Agenda item

To receive PowerPoint presentation.

This item will be led by Emily Fulbrook, Deputy Director, Operations, Adult Services and Jayne Shelbourn-Barrow, Service Director for Children and Families

Note – the Chair will allow 45 minutes for this agenda item.

The Committee received a presentation on preparing for adulthood, following the joint scrutiny workshop held in October 2020.  Feedback from the workshop has supported the development of the SEND Strategy and 6 mission statements within preparing for adulthood.

The key principles of transition planning and the Service Improvement Plan align well with the 4 priorities within the ASC Strategy in terms of:

·         prevent and early help

·         right support, right place , right time

·         a supported skilled and flexible workforce

·         future focussed

The key principles of transition planning and the Service Improvement Plan align well with the key themes of the SEND Strategy:

·         working together

·         getting help as early as possible

·         access to the right support and provision

·         preparing for the future.

The Committee welcomed and noted the update.

The Committee received a presentation from Emily Fulbrook, Deputy Director, Adults & Health Operations and Jayne Shelbourn-Barrow, Service Director for Children and Families, on preparing for adulthood, following the joint scrutiny workshop held in October 2020.  Feedback from the workshop has supported the development of the SEND Strategy and 6 mission statements within preparing for adulthood.

The key principles of transition planning and the Service Improvement Plan align well with the 4 priorities within the ASC Strategy in terms of:

·         prevent and early help

·         right support, right place , right time

·         a supported skilled and flexible workforce

·         future focussed

The key principles of transition planning and the Service Improvement Plan align well with the key themes of the SEND Strategy:

·         working together

·         getting help as early as possible

·         access to the right support and provision

·         preparing for the future.

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

·         planning for those young people in system – issues arise with ‘not known before’ children and young people, often with complex needs – work together and partnership working highlighted.

·         Want to see more on ‘resilience’ and delivery quality care – will bring ‘my life, my future’ to future meeting.

There is a specific item surrounding preparing for adulthood, and this is about reviewing and updating and implementing the agreed pathways, so it is across the children's social care and adult social care, developing practise guidance and joint working protocols and developing joint commissioning of service, specifically looking at young people 16 plus to prevent the need for several moves within a short time frame, along with more preventative community provision and the plans for this work is to start at the end of October, beginning of November and this was identified as part of a 16 week diagnostic where Newton Europe came in and worked with, across both children's and adults, speaking to a number of staff, looked at some of the outcomes that have been achieved so far for individuals and have created a work programme that is going to encompass both children and adults as part of that journey. Have county wide preparing for adulthood meetings, which has been running for nearly 2 years.

·         Mention of work in Martock area and the Chair said that youth support is an issue which can be added to work plan of the Children & Families Scrutiny.

·         Welcome the collaborative working happening – the ‘cliff edge’ comments made is scary prospect for young people and welcome the work being done; how will the Newton work impact on / how working in practice?

·         Newton work is chid service specific - ‘stories’ weren’t included in presentation, due to time at meeting – welcome opportunity to come back to scrutiny with that (share stories, outcomes, voice of young person).

·         Are there ‘lived experience’ volunteers for children & young people; how shape what do; how measure ‘success’ – do have individuals who have lived experience and are also creating, particularly in adults is making it real board. So we have done work around co production and that has involved individuals, young people transitioning through to adult services and also the parents parent and carers as well.

·         Comments about the differences in legislation for children and adults – there are differences which is challenging – the overarching principle though is around planning and preparation; children’s is about relational practice; leaving care service is a very strong service.

·         Mention about Pathway to Independence contract which is being reviewed now and referred to the Decision paper on this.

·         Elective home educated (EHE) children and how impact on planning services – are looking at ways on how plan / engage.

·         EHE is on work plan of the Children & Families Scrutiny.

·         How bridge gap between 16 – 18? Recognise there is work to do and is around how engage in schools and build on tool kits. Within social care, children have a social worker until they are 18 and leaving care worker comes in at 16, to enable transition. Recognise that transitions happen at every stage of life.

The Committee welcomed the presentation and noted the update.