Contact: Robin Thomas Ext: 6426 Email: mailto:[email protected] [email protected]

Steve Love Ext: 7284 Email: [email protected]

1 Introduction

1.1 In September 2003, the Government published a Green Paper, "Every Child Matters". This was one of a number of papers published at the same time, all of which address the needs of children, young people and their families and identify how those needs should best be met. The deadline for responses is 1 December 2003. The stated purpose of Every Child Matters is:

"to ensure that every child has the chance to fulfil their potential by reducing levels of educational failure, ill health, substance misuse, teenage pregnancy, abuse and neglect, crime and anti-social behaviour among children and young people".

1.2 Within the Green Paper a number of overall goals are established; these are summarised into five key outcomes for children:

· being healthy

· staying safe

· enjoying and achieving

· making a positive contribution

· economic well-being

1.3 In Hampshire much good and effective work is carried out already. It is therefore proposed that further progress towards meeting the challenges identified within Every Child Matters will be incremental, planned strategically but with local delivery, following full and thorough consultation with all partner agencies. Many of the aims and aspirations of the Green Paper are welcomed and shared across the county; some are well on the road to being achieved, whilst others represent challenging targets still to be met.

2 Progress and developments to date

2.1 Education and Social Service managers have jointly delivered briefing and consultation sessions to over 350 County Council staff, mainly in Social Services and colleagues working within voluntary agencies. A conference is being organised for the beginning of December when senior managers in the Education Department will contribute towards this important debate. Hampshire's Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) has considered the Green Paper. Officers have made themselves available to voluntary organisations and colleagues in Health to support them in their deliberations in connection with the Green Paper.

2.2 Discussions have taken place with head teacher conference executives and standing committees and all schools have received e-mail communications on the importance and implications of the Green Paper. School governors have been briefed via the Hampshire Governors' Forum and an article has been produced for the Hampshire Governor publication. Advice has been issued to LEA staff countywide to encourage participation in the formal consultation process, as well as in terms of inviting views on the future strategic direction for our services to children, young people and their families in Hampshire.

2.3 There are considerable benefits in the range and diversity of opportunities created within a county the size of Hampshire. The ability that exists to work creatively with a wide range of key partners is a considerable strength. In order to establish the strategic direction, it is important to evaluate the present position; to recognise existing good practice; and, to identify those areas where progress is still to be achieved. This process is assisted by the Green Paper's four main chapters:

· Supporting parents and carers

· Early intervention and effective protection

· Accountability and integration

· Workforce reform.

2.4 These provide a framework for evaluating Hampshire's present performance as well as a strategic tool for establishing future priorities.

3 Supporting Parents and Carers

3.1 The Vulnerable Children Grant has been utilised to establish and appoint to the Parent Development Team operating across the county

3.2 Support for families is provided via Homestart, Portage, Parent Partnership, Family Support and Advice Teams and Family Group Conferences

3.3 Parent education programmes, such as Confident Parents, Confident KIDS and SPOT (Supporting Parents of Teenagers) are in place

3.4 Within Social Services, Adoption Support Services are already established along with Permanence Teams

3.5 A marketing officer and a training officer are both in post to identify, encourage and support foster carers across the county.

4 Early Intervention and Effective Protection

4.1 In terms of information sharing within and between agencies, the IRT (Information, Referral and Tracking) initiative is well underway

4.2 Within the CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) Children's Trust, (see below) the establishing of a common assessment framework has been identified as a high priority and work has already started

4.3 A pilot scheme to improve the delivery of services to children with disabilities and their families has been drawn up and this will test a number of basic principles including the use of lead professionals

4.4 Multi-professional teams are already in operation across Hampshire e.g. Youth Offending Team (YOT), Behaviour Support Teams, Havant Unified Adolescent Team (UAT)

4.5 Hampshire has already established an effective corporate unit for Early Education and Childcare, which has been notable in its success.

5 Accountability and Integration

5.1 Links are already well established with children's charities and private fostering agencies.

5.2 The establishing of "Safeguarding Children Boards" will build on the "Area Child Protection Committee" already in place in Hampshire.

5.3 Hampshire has the only Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Children's Trust in the country and experience from this e.g. in commissioning coordinated services, will contribute greatly towards developments in the future.

5.4 The Children's Fund in Hampshire is successfully building its scope and remit on an inter-agency basis.

6 Workforce Reform

6.1 The latest MORI staff survey (Summer 2003) identifies many positive aspects of working for and within Hampshire; it also provides a useful basis for establishing future priorities.

6.2 A major recruitment campaign for social workers across the county has just been implemented; so far, the results are positive, but there is still much to do.

6.3 The County Council has an ongoing commitment to the training and development of staff, across the practice, management and leadership spectrum

6.4 Hampshire's Early Education and Childcare Unit is leading the way in terms of workforce reform through its large inter-agency training programme and qualification framework.

6.5 The County Council is working with the Learning and Skills Council through the Local Learning Partnership for Hampshire and Portsmouth to identify new ways to develop staff.

7 Summary

7.1 The County Council recognises that the Green Paper will be followed by legislation within a relatively short period of time.

7.2 In the light of Hampshire's progress and developments, there will be further opportunities that arise from the Green Paper. Cabinet Members and officers across County Council departments are working together throughout this developmental process. Emphasis is placed on improving, and further developing services to children, young people and their families at a local level. For example, within the CYPSP statutory and voluntary agencies meet together to establish the overall direction for services to children. In the future, it will be possible for this group to learn from and incorporate lessons from the Hampshire CAMHS Children's Trust as well as the 34 other pilot Children's Trusts (which address different aspects of children's services) countrywide.

7.3 Whilst supporting much of what is recommended within the Green Paper, including the proposal for statutory safeguarding boards and extended (full service) schools, there remains considerable concern that undue emphasis is being placed on changing existing management and political structures. The current arrangements in Hampshire bring together shared resources on both a formal and informal basis. It is acknowledged that there is the potential for these arrangements to be developed still further, but without the disruption of revised structures being important or necessary at this stage.

7.4 An overly prescriptive approach that does not take account of local needs and effective existing arrangements could divert energy from valuable work within the County Council.

7.5 The development of a national framework based upon shared principles would assist Hampshire and partner agencies to further develop a joint approach to improved outcomes for children and families.

8 Recommendations

It is recommended that :-

(i) this paper forms the basis of Hampshire's consultation response to the Government's Green Paper

(ii) this paper forms the basis of any response which the County Council may wish to make to the Queen's Speech in November 2003.

(iii) this issue returns to Cabinet for further consideration of options in the light of the legislative programme

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB The list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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