Southampton Children & Young People s Trust

Transcription

1 Southampton Children & Young People s Trust DEVELOPMENT PLAN Page 1 of 10

2 Contents Section Page SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION SECTION 2 CURRENT POSITION SECTION 3 ACTION PLAN Page 2 of 10

3 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION This development plan for the Southampton Children & Young People s Trust (CYPT) has been produced to support the delivery of the new Children and Young People s Plan (CYPP) , which sets out the Trust s priorities for improvements and the actions it is going to take to achieve these priorities. It also reflects new national government guidance, published in November This guidance Children s Trusts Statutory guidance on interagency cooperation to improve wellbeing of children, young people and their families sets out a number of recommendations for CYPT development, some of which will be subject to legislation. The guidance reaffirms that the role of the CYPT Board is to put in place the five essential features of the Children s Trust: - developing and promulgating a child and family-centred, outcome-led vision for all children and young people via the CYPP - putting in place robust arrangements for inter-agency governance - developing integrated strategy: joint planning and commissioning; pooled and aligned budgets; and the CYPP - supporting this via integrated processes: effective joint working sustained by a shared language and shared processes - developing and promoting integrated front line delivery organised around the child, young people or family rather than professional or institutional boundaries Other key messages in the guidance include: - strengthening involvement of schools and colleges - strengthening commissioning and workforce development - ensuring there is good communication between the CYPT and LSCB and clarity around roles - strengthening consultation, engagement and participation of children and young people This plan has been developed to turn the vision of the CYPP and of government guidance into a reality. It sets out the organisational development priorities and action plan to strengthen CYPT s leadership role. It reflects the new national guidance and the Audit Commission Report: Are we there yet? (October 2008). Page 3 of 10

4 SECTION 2: CURRENT POSITION Where are we now and where do we want to be? Southampton Children and Young People s Trust was established in January 2008, as a central part of the Every Child Matters agenda, to harness the energy, commitment and resources of twenty two partners with the aim of reconfiguring services around the needs of children and young people. The structure of the Trust is illustrated below in figure I: Southampton Partnership / LAA Delivery Board Southampton Joint Commissioning Board Children & Young People Trust Board Health & Wellbeing Partner - ship Safe City Partner - ship Economy & Enterprise Partner - ship L CYPT Executive S C B Stay Safe Be Healthy Enjoy & Achieve Positive Economic Contribution Wellbeing TRUST CONFERENCE Figure I The Children and Young People's Trust reports to the Southampton Partnership/LAA Delivery Board and is one of four key partnerships for the City, the others being the Health and Wellbeing Partnership, Safe City Partnership and the Economy and Enterprise Partnership. An overarching Southampton Joint Commissioning Board is being developed ensure effective joint commissioning between Southampton City Council and the PCT and other partners on joint financial, procurement and contractual arrangements. Membership includes Director level representation from the PCT and Southampton City Council and other partners as and when required. Central to the Children and Young People's Trust is the Trust Board which has accountability for ensuring the planning and delivery of high quality services that are based around the needs of local children, young people and their families. The SCC Cabinet Member for Children s Services chairs these meetings supported by the Director of Children s Services. The Board is administered and minuted by SCC Legal and Democratic Services. Page 4 of 10

5 Reporting to the Trust Board are five Steering Groups which reflect the Every Child Matters five outcomes for children and undertake the day to day work of the Trust. Supporting the Trust Board is the Trust Executive which advises the Trust on planning, commissioning and performance issues, ensures that systems and processes are operating effectively and that the different agendas are brought together in a cohesive way. Periodically, the Trust holds a Trust Conference to consult with and engage the full range of colleagues and agencies delivering children s services in the agreement and delivery of priorities. Assessment of key strengths Over the period January May 2009, the Trust has assessed its current position in terms of development. This has taken the form of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis and self evaluation exercise. Overall, the Trust is currently a strong partnership in an early stage of development and in a good position to develop. Key strengths are: Strong engagement of health partners Good links with other city partnerships/cross cutting representation (e.g. Safe City Partnership) Good partnership engagement, which is reflected in the fact that the steering groups have chairs and vice-chairs from across the partner agencies Commitment of SCC elected members The way the steering groups are structured around the five ECM outcomes which supports a more holistic, interagency approach focussed around outcomes Good performance monitoring systems and use of data at board meetings to inform the Trust s business Opportunities There are a number of opportunities from which the Trust is in a good position to benefit: A new CYPP has been produced for which provides the Trust with a clear agenda and opportunity to set a robust work plan for the year The steering groups are maturing and at a stage of development where they are well placed to take on a stronger role in terms of: o Commissioning/joint commissioning o Performance management Development of the locality working model provides a strong mechanism for delivering the priorities in the CYPP at an operational level Areas for development In order to build on these strengths and make full use of the opportunities presented above, there are a number of areas for development: A need for the Trust Board to take on a more challenging leadership role in terms of driving up performance Greater recognition of and emphasis on the Trust's key function as a commissioning organisation and the opportunities that this presents for improving services through aligning and pooling budgets, and redirecting and targeting collective resources towards priorities Page 5 of 10

