Minute of Meeting of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership of 15 September 2023 for Noting
Perth and Kinross Council · 11 March 2024
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 11 March 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES’ PARTNERSHIP Minute of meeting of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership held on Friday 15 September 2023 at 10.00am in the Council Chambers, Council Building, 2 High Street, Perth. Present: Councillor L Barrett Councillor M Frampton Councillor C Shiers S Devlin, Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services), PKC H Robertson, Head of Services for Children, Young People and Families, PKC E Cruickshank, Child Health Commissioner, NHS Tayside Apologies: T Leonard, Police Scotland B Atkinson, Independent Chair, Perth and Kinross Child Protection Committee In Attendance: C McAuley and D Williams (all PKC). S Devlin in the Chair 1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE H Robertson welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest in terms of the relevant Codes of Conduct. 3. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minute of the meeting of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership of 16 June 2023 was submitted and noted as a correct record. 4. MATTERS ARISING There were no matters arising from the minute of the previous meeting.
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THE PARTNERSHIP AGREED TO VARY THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AT THIS POINT. 6. PERTH AND KINROSS CHILD PROTECTION COMMITTEE BUSINESS ACTIVITY REPORT SINCE 16 JUNE 2023 There was submitted a report by the Independent Chair of the Perth and Kinross Child Protection Committee (G/23/108) since the last meeting of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership on 16 June 2023. In introducing the report, H Robertson advised those present that all those under 18 years of age were now subject to child protection, with this having previously been 16 years of age. H Robertson also highlighted that Case Conferences had been superseded by Planning Meetings. In response to a query from S Devlin, H Robertson advised that all changes to guidance had been taken account of and were in place. Councillor Barrett commended the amount of work covered, and passed on thanks to B Atkinson and R Drummond in their absence. The Partnership noted and endorsed the update from the Child Protection Committee. 7. TAYSIDE CHILDREN’S SERVICES PLAN 2023-26 AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES PLAN ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23 There was submitted a report by the Executive Director (Education Children’s Services) (G/23/109) with Appendix 1 specifying the commitment of partners within the Tayside Regional Improvement (TRIC) to deliver on shared objectives in a single Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People and Families for 2023-2026. Appendix 1 highlights headline actions for Perth and Kinross Council and our statutory partners, NHS Tayside and Police Scotland. The detail on the commitment across Tayside to deliver on outcomes, is outlined within the renewed report and delivery plan. Separately, the Annual Report, attached as Appendix 2, provides an update on the achievement of agreed actions throughout 2021-2023. In introducing the report, S Devlin expressed considerable thanks to S Johnston, H Robertson and all involved in the process, and advised those present that this was very near a final draft. Additionally, H Robertson advised that it remained a working draft, with some comments not yet included. E Cruickshank advised those present that the commitment to Infant Mental Health was central to the plan and that, whilst the plan still had to go through various parliamentary processes, it had been shared around NHS Tayside. With specific reference to the Maintaining Child Healthy Weight Strategy,
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E Cruickshank advised that there would be an offer in place for representatives from Perth and Kinross to attend the October Angus for Whole Care on Healthy Weight with a view to future full involvement. In response to a query from Councillor Barrett as to whether there were plans to extend tracking down to those younger than two years of age, C McAuley advised that whilst she could not confirm this, developmental milestones were in place at 13 to 15 months. Councillor Frampton commented that she welcomed the look at Additional Support Needs from a young age. The Partnership: (i) Noted progress on the agreed actions within the Tayside Plan for Children, Young People and Families (2021-2023) Annual Report (2022-23) (ii) Approved the Tayside Plan for Infants, Children and Young People and Families (2023-2026) (iii) Requested an annual progress report on the delivery of the 2023-2026 Plan to the CYPFP in September 2024. 