we don’t know the quality of these.
  • The forum would like to invite Lucy Milich, Southwark Council’s Children’s Rights Co-ordinator, to attend the next meeting to engage with VCS groups.
  • In terms of safeguarding children, CAS has agreed with the council to host a seconded Safeguarding Designated Officer to improve safeguarding policy and practice within the VCS.
  • Initially, some attendees thought this was unnecessary, as they already knew how to contact the council for safeguarding support. However, after discussion of the high level of risk resulting from the inadequacy of practice within the sector (particularly among smaller providers/groups) attendees were keen to have the support of a designated officer who would have the capacity to engage with organisations, offer in-depth support, understand the particular issues facing the sector and provide a greater level of assurance that we are doing all we can to safeguarding children.
  • Some attendees expressed frustration with the councilwhen trying to refer service users at risk of neglect or harm to council services. There was uncertainty as to whose responsibility it was (VCS or council) to complete a CAF (Common Assessment Framework), whether one was needed, which agreed template/form to use and frustration trying to access completed CAFs from the council. These are issues the designated officer could address.
  • Job description for designated officer to be sent in forum bulletin and comments invited.
  • It was noted that this kind of support to the sector has been promised before but did notmaterialise.
  • One attendee asked whether volunteers could achieve the enhanced DBS check. The online guidance is not clear but those interested should consult it or contact the DBS directly - .
  • Attendees were asked how they felt about the proposal for a Community Engagement subgroup of the Southwark Safeguarding Children Board, to look specifically at improving practice within the VCS.
  • Attendees made a number of points:
  • People’s capacity is very limited and it is not clear what value the subgroup would bring. Some were more sceptical, seeing it as a ‘tick-box’ exercise.
  • Faith groups are a separate and diffuse part of the VCS, which the council or CAS would struggle to fully engage with. It would be more efficient to engage key individuals working in faith communities and/or the local multi-faith forum.
  • The proposed VCSdesignated officer would be in place to improve practice within the sector.
  • There may be some resistance on the basis that the subgroup could be seen to be monitoring minority communities with suspicion.
  1. Project showcase
  • Greenwich Association of Disabled People
  • Faces in Focus
  1. Networking, information sharing
  • Attendees shared information on new projects, opportunities, needs and upcoming events.
  1. Close
  • The next forum will be onThurs 30 Jan,10.00 – 12.30pm, Cambridge House

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