Agenda item

Presentation by Kristen Chapman, SSBC Co-ordinator

Kristen Chapman, Small Steps Big Changes Bulwell Co-ordinator, delivered a presentation on the progress to date of the ‘Small Steps Big Changes’ programme which has been operating in Bulwell for the past year. The Presentation was added to the online agenda following the meeting.

The £45 million lottery funded programme also operates in the Aspley, St Ann’s and Arboretum areas of the City and focuses on communication and language, nutrition, and social and emotional development of children from pre-birth, up to three years of age for a ten year period.

The following points were highlighted:

(a)  Health, City Council and partner organisations are working together with a universal focus to build on improving existing services, provision, engagement and to support system change;

(b)  prior to the schemes launch,1,500 parents were asked their opinions to identify their needs and preferences;

(c)  the progress of children is mapped both within the SSBC areas and against other areas within the City to enable a comparison to be made and the extend of progress tracked;

(d)  part of the funding has been used to update two community buildings which are used to host sessions;

(e)  Family Mentors are recruited from the community and are paid to help assist with progressing communication and simple play activity of children from birth to one year old;

(f)  as part of the programme a new resource has been developed for social workers to use with families during pregnancy in preparation for parenthood;

(g)  theHealthy Child Programme has been enhanced and has over 40 interventions to either directly improve children’s outcomes or to target known risk factors. These interventions will be delivered by existing services, new family mentors and newly commissioned partner organisations;

(h)  activity is being monitored and evaluated so that the impact on children’s outcomes can be understood. When an activity or intervention is proved to be working, it can be extended with consideration of how to deliver that activity across the whole of Nottingham;

(i)  during the first year in the area the following activity has taken place:

(i)  the SSBC Team were recruited;

(ii)  2 community buildings have been upgraded;

(iii)  the Family Mentor Service was designed and commissioned;

(iv)  Family Mentors were recruited and trained;

(v)  ‘Small Steps at Home’ programme developed for 0-12 month old babies;

(vi)  ‘Stay and Play’ groups launched;

(vii)  community partnerships established;

(viii)  ‘Bump, Birth and Baby Groups’ enhanced;

(ix)  ‘Baby Buddy’ phone app launched;

(x)  Baby Massage introduced (20 staff across the City have been trained to teach this);

(xi)  Triple ‘P’ Groups (Positive Parenting Programme) launched with 10 parents in Bulwell attending the 8 week course;

(xii)  books delivered to 210 children (a book a month from birth);

(k)  During the second year of operating, the following are proposed:

(i)  ‘Small Steps at Home’ developed for children aged 1-3 years;

(ii)  new pregnancy nutrition groups;

(iii)  extra help and support for post-natal depression;

(iv)  more ‘imagination library’ books provided;

(v)  fathers reading every day;

(vi)  new groups with stories, songs and rhymes;

(vii)  baby signing;

(viii)  more baby massage;

(ix)  Cook and Play;

(x)  expanding community partnerships;

(xi)  ‘At home development book’ from September 2016.

(l)  The programme has a Facebook page and a twitter feed.

The Committee’s questions were responded to as follows:

(m)  baby signing is believed to help with baby development as they can communicate earlier and express frustration, ask for milk etc. all of which helps support emotional development;

(n)  the Family Mentor Service is delivering support to approximately 100 families with a 90% take-up when the service of offered;

(o)  although siblings may not be of an age to qualify for programme involvement, service providers are able to signpost families with sibling issues;

(p)  services can be provided at home visits and at group meetings which are often held at Snapewood Healthy Living Centre and Children’s Centres, but it is planned that further activities will also be held in other community facilities;

(q)  whilst the programme is scheduled to run for ten years, and will affect how other services are provided, it is predicted that, if after the 10 year period, the programme does not continue in its current form, gaps in provision will not occur as this will be accounted for through future service commissioning;

(r)  outcome measurements from the programme are recorded and retained by CityCare so that the progress each child engaged by the programme can be tracked from one month of age with regard to  emotional health and five other areas of physical health;

(s)  elements of preparing children for school are also included within the programme.

RESOLVED

(1)  to record the Committee’s thanks to Kristen for her presentation;

(2)  for Kristen to keep Ward Councillors informed at regular intervals of the progress of the Small Steps Big Changes programme in the area;

(3)  for a formal update to be submitted to the committee in two years’ time.