6 A need for the Trust Board to accelerate and drive forward the integrated workforce development agenda Increasing children and young people s influence of CYPT business A need to strengthen the engagement of schools and colleges A need to communicate more clearly the relationship between and respective roles of the Trust Board and the LSCB A need to be clearer about what is Council SCC business and what is Partnership (CYPT) business and what positions are reached accordingly. A need to explore a perception that there is a dominant culture of SCC in the Trust business Review of the Trust board membership in line with the new statutory guidance Page 6 of 10

7 SECTION 3 IMPROVEMENT PLAN These actions are the result of a gap analysis against the following two documents and only include those actions not already covered in the Children and Young People s Plan: Statutory guidance on inter-agency co-operation to improve well-being of children, young people and their families Also informed by Are we there yet? Audit Commission October 2008 Actions / Activities Review and amend CYPT membership to reflect statutory guidance in relation to inclusion of: GP Job Centre Plus Academies The private sector Employers (Statutory Guidance: 1.21, 2.30, 3.14, 3.11) CYPTB to complete self evaluation on effectiveness and implement changes as required. To include a review of the chairing arrangements. (Statutory Guidance: 3.10, 3.21, Audit Commission: Local councils should review current governance and management arrangements for Children s Services to focus on delivery of improved outcomes) Links with LSCB CYPT to develop mechanism to consult the LSCB on issues that affect how children are safeguarded and to take an overview of the LSCB s work as part Performance Indicators/measures Membership of Board and/or steering groups reconfigured to include new designated partners Self evaluation completed and action plan developed. Working arrangements and accountabilities between CYPT and LSCB Monitoring Lead Person Timescale CYPTB Chair Sue Allan By July 2009 CYPTB Chair Sue Allan Board self evaluation Action plan implementation by March DCS Ruth Chiva By July 2009 Page 7 of 10

8 Actions / Activities of its local monitoring arrangements. Ensure effective communication between the LSCB and the Children s Trust to avoid duplication of work or gaps in policies and services. Develop mechanism to ensure CYPT partners consider children s safeguarding needs across the whole spectrum and champion child safety ( including child protection, bullying, preventing accidents, traffic calming measures, access to quality green spaces safe outdoor play and safe places for teenagers to meet) (Statutory Guidance: 1.10, 2.11) The CYPT Board to ensure that the voice of front line providers is clearly heard by, and directly influences, those taking decisions about strategic planning, commissioning and the resource allocation these drive. (Statutory Guidance: 3.20) Ensure voluntary sector organisations engage in the Children s Trust governance. (Statutory Guidance: 3.23) Review membership and ToR of steering groups to reflect their commissioning role (Statutory Guidance: 3.29, 3.30, 3.31) Performance Indicators/measures to be clearly set out and implemented. Board members representing provider services confirm satisfaction with arrangements put in place. Board members representing voluntary services confirm satisfaction with arrangements put in place. Membership and ToR revised and agreed. Monitoring Lead Person Timescale CYPTB Chair Sue Allan July 2009 CYPTB Chair Sue Allan July 2009 Stephanie Ramsey Ruth Chiva Paul Nugent Alison Alexander Donna Chapman June 2009 Page 8 of 10

9 Actions / Activities Performance Indicators/measures Monitoring Lead Person Timescale Jean Humphrey Ensure schools and colleges are fully engaged as partners. (Statutory Guidance: 2.15, 3.11, 3.20, 3.21) Ensure shared ownership and responsibility amongst partners for the revision of the Workforce Strategy and for its implementation. (Statutory Guidance: 3.50) Proposed action to achieve this: Workforce Strategy Group to be reviewed and developed as a sub group of the CYPT; with minutes shared and at least six monthly progress reports to CYPT Board. Ensure all partners are prepared for and implement correctly the new Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS), when it begins operation in October All schools and colleges are aware of CYPT and CYPP priorities and of their role in local commissioning. Workforce Strategy Board representative of all partners. CYPT partners ensure workforce issues are progressed within agencies. CYPTB agendas and minutes reflect its accountable role for workforce issues All partners are compliant with new requirements School/college reps on CYPTB CYPTB Chair LSCB Contract Managers Paul Nugent Jan 2010 Sue Allan/ Hilary Kelly CYPTB provider partners By Sept 2009 October 2009 (Statutory Guidance: 2.13) Ensure the CYPT connects effectively with the Southampton Partnership, the Safe City Partnership, the Health and Wellbeing Partnership, the Skills and Employability Board and all other city partnerships with related business. Representation and attendance on these partnerships is clear and consistent. The work of the CYPT is directly influenced by, and influences the activities of CYPTB chair Sue Allan June 2009 Page 9 of 10

10 Actions / Activities (Statutory Guidance: 1.8) CYPT Board to systematically and regularly monitor and evaluate results, challenge itself and others where progress is slow and be sensitive and responsive to the practicalities of front line delivery. Quarterly monitoring reports to be used by Steering Groups to address poor performance and by CYPT Board to hold steering groups to account. (Statutory Guidance: 1.15) Performance Indicators/measures these partnerships. Performance management is embedded in the work at all levels, as reflected in CYPTB and steering group agendas and minutes Monitoring Lead Person Timescale CYPTB Chair Sue Allan From May 2009 Page 10 of 10