Agenda and draft minutes

Mr J Curwood proposed and Mr M J Northey seconded Mrs A D Allen be elected Chairman.

Carried without votes

(Mrs Allen took the Chair)

(1)       The Chairman welcomed the officers and Members to the inaugural meeting of the Local Children’s Service Partnership Sub Committee (LCSP Sub Committee).  Members and officers introduced themselves.

(2)               Mrs Ackroyd gave a brief introduction outlining the role of the Sub Committee to have an overview of the work of the Partnerships and submit Minutes of this meeting to the Children, Families & Education Policy Overview Committee. 

(3)               The Chairman suggested that each area give a brief submission of the successes and challenges from the early LCSP operations followed by questions from Members. 

The following representatives from LCSP will be attending for this item:-

Thanet 1

(1)               Nedine Watson-Cutts, LCSP Manager gave a brief overview of the work carried out in Thanet which included the following:-

• Thanet has the largest population of 0-9 year olds.  In Thanet 1 there are 13,000 and in Thanet 2 16,000.
• The core purpose of the Partnership was to improve the outcomes of health and safety and learning, through planning and integrated services.
• Integrated planning was integral in forming the Partnership.  This was done through data collection and consultation.
• There was excellent partnership working.
• The Partnership Plan covered three years and had sixteen outcomes.  These were short, medium and long term.
• Regular Board meetings were held with representatives from key services including health, early years, youth services, youth justice team and the Police, each with a specific area of responsibility in line with the three year Partnership Plan.
• The aim of the Partnership Plan was to look at the local priorities and those that covered all of Thanet.
• The LCSP was looking to improve the skill base in Thanet through the “Poverty Pilot Initiative”, which included community mentoring.
• The LCSP was looking at team structure and eradicating duplication to free up funding.
• A huge positive had been the signing up by everyone of the Partnerships being the best way of working.  It had been key to have Thanet District Council involved.

(2)               Jackie Kemp, PEP Headteacher, added further comments which included the following:-

·        The membership of the Partnership Board meant that there were less meetings with individuals to share data.

·        The Thanet area had significant numbers of families with no work ethic, poor or no school attendance which meant that there was significant illiteracy but did not mean that they had problems with problem solving or mathematical skills.

·        In contrast there were excellent secondary schools in Thanet which OFSTED reports validated.

(3)       In response to a Member’s question Jackie Kemp advised that breaking the cycle of families for five generations not working and little or no education would be managed through initiatives for young mums to continue to receive education and work on preventing second pregnancies through raising their aspirations.

(3)         In response to a question Members were advised that the Partnership Board Minutes were on the LCSP local websites.  Joy Ackroyd agreed to forward Members the weblinks.

(4)               In response to a question on whether an audit had been made on all early years providers in the Thanet area especially on the quality of care and what plans the LCSPs had made to improve early years,  Nedine Watson-Cutts advised that setting up the Children’s Centres had been the focus on early years, which meant excellent cross working with health visitors.  This had received financial input from central government.  Information was linked through groups such as the community involvement workers and church groups to engage hard to reach members of the Thanet community.

(5)               In response to a question on what work was being undertaken for boys to have role models and gain  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

It is suggested that meetings be held on the following dates:-

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 22 April 2009 in the Pendragon Room, Invicta House, County Hall, Maidstone.