8. WHOLE FAMILY WELLBEING FUND There was submitted a report (G/23/110) by the Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services) providing a summary of the recent progress in the development of the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund and includes details on the steps taken to transform holistic, whole family support services across Perth and Kinross. The Children, Young People and Families Partnership hold collective responsibility to build transformational capacity which will help keep commitments to The Promise and address child poverty. In introducing the report, C McAuley advised that there was work ongoing looking how to link into community groups at a very local level, and the need to look at how to have a support network in place. She further advised that work was ongoing with PKAVS in respect of community grants, with applications set to go live in October 2023. C McAuley also advised that a consultant was running leadership programmes, and there was a view to put together a number of different workshops. In response to a query from Councillor Frampton regarding availability of the fund in schools and nurseries, C McAuley advised that work in schools was closely linked with the Pupil Equity Fund, with the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund more centred around work with different groups more suited to looking at whole family. In response to a query from Councillor Shiers, C McAuley advised that the focus over the next few years would be on qualitative feedback, and also highlighted a range of other measures such as the Health and Wellbeing Census. H Robertson also added, as a point of clarification, that there was a view to sustainability. Whilst adding that this would be challenging in the
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short-term, a much stronger position to capture information in the short-term would develop over time. C McAuley added that it was sensible to look at all options for reporting back to the Scottish Government, with H Robertson adding that there was close monitoring by the Scottish Government and that C McAuley, as project lead, had attended a number of national meetings. The Partnership noted the content of report G/23/110 and the proposed activities within. 9. THEMATIC REPORTING (i) THEMATIC APPROACH TO PERFORMANCE REPORTING There was submitted a report (G/23/111) by the Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services) continuing the thematic reporting plan for performance and outcome information focused on children, young people and families. The report sets out a suite of information around the second of the themes, namely Quality of Life. In introducing the report J Chiles advised that this high-level reporting had been undertaken for seven years and was based around national reporting. He added that some indicators involved very small numbers, and added both that there was a sustained upward trend in referrals to SCRA by Police Scotland and that there was a very low number of pregnant women living in temporary accommodation. Councillor Barrett added that she very much welcomed the figures on children, young people and families living in temporary accommodation, and asked whether this was a snapshot of the date at which the date those figures were taken. In responding, J Chiles advised that this was the case, but that he would be surprised to see much variation through the year. The Partnership: (i) Considered and commented on the information set out in Appendix 1. (ii) Provided guidance to inform the future direction of thematic performance reporting. (ii) DISCUSSION ON FUTURE MEANS OF THEMATIC REPORTING S Devlin, Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services), led a verbal discussion on the future means of thematic reporting, namely whether it was preferred for thematic reporting to continue in its present form, or of it would be preferred that a partner brought forward a report on a rotational basis. E Cruickshank advised that, whilst a new representative on the Partnership, she was familiar with the reports in their present guise as they were circulated around NHS Tayside, and would be happy to see the current style of thematic reporting continue. H Robertson added that the present form of thematic
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reporting possibly gave partners the opportunity to add to discussion on specific issues. S Devlin advised that a note would be placed in this Minute asking for partners to bring forward views on the following specific points, before taking forward for further discussion on continued value of thematic reporting in its current form. • Should thematic reporting continue in its current form? • Is there any performance related information that should come forward in thematic reporting that doesn’t already? • Is there any performance related information that does presently come forward in thematic reporting that shouldn’t? 5. WHOLE FAMILY WELLBEING FUND There was submitted a Partner Briefing (G/23/107) from the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, outlining the recommendations for the redesign of the children’s hearing system. In giving an overview, H Robertson advised that many of the recommendations outlined would take a number of years to implement, but that with the required will some could be resolved near immediately. She added that many of the recommendations were centred around the language used, in order to make the process more centred around the child. H Robertson advised that further changes would come with the Care and Justice Bill, meaning under 18’s would be in a children’s hearing setting rather than a court setting, which she advised was a significant change in dynamic. With J Cunningham (SCRA) not in attendance, it was suggested this could be brought forward again to the next meeting of the Partnership should he wish to attend. The Partnership noted the content of the Partner Briefing. 12. ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS There was no other competent business. 13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership will take place on 1 December 2023.