Archived decisions

Contact: Deborah Harkin, Tel: 01962 846699, email: [email protected] and Colin Payne, Tel: 01962 845700 email: [email protected]

1. Summary:

That the Executive Member for Children and Families:

(a) approves the revised model for governance of children's centres in Hampshire.

(b) approves notes of guidance for children's centres for appointing local authority partnership board members.

(c) approves the revised contract length for childcare in children's centres in Hampshire, which offers a possible extension of up to 3 years.

(d) approves the additional staffing requirements for phase II children's centres required during 2007/08 as set out in appendix 5 of the Report.

(e) notes current progress under phase II of the children's centre programme.

2. Reason

2.1 The suggested amendments to the model of governance for Hampshire's children's centres are in response to the release of national guidance from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), previously known as the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). These changes also provide additional clarification around membership of partnership boards, transitional arrangements and interim partnership boards.

2.2 The proposed revision to the contract length for childcare in children's centres in Hampshire is in response to feedback from providers at recent procurement briefings. Contract extension would only be granted where service providers have performed satisfactorily.

2.3 The combination of services that children's centres provide for young children and families support all three of the County Council's corporate aims and contributes to the Every Child Matters outcomes by:

· Improving health outcomes for children and families

· Reducing crime rates

· Reducing child poverty

· Enabling parents to study and work

· Helping lone parents to access work and training opportunities

Children's centres also contribute to the strategic objectives of the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme. Local authorities lead in planning and implementing centres, which allow services to be joined up through partnership working between statutory and voluntary agencies. This brings benefits in improved planning and commissioning of services to make the best use of resources.

3. Other Options considered and rejected:

3.1 This report seeks approval to revisions of the model of governance of children's centres in Hampshire, and an amendment to the contract length for childcare in children's centres. Other options have been considered and rejected in the two previous reports presented to the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services, titled `The development of children's centres - proposals for a working model of governance' (02 April 2007) and `Procurement of childcare within children's centres' (17 July 2007).

4. Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive member consulted

None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

None.

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent -

None.

Approved by:

Councillor Mrs Patricia Banks

Executive Member for Children and Families

Date: 11 October 2007