Area Co-ordination Management Meeting

Stalybridge, Dukinfield & Mossley

Time: 2.00pm
Date: Thursday 7th May 2009
Venue: Dukinfield Children’s Centre

Present:

Julie Lord  - Area Co-ordinator
Simon Calvert - Groundwork
Karen Swindells  - Youth Service
Anne Short - Yew Tree School
Craig Stone  -  Connexions
Julian Sacofsky -  Family Group Conference
Pauline Daniels -  Children’s Centres
Joan Parry - COLT
Sue Collins - Arlies Primaries
Liz Price  - EWS
Tim Grahamslaw TMBC – student placement

Note taker: Lindsay Patchett - TMBC SCYP

Item 1: Welcome

Julie welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made around the table.

Item 2: Apologies

Apologies were received from Gabrielle Bold and Tina Wills

Item 3: Notes of last meeting and matter arising

Notes of the last meeting were agreed as a true record of the meeting.

Item 4: Family Group Conferencing

Julian Sacofsky gave a brief background to Family Group Conferences:

The idea for FGC originated in New Zealand. Social workers working with Maori families found that care packages were not working as children were being placed in “white” families and this was proving not to be a positive experience for the children. They therefore decided to work with the whole family when problems arose. By engaging the whole family they found that placements were available within the wider family as opposed to placing children with families from other cultures.

Julian explained the process for FGC within Tameside.

• Members of the family will be involved alongside professional at the family meeting. The professionals will give details of their input with the child/children and any concerns they have. The family will be given “private” time to discuss the issues raised and their ideas will be put into the “pot” and looked at alongside other solutions offered by professionals.
• Professionals wishing to set up family meetings will make referrals through Julian.
• Julian stated that he had already had a lot of requests/enquiries for meetings.
• The earlier the meeting is called the better the outcomes appear to be.
• Everyone who attends the meeting is there because the family have agreed to them being there.
• The family are required to complete a consent form before Julian contacts them.
• Families may see this process as a better option before “social work” involvement.
• Some families have a very good capacity to deal with family issues

There were some concerns raised by members of the meeting:

• Does the FGC take the place of a CAF?

The group felt that a FGC would be better placed after a CAF had been completed

• Is this just an additional part of the process already in place?

Julian explained that this can be part of a process or a process in its own right

• Who would be responsible for a review of the action plan?

Julian said that there need to be systems in place to undertake reviews and this is something that he will be looking at.

Julian distributed a leaflet giving details of the service and his contact details.

Item 5: Common Processes

• 2 CAF in March for SDM
• 3 CAFS in April for SDM

Julie informed the group that throughout the borough there had been an increase in the number of CAFs completed.

Item 6: Youth On Line Survey

Tim Grahamslaw (Student Placement) gave a presentation comparing the results for Stalybridge, Dukinfield & Mossley against those of the borough as a whole.

SDM Youth online data presentation

Karen suggested that some young people who are not in engaged in school to complete the survey as a comparison. Hard copies to be completed in youth bases.

Item 7: Review of the Children & Young People’s Plan

The review is now out to consultation.

Julie will forward an email she received from Alison Gwynne for group members to comment

Item 8: Developments in the area

• New Charter and the Youth Service have been successful in a bid for the Micklehurst area to set up allotments. Members of the area gardening club will be mentoring young people.
• Ridgehill Children’s Centre is holding a family event on 1st June
• Mossley Children’s Centre is holding a “birthday” event from 1.00 – 3.00pm on 27th May.
• The Youth Service has funding to build a new youth centre on the front of Copley Rec Centre.
• There is a new E2E provider – Skills Solutions and they are looking from premises within the Stalybridge area
• The plans to site a portacabin a the bottom of Waterton Lane, Mossley as a youth base have been scrapped as this was proving a problem with planning etc. New Charter are now looking at providing a 4 bedroom void property for this purpose.

Item 9: Any Other Business

No other business

Item 10: Date of next meeting

2nd July 2009, Baby Room, Mossley Clinic