Children and Young People s Commissioner Scotland Minutes of the Management Team Meeting held on. 30 May 2017

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1 Children and Young People s Commissioner Scotland Minutes of the Management Team Meeting held on 30 May 2017 Note to Reader: The Children and Young People s Commissioner Scotland publishes the minutes of his Management Team meetings. These meetings are held each month. Where the Management Team needs to discuss an item in private, it may hold an Executive Team meeting and this is minuted separately. Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) anyone has the right to request any information held by Children and Young People s Commissioner Scotland, including Executive Team minutes or documents referred to in the minutes below. Wherever possible, information will be released to you, but if it is withheld we will explain why this is the case in the terms of FOISA. Requests should be made in writing, or any other recordable form to: Children and Young People s Commissioner Scotland Rosebery House 9 Haymarket Terrace Edinburgh, EH12 5EZ Tel: info@cypcs.org.uk Present: Apologies: Minutes: Bruce Adamson (BA) - Commissioner Katie Brown () Head of Participation and Education Stephen Grounds () Head of Corporate Services Máire McCormack (MM) Head of Policy None Heather Belmonte (HB) Executive Assistant Details As the new Commissioner, Bruce Adamson, took up post on 18 May 2017 he began the meeting by discussing his first few days in office and explained how he would like to move forward. Action By 1

2 BA has had useful meetings with all staff and held two full days of discussion. The key focus immediately is governance and management. Strategic Plan BA will lay a new Strategic plan in 6 months time. Ideally on 20 November to coincide with International Children s day. The Strategic plan will be developed over the next six months following best practice models with engagement from children and young people. The participation and education team will lead on how children can be put at the centre of the process of determining how the Commissioner should undertake the mandate, within the constraints of time and budget. The policy team will lead ensuring that the process has a clear evidence base reflecting the broad human rights framework and linked to implementation. The investigations team will further develop the processes for the use of investigations powers in the new plan. Governance Review The Corporate Services Team will focus on Strategic aim 5 to ensure the office is efficient, effective and fit for purpose. BA will carry out a full governance review along with. Interim operational plan to November 2017 The management team will work together over the next two weeks to develop an interim operational plan. This will reflect existing work and lay out the framework for future plans. A significant proportion of the interim operational plan will be devoted to the development of the new strategic plan, so other areas of work will need to be reduced to facilitate this. All managers are to plot out current work and we will develop criteria to determine what work is essential and must be continued and what work can be closed or passed on to partnership organisations. This MM / MM/ 2

3 is to be returned to BA by the end of the week bullet points only. The criteria must be clear and consistent, based on a human rights framework and gravity effect. It will link to the budget, including staff costs/ time. 1. Minutes of the meeting of 19 April 2017 Minutes approved 1.1 Matters arising HR Function The management team will primarily provide the HR function for the office. Any training needed will be provided. BA will provide support to the managers to do this, and specialist advice will be obtained when necessary. Currently the office also has Law at Work on retainer and provides the Employee Assistance Programme. Managers will ensure staff are aware of the support available. The governance review to be carried out will put in place clear HR policies and practice. Independent Complaints Reviewer to send relevant papers to BA for discussion. Staff Handbook Edgar Consultancy will return the completed document to this week. This will be included in the governance review. HR Files The Information Officer is working on making these appropriately accessible to staff. This will also be included in the governance review. Policy Budget MM and to meet to discuss. MM/ 2.1 Agreements/ Decisions from Management Team Group meeting No management group meeting was held. Future Group meetings will become Strategic Plan project meetings. 2.2 External Groups Review and Requests External groups will be reviewed as part of the interim operational plan. The impact of sitting on the group is key, 3

4 bearing in mind the mandate of the office. also suggested adding gravity to the criteria. 2.3 Corporate Parenting Update HB to create log of corporate parenting events and engagement for all staff to access and complete. 2.4 Equalities Duty Update None 3 Commissioner 3.1 Update The Education and Skills Committee were provided with a legacy report from Tam Baillie (TB), former Commissioner. BA s update was covered at the beginning of the meeting. BA will work with HB to create a standard briefing template prior to meetings and engagements. A member of staff will be assigned to provide the briefing and accompany BA to the meeting. A note of the meeting with then be saved. BA intends to circulate an update for the week ahead to all staff at the beginning of the week. 4-6 Updates Policy and Corporate Services updates are on Records Manager. to add the Participation and Education update. BA asked that all updates use consistent format and language, and sought feedback from Managers as to which format is most appropriate. asked whether the Annual report currently being written is to the end of TB s tenure only or whether it will include recommendations. asked if the timing of the laying of the Annual Report currently under construction will now change. HB to schedule a meeting between BA and the Communications Manager to discuss. informed the Power Up Power Down report has now been published on the Scottish courts website. 7 Governance This was covered during the meeting. and BA will carry out a full governance review. 8 External requests External requests were discussed and agreed. HB will respond or pass on to the appropriate member of staff. 9 AOCB HB 4

5 MM asked when the next BINOCC meeting is. This will be a skype meeting at the end of July. will circulate the expenditure to end of April report to the management team. Date of next meeting: 15 June :00am Minute Approved By: Management Team Date Approved: 15/06/2017 SUMMARY Actions Strategic Plan The participation and education team will lead on how children can be put at the centre of the process of determining how the Commissioner should undertake the mandate, within the constraints of time and budget. The policy team will lead ensuring that the process has a clear evidence base reflecting the broad human rights framework and linked to implementation. The investigations team will further develop the processes for the use of investigations powers in the new plan. The Corporate Services Team will focus on Strategic aim 5 to ensure the office is efficient, effective and fit for purpose. BA will carry out a full governance review along with. MM NH Interim Operational Plan The management team will work together over the next two weeks to develop an interim operational plan. This will reflect existing work and lay out the framework for future plans. Independent Complaints Reviewer to send relevant papers to BA for discussion. Policy Budget MM and to meet to discuss. Corporate parenting HB to create log of corporate parenting events and engagement for all staff to access and complete. / MM/ MM/ HB 5

6 HB to schedule a meeting between BA and the Communications Manager to discuss the Annual Report. HB Decisions BA will lay a new Strategic plan in 6 months time. The management team will work together over the next two weeks to develop an interim operational plan. The management team will primarily provide the HR function for the office. and BA will carry out a full governance review. 6