Agenda item - CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S PLAN: SIX MONTH ACTION PLAN REVIEW

Agenda item

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S PLAN: SIX MONTH ACTION PLAN REVIEW

Report of Corporate Director of Children and Adults

Minutes:

Alison Michalska, Corporate Director of Children and Adults, presented the report which updated the board on the performance of the partnership in addressing the four priorities of the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP), which are:

 

o  safeguarding and supporting children and families;

o  promoting the health and well-being of babies, children and young people;

o  supporting achievement and academic attainment;

o  empowering families to be strong and achieve economic well-being.

 

The report identified the performance measures against the outcomes within each priority and the key actions suggested to meet the objectives also included was a statistical chart which provides a comparison with the previous year, the statistical neighbour average, and the national average outturn. 

 

In addition the presentation was delivered summarising the actions undertaken to date by members of the Children’s Partnership Board to progress meeting the priorities, and the performance outcomes. These included:

 

Safeguarding and Supporting Children and Families

 

(a)  Nottingham City Safeguarding Children Board (NCSCB) Annual Report and Business Plan has been issued;

 

(b)  targets have been met regarding a reduction in the number of contacts,  assessments made within 45 days;

 

(c)  the number of Common Assessment Frameworks (CAFs) initiated has increased so far this year;

 

(d)  the number of Child Protection Plans issued is slightly above the target figure  but the number of Child protection cases has slightly decreased;

 

(e)  the number of Children in Care has slightly increased but remains low against those of other similar Authorities;

 

(f)  the proportion of care leavers in education, employment or training (EET) has improved due to an ongoing focus, although increased engagement by more partners would be welcomed;

 

(g)  an integrated inspection regime is potentially planned for the future;

 

(h)  the ‘Safe Families for Children’ pilot continues to progress well with 16 referrals to date and extra support provided to 7 families;

 

(i)  a Lifeline A & E pathway is in place to identify at an early stage where alcohol, drugs and substance abuse is effecting children and young people. A detailed workforce plan will be developed for 2016/17;

 

(j)  a Child Sexual Exploitation Co-ordinator in now in place;

 

(k)  the new Domestic and Sexual Violence Abuse (DSVA) Strategy has been completed;

 

(l)  the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) and Primary Care partners are gathering information on the most frequent reasons for children’s hospital admissions and attendances;

 

(m)  Paediatric emergency pathways specialist led training will be implemented from early 2016;

 

(n)  by June 2015 there was a 7% reduction in avoidable emergency admissions against the 2012/13 baseline;

 

(o)  the Home Safety Pilot Scheme has now been launched and will be evaluated in February;

 

Promoting the Health and Well-Being of Babies, Children and Young People

 

(p)  there will be a review of NUH Maternity Specialist Services;

 

(q)  there has been a 1% drop in take up of immunisations for Dtap/IPV/hiB, which is below the national target but partners are working together to improve take up rates;

 

(r)  the percentage of infants being breast fed at 6 to 8 weeks has dropped with less than 25% take up in some areas of the City;

 

(s)  there will be a review of ‘Healthy Lifestyles’ Services;

 

(t)  there are new CCG commissioned services, including counselling for young people which is also available online;

 

(u)  Self-Harm Awareness and Resource Project (SHARP) is developing further preventative work following the outcome of a Serious Case Review. This work will include highlighting that self-harm in younger children can mask child abuse;

 

(v)  a further reduction in Teenage Pregnancy (TP) rates is expected as the TP Taskforce continues to drive TP Plan actions, including starting to address the issue within emerging communities in addition to the comprehensive sex and relationship education (SRE) being promoted in schools;

 

Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training  (NEET) 

 

(w)  5.4% (506) of 16 – 18 year olds are not in education, employment or training  (6.4% March 2015) which is lower than some statistical neighbouring authorities;

 

(x)  17.1% (17) of children in care are not in education, employment or training (22.6% March 2015);

 

(y)  2.1% (199) of 16 – 18 year olds destination is not known (2% March 2015);

 

(z)  the destination of 3.4 % (4) of children in care is not known (4% March 2015) but often when young people leave care, they want to be independent and don’t want to continue contact;

 

Supporting Achievement  and Academic Attainment

 

(aa)  Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) improvement in pupils obtaining a Good Level of Development has increased from 46% to 58%;

 

(bb)  Key Stage 2 of Nottingham FSM6 pupils (pupils who have claimed Free School Meals at any point during the past 6 years) are close to national ability levels;

 

(cc)  the gap between SEN and non-SEN pupils is reducing;

 

(dd)  GCSE attainment is improving although the proportion of disadvantaged pupils is high and increasing;

 

(ee)  the percentage of Nottingham Children in Care achieving the expected achievement level has risen from 48% to 54%. It is noted that generally, the longer a child remains in care, the better their educational achievement;

 

(ff)  on average 30% of high performing pupils chose to transfer out of the City for Secondary School provision;

 

(gg)  Dolly Parton’s ‘Imagination Library’ programme has been successfully launched;

 

(hh)  the Special Educational Needs and Disability review has been completed;

 

Empowering Families to be Strong and Achieve Economic Well-Being.

 

(ii)  the Domestic Abuse Referral Team (DART) is now fully integrated as part of the ‘Front Door’ into Children’s Services’;

 

(jj)  the Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Strategy  (DSVA) re-launch will co-ordinate specialist and statutory sector actions;

 

(kk)  Child and Adult Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are reviewing current policy and procedures;

 

(ll)  from 2013 victims of domestic abuse have been identified from age 16, rather than 18;

 

(mm)  ‘Stride’, a pilot project to increase colleague confidence in helping to address domestic abuse, is being run in St Ann’s and will be evaluated by Nottingham University;

 

(nn)  a review of ‘Safe from Harm’ will be undertaken;

 

(oo)  Public Health are funding the Encompass Project which will is being delivered by the DART in schools;

 

(pp)  the Crime and Drugs Partnership (CDP) is currently commissioning several programmes to support children, including within the school setting;

 

(qq)  Children in workless households are 3 times more likely to live a life on benefits;

 

(rr)  unemployment can lead to emotional and mental health issues resulting in risk taking behaviour;

 

(ss)  Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Priority Families and Family Intervention Project are training Family Support Workers and Accredited Practitioners;

 

(tt)  the total number of Priority Families worked with across the partnership  remained low at Quarter 2 but is improving;

 

(uu)  future Troubled Families/Priority Families work is scheduled.

 

RESOLVED to note the activity against the CYPP action plan.

Supporting documents: