Agenda for Children & Young People's Trust Board on Monday, 8th June, 2009, 5.00pm
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Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 213 KBVenue: Council Chamber, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Nara Miranda, Democratic Services Officer
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Confirmation of Chairman and Deputy-Chairman Minutes: 1.1 The Director of Children’s Services explained that, as part of the Commission Support Programme, officers were reviewing the works of the Board and commissioning arrangements with support from the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. She explained that Brighton & Hove Children’s Trust was one of the first to be formally established and those arrangements are being reviewed to ensure these are fit for purpose. She further indicated that officers were taking into consideration the new Brighton & Hove City Council Constitution and the section 75 agreement and reviewing the membership in light of new Children’s Trust Guide.
1.2 The Director indicated that, in view of the above and forcontinuity, the B&H Primary Care Trust and the Children’s Trust had agreed that the Chairman arrangements in place in 2008/09 would remain the same for 2009/10 until further notice.
1.3 RESOLVED - That it be noted that Councillor Brown will be the Chairman and Julian Lee the Deputy Chairman of the Children & Young People’s Trust Board for the municipal year 2009/10.
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Procedural Business
(b) Declarations of Interest by all Members present of any personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Members regard the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct.
(c) Exclusion of Press and Public - To consider whether, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting when any of the following items are under consideration.
NOTE: Any item appearing in Part 2 of the Agenda states in its heading either that it is confidential or the category under which the information disclosed in the report is exempt from disclosure and therefore not available to the public.
A list and description of the categories of exempt information is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls. Minutes: 2a Declaration of Substitutes
2.1 There were none.
2b Declaration of Interest
2.2 Mo Marsh, South Downs Health Trust, declared a personal but non-prejudicial interest in Items 6 and 7 in that she was the Ward Councillor in some of the areas being considered.
2c Exclusion of press and Public
2.3 RESOLVED – That the Press and the Public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Item 9 in Part Two of the agenda. |
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Minutes of the Previous Meeting Minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2009 (copy attached). Minutes: 3.1 RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record. |
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Chairman's Communications Minutes: 4.1 The Chairman welcomed Andy Paiton, the new Chief Executive of the South Downs Health Trust. |
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Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: 1. That the Reading Strategy and its approach to improving reading across the city be agreed.
Minutes: 5.1 The Board considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning the Reading Strategy, a consultation document designed to engage more people in the development of an action plan to improve reading across the city (for copy see minute book).
5.2 The Secondary Schools’ Adviser stated that the strategy had been well received at the launch in May 2009 and indicated that the emphasis of the strategy was on helping children to enjoy reading.
5.3 The Board welcomed the report and engaged in discussions about the proposed strategy.
5.4 In answer to questions, officers clarified that Bookstart, a reference made in the report, was a Government funded scheme which made books available to children at different stages of their development (at baby stage, toddler stage and at later stages).
5.5 Councillor Fryer indicated that she had some concerns about promoting reading at early ages in that this approach could bring pressure on children at that stage to read and perform well. She requested whether there was scope to include the importance of reading for enjoyment.
5.6 The Secondary School’s Adviser noted Councillor Fryer’s suggestion. He explained, however, that monitoring reading for pleasure was not a straightforward process and would be difficult to carry out.
5.7 Members enquired about the provision for children with particular needs and whether the Government Bookstart initiative took account of such children and gave them the same access to the services offered.
5.8 The Secondary Schools’ Adviser explained that the Reading Strategy listed some of the arrangements in place to address children with particular needs, such as those with learning disabilities and children and parents whose first language was not English.
5.9 The Director of Children Services noted the difficulties that existed in including all the details in such strategy. She reassured Members, however, that such provision existed, for instance the use of sign and audio-books for children with learning disabilities.
5.10 Members indicated that they would welcome an action plandetailing the information available to support those children with particular needs.
5.11 Members referred to the adult literacy and the estimated 12,000 people lacking in basic literacy skills. Members enquired about the reasons behind such high figure in the lack of literacy skills in the adult population.
5.12 The Secondary Schools’ Adviser indicated that a great number of those adults had not been educated in Brighton & Hove and that they also included a particular section of the population, such as asylum seekers and refugees. The Director of Children’s Services also noted that, although the focus of the CYPT was on children and young people, the Trust also supported and had been involved with adult learners. She had recently participated in an awards ceremony celebrating the achievement of adult learners in Brighton & Hove.
5.13 Members also identified the need to take account of the travellers section of the population, an area which they thought had not been covered so far, and recognised that, within the travellers’ culture, there was little opportunity for children and adults to learn to read.
5.14 Members reiterated their approval of the strategy, whilst also recognising the important role that parents played in helping and supporting their children with reading not only at young age, but also at later stages of their development.
5.15 RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Board accepted the following recommendations:
(1) The Reading Strategy and its approach to improving reading across the city be agreed.
