Supporting children and young people to
Achieve Economic Wellbeing

Time:  9.00am
Date:   23rd January 2008
Venue:  Flowery Children’s Centre, Old Road, Hyde SK14 4SQ

Present:

Lucy Davies - Chair
Bob Shaw - Area Coordinator and AEW lead
Sheila Piazza - Connexions
Phil Spence - Community Economic Development Manager
Alan Franco - Head of Welfare Rights, Community Legal Services
Christine Gerrard - Team Leader, leaving care team
Tony Kay - Partnership Manager, LSC
David Burdis - New Charter
Viv Robinson - Job Centre Plus
Geraldine Smith - Children’s Centres and Extended Schools
Thomas Johnson - Children Centres and Extended Schools
Sue Jones - Children Centres and Extended Schools

 Note taker: Bob Shaw

1. Welcome and introductions Chair

2. Apologies

Allison Cresswell - Partnership Director, LSC
Caroline Gregory - Priorities Neighbourhood Renewal Officer
Andrew Leah - Housing Services
Steve Openshaw - Inclusive Services
Annie O’Malley - Connexions
Vincent Ward - School Improvement Service (14-19 strategy lead)

3. Minutes of last meeting of 20th November 2007

Approved Chair

4. Matters arising - Chair

4.1. Proposed Judgements
The judgements on the report cards presented at the last meeting were agreed
4.2. Proposed Improvement Actions
The proposed improvement actions form the last meeting were agreed with an additional note that Sheila Piazza be included in the improvement actions arising out of considerations of young people with a LDD.

5. Report Card (deferred from the previous meeting of 26th Sept 2007): NVQ Success Rate for All Work-based Learners Living in the Area

Tony presented his report card. A number of observations not already recorded in the report card were made on this data:

• There was a dip in performance in 2006 following a steady period of upward movement in recent years 
• Males are performing poorly; whereas females are performing well
• Young people with LDD are over-represented in the NEET group 
• This vulnerable group are not a homogeneous group and the need to undertake some further drill down work in this area was note
• That it was not easy for LLDD Learners to take up work based learning provision but by contrast, easy to access further education provision
• There was a question raised about whether courses had changed to meet the needs of this group who may have taken the WBL route
• It was noted by that the NCHT representative that Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) had a view that Young People do not have the right kinds of work place skills.

Additionally, Tony noted that the LSC had funded a disabilities transitions coordinator in 2006/07 but this funding had now ceased. The established LLDD steering which feeds into both the 14-19 and Adult learning and Skills groups is looking at issues related to the achievement/performance of vulnerable groups.

Judgement
Heartening except for those most vulnerable groups (LDD, LAC) working to achieve level 2 which remains troubling

Proposed improvement actions

• That a fresh data set be constructed to help inform future discussions and subsequent actions about the achievement/performance of vulnerable groups (particularly LDD and Young People with mental health needs). (Initial action from Tony Kay, Sheila Piazza, Bob Shaw and Jean Quinn)
  

6. Theme for this meeting

6.1. Action is taken by partners to support families in maximising their economic well-being

6.1.1. Report Card 1 of 2
Phil provided a comprehensive account of the measure and movement of the indicator over the three years up to 2005. This is the latest data available.
In both cases the data indicates that Tameside is performing better than its statistical neighbours but worse than the national average. However, the younger age band (0-4) also performs better than the older (5-14) band in Tameside.
The report card also noted some of the main issues and obstacles to improving performance as well as the main initiatives aimed also at improving the trend.
The group expressed the view that the many activities were collectively helping to support families to maximise their economic well-being and that progress, although limited to relatively small percentage increases, was nonetheless welcome.
It was noted that data available from Housing Benefits and Registered Social Landlords could provide information that might enable better targeting of households with children and facilitating a further means by which harder to reach groups might be better served and better targeting of resources.

6.1.2. Report Card 2 of 2
Sue provided data going back over 5 years illustrating the growth and change in childcare places since 2002 – this allowed the group to take analysis and understanding of the current position beyond the 2005 benchmark required for the APA data set.
There had been a steady growth in available childcare places going back to the introduction of the national childcare strategy in 1997/8. However, there is now evidence of a levelling in growth and a switch in focus away from volume creation into quality and sustainability of provision. This is evident from 2005 onwards.
The data potentially available from Housing Benefits and Registered Social Landlords was also noted.
The recent presence of a pilot MiNT programme (see http://www.mintameside.org.uk/) covering ten candidates at Ridgehill Children’s Centre was welcomed. The further extension and development of financial inclusion programmes and services would be welcomed by the group and partners - it is limited at this present time.
The group felt that this aspect of the Children’s Centres and Extended Schools Service was making a significant contribution to promoting the availability of childcare to parents in Tameside, improving economic well-being and making its contribution to addressing child poverty in the borough.

6.1.3. Presentation
The presentations from Phil and Sue elaborated and provided a context for the report cards above

6.1.4. Discussion and judgement

Judgement
That the data in report card 1 be considered
Heartening and the group also notes the activities planned to further sustain and help improve impact

That the data in this report card 2 be considered
Heartening

6.1.5. Future action
That discussions take place with Housing Benefit and Registered Social Landlords about access to data sets to enable better targeting of hard to reach groups (Action from Alan Franco and Geraldine Smith)

7. Annual Performance Assessment letter: AEW extract only

The meeting looked at the APA letter of November 2007 and noted the contents Chair

8. Programme and dates for the year

The programme and dates for the year were agreed

9. AOB All

10. Date of next meeting:

12th March 2008 at 2.00pm
Venue: Flowery Centre