Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, NW4 4BG

Contact: Edward Gilbert 020 8359 3469 Email: edward.gilbert@barnet.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome

Minutes:

The Chairman of the Children’s Trust Board, Councillor Reuben Thompstone, welcomed the members of the Board and thanked them for their attendance.

2.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 37 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 24th July 2014 were agreed as a correct record.

3.

Absence of Members'

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Jack Newton, Adrian usher, Donna Thornley, Dr Clare Stephens, Dr Andrew Howe and Julie Pal.

4.

Priorities for Children and Young People in Barnet pdf icon PDF 87 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People, Chris Munday, introduced the report, which related to priorities for children and young people in Barnet.

 

Councillor Helena Hart said that emphasis on mental health services should be placed within the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

 

The Board discussed whether Common Assessment Frameworks (CAFs) would, if used more regularly, reduce the number school exclusions. The Chairman expressed the opinion that there should be more pressure to use CAFs going forward.

 

The board discussed the work that the borough is doing for looked after children, paying attention to how the borough prioritises this issue. The Board noted that evidence shows that the longer children and young people are in care, the better their educational attainment is. The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People outlined the work the borough is currently doing, including the work that the Virtual School is doing. The Board discussed how emphasis should be placed on key stage 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 results/performance, placement moves, moving schools and how the Council taking its role as a corporate parent seriously. The Board noted that effective partnership working is integral to care for looked after children.

 

The Board requested that a future paper on an analysis of results from the Virtual Headteacher is presented to the Board in order to set out individual stories of those who have been going through the looked after children system this year.

 

The Board noted the priorities outlined in the paper.

5.

Children and Young People's Plan 2016-2020 pdf icon PDF 120 KB

Minutes:

The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People, Chris Munday, introduced the report, which related to the Children and Young People’s Plan 2016-2020. An overview of how a new plan will be drawn up for provided.

 

The Board noted that the report presented to them was in its formative stage, and that the views of the Board were welcomed in order for its development.

 

Judy Mace noted that the plan places good emphasis on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) objectives, the delivery of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and mental health care for children and young people.

 

The Board noted that it will be important to engage with head teachers and their forums to develop the plan. Furthermore, the Board noted that it will be important to engage with children and young people in order to develop the social media strategy around the plan.

 

Chris Miller expressed the opinion that ‘information sharing’, as outlined in the plan, should be a standalone point within the plan. The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People confirmed that this will sit separately in the plan.

 

The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People agreed to circulate a letter from ministers, which promotes the importance of information sharing, to the Board.

 

The Board discussed what work will be done with free schools and academies as part of this plan. The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People clarified that they will all have a part to play in the development of the strategy, noting that the borough is keen to hear as many voices as possible in formulating the strategy.

 

The Board noted that this item will return to the children’s Trust Board in January 2016 when the plan is nearing its publication date.

6.

Children Count Wellbeing Surveys pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People, Chris Munday, introduced the report, which related to the Children Count Wellbeing Surveys. It was explained that the surveys asses needs of community, approaching the issue of early intervention specifically. It was noted that these surveys collect different data to what the borough would normally collect; the data illustrates how well-targeted the borough’s early intervention strategy is, therefore placing emphasis on its importance.  

 

Judy Mace noted that it is important for this data to cross with public health data, and that it is important to engage with multicultural parents so that the data collected is representative of the borough’s population.

 

Jenny Osborne expressed the opinion that consideration needs to be given to how those who have been surveyed are informed. It is important that those who are surveyed know what their input is and what effect the survey data has. Councillor Helena Hart built on this point by saying that we must consider what people get out of surveys so that we avoid the risk of disenfranchising people from inputting their thoughts in the future.

7.

Young Barnet Foundation Presentation pdf icon PDF 185 KB

Minutes:

Janet Matthewson and Eric Metal (John Lyons Charity) were invited by the Chairman to give a presentation on the Young Barnet Foundation to the Board.

 

It was highlighted that the charity is developing a range of services for the voluntary sector youth service delivery. The Board were informed of the funding path for the Young Barnet Foundation.

 

The Board noted that a steering group will be meeting monthly to examine how the voluntary sector can best achieve its youth service delivery in Barnet.

 

 

8.

Impact of Welfare Reform on Families

Minutes:

Rebecca Johnson, Commissioning, Strategy and Policy Advisor, gave a presentation on the Impact of Welfare Reform on Families in Barnet.

 

It was agreed that a copy of the presentation would be circulated to members of the Board

 

The Board discussed how successful the borough is in getting people back to work. The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People explained that the borough does not have a comprehensive data set on how successful the borough is in getting parents back to work.

 

The Board noted that more information on this will be brought back to a future meeting of the Board.

9.

Financial Challenges across the public sector to 2020

Minutes:

This item was deferred to a future meeting of the Board.

10.

Impact of Refugees on services in Barnet

Minutes:

The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People, Chris Munday, introduced the item, which related to the impact on the borough as a result of taking refugees from Syria.

 

It was highlighted that it is not clear where these refugees will be placed, however the Board noted that expressions of support have been received from members of the community to support the refugee intake. The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People welcomed partners to contact him if they had any suggestions in regard to this issue.

 

Councillor Hart noted that there will be government support for councils taking in refugees.

 

The Board endorsed The Commissioning Director for Children and Young People’s proposal to convene a small working group with partners to draw up a document which would say what we’d do if asked to take refugees.

11.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

There was none.