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Children's Centres Performance 2008
Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: 1. That the citywide summary (at appendix 2 of the report) be noted.
2. That the priorities for 2009 be agreed.
3. That it be noted that annual reports are being published for each of the eight main children’s centre areas. Minutes: 6.1 The Board considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning Children’s Centres Performance 2008, which provided information on the performance of the city’s Sure Start Children’s Centres in 2008 and the priorities for the future (for copy see minute book).
6.2 The Head of Service, City Early Years and Childcare, gave a presentation to Members on this item, which summarised the report’s main points; identified both the successes achieved and the challenges the city still faced (see Appendix 1 to the minutes).
6.3 Members welcomed the report. Members recognised the improvements achieved in some of the areas since they were first opened; they noted those areas which still required further intervention in order to achieve the required level of achievement. They further welcomed the community participation work with volunteering parents.
6.4 Members enquired whether the city monitored its level of immunisation.
6.5 Officers explained that immunisation was monitored by GPs and it was also the core function of health visitors. Officers also indicated that this matter had been actively supported by the CYPT immunisation team.
6.6 Members referred to the partnership work currently in place where Children’s Centres were concerned and enquired whether it needed improving.
6.7 Officers explained that the partnership work included the different local schools, Job Centres, and a wide range of agencies and organisations which work with children. It was noted, however, that Job Centres had not been as involved as previously with the support they used to offer.
6.8 Members suggested that officers could utilise more the volunteering opportunities available to support the lack of service in other areas. Officers confirmed they had been working with that stream as well.
6.9 The Head of Service further indicated that officers also took account of national information in relation to what proved to work well in order to improve what goes on locally. She indicated that having a good mix of users, where parents use different centres, was of benefit; having mid-wives and the availability of maternity services in Children’s Centres had also worked well across the city; and health visiting was also of great support. She noted that there was continuity in the work that the Centres provided because users continued to return to make use of the services offered.
6.10 RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Board accepted the following recommendations:
(1) That the citywide summary (at appendix 2 of the report) be noted.
(2) That the priorities for 2009 be agreed.
(3) That it be noted that annual reports were being published for each of the eight main children’s centre areas. |
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Building Schools for the Future - Readiness to Deliver Submission Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: 1. That the progress with the BSF programme and the preparation of its Readiness to Deliver submission be noted.
Minutes: 7.1 The Board considered a report of the Director of the Children’s Services concerning Building Schools for the Future – Readiness to Deliver Submission (for copy see minute book).
7.2 The Director of Children Services explained that the aim of the report was to make all partners aware of the Building Schools for the Future and to inform Members of what the progress was at this stage.
7.3 The Schools Futures Project Directorstated that the programme could attract a funding of up to £150 million for the city. He informed Members that the city had submitted an expression of interest in November 2008, which had been accepted. He explained that the next step of the process was to produce a document evidencing that the city was ready and prepared to deliver as soon as funding was available. The Director indicated that he was working closely with schools and their communities in this process.
7.4 The Director further explained that the city would submit its ‘Readiness to Deliver’ document in September 2009. He indicated that, if the funding was agreed for Brighton & Hove, the building could start in 2012/13.
7.5 RESOLVED - That the progress with the BSF programme and the preparation of its Readiness to Deliver submission be noted.
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Safeguarding Practice- Update Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached). Decision: 1. That the implications outlined in the report of government’s response to Lord Laming’s report ‘The Protection of children in England’, and the action taken in response by the CYPT and the LSCB, be noted.
2. That the request be made to the Director of Children’s Services to consider the resource implications of the Government’s response to Lord Laming’s report for the CYPT and partner agencies including the LSCB.
3. That an invitation be made to the Chair of the LSCB to attend a future meeting of the Board to take forward the issues outlined in this report.
Minutes: 8.1 The Board considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services, which updated Members on the safeguarding practice and summarised the implications for safeguarding practice in Brighton & Hove of the Government’s response to Lord Laming’s report (for copy see minute book).
8.2 Members welcomed the report and its update information.
8.3 RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Board accepted the following recommendations:
(1) That the implications outlined in the report of government’s response to Lord Laming’s report ‘The Protection of Children in England’, and the action taken in response by the CYPT and the LSCB, be noted.
(2) That the request be made to the Director of Children’s Services to consider the resource implications of the Government’s response to Lord Laming’s report for the CYPT and partner agencies including the LSCB.
(3) That an invitation be made to the Chair of the LSCB to attend a future meeting of the Board to take forward the issues outlined in this report.
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Part Two Minutes - Exempt Category 3 To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2009 (circulated to Members only) Minutes: 9.1 RESOLVED –
(1) That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2009 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.
(2) That Item 9 and the decision thereon remain exempt from disclosure from the press and public. |