Issue - meetings

To consider PowerPoint presentation.

Note – the Chair will allow 30 minutes for this agenda item.

The Committee received a presentation on short break provision, which is holiday activities, daycare, fostering, residential and outlined the statutory guidance, gaps / opportunities, vision and plans for the future.

Agreed that the Action Plan is shared with Scrutiny and officers were invited to update the Committee at the meeting in May.

The Committee received a presentation from Louise Palmer, the Council’s Strategic Commissioner, Children’s Services and Jo Manning, Head of Service on short break provision, which is holiday activities, daycare, fostering, residential and outlined the statutory guidance, current resources, gaps / opportunities, vision and plans for the future / next steps.

They referred to the ‘sprint’ held in December which highlighted the issues which needed to be addressed (for example, process to get short breaks is too long, transport, workforce). The aim is to re-design the assessment process to be faster and to increase access to local resources so that needs can be met nearer, faster. The action plan will be finalised during January with fortnightly meetings to progress and will return to the committee in May to provide an update.

The Committee asked a number of questions and made a number of comments which were responded to at the meeting, as follows:

·      Change in mindset and paid tribute to the amazing work of families / parents; are there cost implications in what is being proposed – there will be cost implications and when come back with proposals will look at cost implications of doing, or not doing things. The ‘sprint’ is a good process and the families said that the current process feels adversarial and it is a ‘fight’ and want to have more flexible local support so likely to see right level of support, to help families when they need it and want to improve what families experience and reduce costs too. For example, dealing with complaints takes time and resources (tribunals) so having fewer may be able to get more money into the right place.

·      Query on the micro providers mentioned on the workforce slide (slide 11) – clarified are in the Adult Social Care Team and are independent of the Council and provide support to adults in the community – asked if they could work in children’s service as well – and are doing a lot of work with them to dispel myths.

Officers explained the position re the children’s homes for respite - have retained the home for children with mild physical or learning difficulties and one for children with very complex learning difficulties, which is very close to the hospital in case they need urgent medical treatment. The decision was taken to close a third home (Beech Tree) (for children with complex needs, particularly autism) and work going forward is to have some smaller homes, creating a more home-like environment.

·      Pulling these actions together (slide 13) and local provision; comment made that need to have joined up working across the organisation and to ensure that all parts of the council are supporting this approach and not letting people get away with doing something that does not help children.

The Vice Chair thanked officers for the informative presentation. It was agreed that the Action Plan is shared with Scrutiny and officers were asked to provide an update to the Committee in May.