Item 7c - Nurtured DIG Update
West Dunbartonshire Council · 17 August 2023
Back to Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board — 17 August 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Management Board Meeting Development and Improvement Groups (DIGs): Highlights and Issues Report FOR INFORMATION ONLY x FOR DECISION Name of DIG Nurtured DIG Date of report Name and email of lead contact Laura Mason, Chief Education Officer Laura.mason@west-dunbarton.gov.uk 1 Highlights of activity and progress since last meeting The Nurtured DIG Plan for session ’22-’23 focusses on progressing our ICSP and recent developments nationally and locally. Outcomes identified address five main work streams: supporting mental health and wellbeing, the Getting It Right for Every Child refresh, the implementation of The Promise ’21-24, Whole Family Wellbeing and Child Poverty plans. Members of the DIG lead these work stream groups consisting of a range of partnership staff and report via quarterly updates to the DIG. The revised and refreshed Integrated Children’s Services Plan 2023-2026 will focus on the range of ways the Partnership can work together to develop the key areas of our joint work with a particular focus on supporting the six identified SG groups of priority families who need most help and the two additional WDC identified cohorts: lone parents, minority ethnic families, families with a disabled adult or child, families with a younger mother (under 25), families with a child under one and larger families (three or more children), families who have caring commitments and who have children or young people who require care. A calendar of Quality Improvement and Self-Evaluation is being implemented, which leads all Nurtured DIG partners in evaluating How Good Is Our Family Support. This process supports partners over a three year cycle, to consider the four themes of family support and outcomes of this will inform developments and improvements to service delivery. In addition and reflecting the need for improved and increased opportunities for multi-agency training and planning, a series of staff briefings and Even Better If (EBI) sessions will be implemented focussing on themes and needs emerging. We have completed Year One of the cycle and are now embarking on Year Two. A priority of Children and Young People's Mental Health Community Supports and Services group is to establish a new service for young people experiencing ITEM 7c
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emotional distress with the aim of "ask once get help fast". The pilot of Planet Youth in Clydebank High School was very successful and helped identify to partners, the focus of need for the young people in that school community. Feedback and finding were shared with Leaders from all mainstream high schools and plans to collaborate with the wider health improvement team to roll-out to all High Schools in academic year ’23-’24 are now in place. The range of additional mental health and wellbeing supports noted in the February 2022 Partnership report continues to be developed and progressed. Working 4U continues to address the underlying causes and symptoms of poverty. Activities centre on delivery of specialist services (Work, Learn, Money) with support for families, children and young people reflected in their contribution to the local child poverty action report. The new and revised Child Poverty Action Report has been produced. Partners continue to support our most complex children and young people in preparation for transition to Early Learning, School or destinations beyond school. Transition policies have been reviewed and revised to ensure consistent and equitable experiences. These also reflect of the views of parents, children and young people. Plans and supports are being implemented made to ensure those allocated the support of specialist settings make a seamless transition to them. A summer holiday programme supported by 25 WDC partners supported children, young people and families across the Council to access a range of fun activities. In collaboration, partners identified families needing targeted support; ensuring a ‘ring- fenced’ provision. All events provided free access to lunch or snacks and were offered without cost. At time of writing, evaluations are very positive and uptake is very high. Our established systems for provision of alternative to Free School Meals continued to be implemented over the summer holiday period. This ensured that all eligible families had a regular payment of £12.50 per week, per child paid directly into bank accounts. 2 Outline of any issues/risks and how these are being managed If the Council is unable to ensure positive outcomes for children, we will not be meeting their needs (Children and Young People Act 2014) (Equalities Act 2010). If the Council is unable to meet the needs of children, young people and families this could result in reputational damage. 3 Outline of the main outputs expected before next meeting
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4 What are your requirements of partners in the Community Planning Management Board to achieve the outcomes of the DIG? 5 Please outline any good news story you wish to share