Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership

14th December 2006

Commenced: 10.10am     Terminated: 11.50am

Present:

Councillor Allison Gwynne (Chair) - Tameside MBC
Ameena Ahmed - Tameside MBC
Tom Coffey - Tameside MBC
Cheryl Eastwood - Tameside MBC
Jane Forrest - Tameside MBC
Sue Garnett - Tameside MBC
Caroline Gregory - Tamesie MBC
Julie Lord - Tameside MBC
Ian Smith - Tameside MBC
Sue Ward - Tameside & Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust
John Whittle - Youth Offending Team

Apologies For Absence:

Jo Baird - Third Sector Coalition
Janet Callender - Tameside MBC
Natalie Doran - Children's Rights Service
Tina Greenough - Third Sector Coalitio
Veronica Hyde - Third Sector Coalition
Sheila Piazza - Connexions
Chris Scarborough - Pennine Care
Bob Shaw - Tameside MBC
Jim Taylor - Tameside MBC
Tracy Wood - Tameside & Glossop Primary Care Trust
Ian Young - Tameside Voice

44. Minutes

The Minutes of the meeting of the Partnership held on 9th November 2006, having been circulated, were approved as a correct record.

45. Making It Better

Sue Ward reported that, following the above Consultation in respect of the reconfiguration of Children's and Maternity Services in Greater Manchester, full children's and maternity services will remain at Tameside Hospital, thus ensuring 24 hour consultant-led obstetric and paediatric services will continue.

It was also reported that Tameside and Glossop and the greatest amount of active support in Greater Manchester in terms of people sending in forms backing their Hospital and the Trust Board thanked the staff and public for their support.

46. Employing A Diverse Workforce

Vicky Cuddy , Surestart Programme Manager and Ruth Bigger of Barnardos, gave a presentation giving details of a project funded by Central Government to achieve a workforce which reflected the local community in Hyde.

Following consultations with the local community a pilot project had been developed in conjunction with Surestart, Hyde, to create long term job opportunities for staff with Bangla skills, in key positions such as receptionists, health posts and family support workers. By employing local people with such skills increased access to services for those with limited language skills as well as offering intervention at an early stage.

47. Local Area Agreements - Up-Date

Ian Smith, Executive Director, Services for Children and Young People, submitted a report detailing progress on the development of the Local Area Agreement (LAA), the priorities identified by the four block negotiating groups and giving details of performance measures and the associated supporting actions.

The final Agreement would be forwarded to the Government Office North West on 20 th December 2006, for approval.

It was intended that once the Agreement had been approved a Performance Management Group would be established to monitor performance and outcomes in relation to the Agreement.

Resolved

That the report be approved and this Partnership support the progress made in the development of the Local Area Agreement together with the performance measures and supporting actions.

48. Structure And Membership Of The Children & Young People's Strategic Partnership

Tom Coffey, Head of Strategy & Commissioning, submitted a report detailing proposals to reconstitute this Partnership with a Strategic Lead Group and a revised membership drawn from the existing partnership agencies and suggesting some additional partners. Proposals were also put forward for changes to the Executive Group, being renamed as the Executive and Joint Commissioning Group which would support the work of the Partnership in relation to service configuration, joint commissioning and related matters.

The role of the Strategic Lead Group, as its name implied, would a strategic with a representative membership from the key agencies, at a fairly senior level who would be able to contribute at that level to the planning and monitoring of the "Change for Children" agenda within the Borough. This Group would there need to have a membership with the ability to meet the continuing challenges that are likely to arise in further developing children's trust arrangements between agencies within Tameside.

The central functions of the Strategic Lead Group would be:-

• Delivering the Vision for Children & Young People in Tameside.
• Ensuring that all agencies, services and organisations work in the spirit of true partnership to deliver improved outcomes for children, young people and families within the Borough.
• Overseeing the implementation of "Every Child Matters" and "Change for Children" agenda, in relation to the five key outcomes.
• Overseeing the development Children's Trust arrangements in relation to inter-agency governance, joint planning and commissioning strategies, common processes for information-sharing and assessment, and integrated front-line delivery of services.
• Ensuring appropriate engagement, participation and influence of children, young people and families in the monitoring, review and development of services.
• Making a positive difference to the lives of children, young people and their parents and carers, together with confirmation of the achievement of improved outcomes.

The Executive and Joint Commissioning Group would provide the primary reference point for matters of strategy, joint planning, performance management and commissioning, prior to such matters being determined by the Strategic Lead Group. Details of the proposed Terms of Reference and membership were detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

Resolved

That further discussion in relation to the proposals be undertaken as part of a review of the functions of the Children & Young People's Strategic Partnership.

49. Children & Young People's Strategic Partnership Away Day

Cheryl Eastwood, Director (Children), advised the Partnership that the next meeting schedule to take place on Thursday 22 nd February 2006 would be the annual Away Day where consideration would be given to the following matters:-

• Review of priorities for the next year
• The Children's Plan
• Preparations for the Joint Area Review scheduled for June 2008
• Membership

Resolved

That the report be noted.

50. Up-Dates And Communications

50(a) Integration Project - Up-Date

Tom Coffey, Head of Strategy and Commissioning, submitted a report which advised the Partnership of the arrangements in place to consult and up-date the Children & Young People's Plan 2006/2007 and the proposals to extend the life of the next Plan from 2007 to 2010, with annual reviews and up-dates.

Resolved

That the report be noted.

50(b) Priorities Conversation

Cheryl Eastwood, Director (Children), reported upon the recent meeting with the Department for Education and Science together with other agencies, where discussion took place in relation to linking priorities to performance information with the key priority area of reconciling the Department's priorities with those of this Partnership.

Resolved

That the report be noted.

51. Dates Of Future Meetings

It was noted that the Partnership would meet on the following dates with all meetings commencing at 10.00 am:-

• Thursday 22nd February 2007
• Thursday 19th April 2007