PAPER D

 

                                                                                                                 Purpose: for Decision

                        REPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE

 

Date:               19 NOVEMBER 2003

 

Title:                TO AGREE A RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATION ON THE GOVERNMENT’S GREEN PAPER ‘EVERY CHILD MATTERS’

                       

JOINT REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDERS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSING AND EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVLOPMENT

 

IMPLEMENTATION DATE: 1 December 2003

 

 


SUMMARY/PURPOSE

 

1.                  To set out the response of the Isle of Wight Council to the consultation paper ‘Every Child Matters’

 

CONFIDENTIAL/EXEMPT ITEMS

 

2.                  This is not a confidential item as it relates to a national consultation exercise.

 

BACKGROUND

 

3.             The government published ‘Every Child Matters’, a Green Paper on the future of Children’s Services on 8 September 2003.  Lord Laming’s inquiry into the tragic death of Victoria Climbie highlighted the need to ensure all children are safeguarded and have the opportunity to fulfill their potential.  The Green Paper – Every Child Matters, aims to achieve this by moving to a system locally and nationally where:

 

·        Services are focused around the needs of children, young people and families;

·        Services are integrated across education, social care, health and youth justice; and

·        There is clear accountability at all levels.

 

In formulating a response for the Executive to consider, a number of steps have been taken:

 

·        Corporate Parenting Seminar, July 2003

·        Select Committee consideration of the Green Paper, October 2003

·        Children & Young Person’s Committee incorporating members of the Social Services & Housing and Education and Community Development Select Committees, November 2003

·        Consultation with a range of partner agencies, for example Drug Action Team

·        Senior Officer/Member forum on several occasions during this period

·        Children’s Services Divisional staff meeting, October 2003

·        Liaison at a regional and national level with relevant professional associations

 

           All of the above have contributed to informing this proposed response to the Green Paper.

 

STRATEGIC CONTEXT

 

4.                  This is a new and national development, initiated by Government, which will have a significant impact on services for children and families provided by this Council and partner agencies on the Isle of Wight.

 

Following the consultation response, the Executive can anticipate future reports outlining proposals commensurate with the aims of the Green Paper and proposed legislation.

 

          Children and families have a prominence in a variety of strategic documents within the Council and specifically within:

 

·        Corporate Plan: Specifically, “Improving health, housing and the quality of life for all” and “Raising education standards and promoting life-long learning”.

·        Children’s Service Plan

 

CONSULTATION

 

5.                  The government is leading on this consultation and the Council is a consultee within a national process. As such, the Council is not required to consult. However, the measures taken and detailed above reflect a degree of wider consultation. Comments received as a consequence are subsumed within the Executive’s proposed formal response to government.

 

FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS

 

6.                  It is predicted that following the Laming recommendations and the Green Paper, that there will be a pressing need to invest in services for children and families. Estimates from officers are detailed in the relevant Service Plans. The proposed response from the Executive will further highlight this issue. 

 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

7.                  The Government has announced its intention to legislate in respect of key parts of the Green Paper at the earliest opportunity.  The implications of any legislative changes will be incorporated into any future papers to the Executive.

 

OPTIONS

 

8.                  The Council has considered whether it should formally respond to the consultation exercise. The relevant Portfolio Holders have taken a view that there should be a response.

 

           The proposed response (see Appendix A) details the appropriate issues.

 

EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT

 

9.                  The Council must take cognisance of the main tenets within the Green Paper. Failure to do so may have an adverse impact on future performance ratings.

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

10.             That the Executive agree the proposed response detailed in Appendix A.

 

BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

11.             ‘Every Child Matters’ The Green Paper, September 2003

Social Services & Housing Select Committee Report 8 October 2003

Children & Young Person’s Committee Report, 5 November 2003

Children’s Services Plan

Local Preventative Strategy (Draft)

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

12.             Executive proposed response – Appendix A

    ‘Every Child Matters’ (Summary) – This can be viewed at

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/everychildmatters/pdfs/EveryChildMattersSummary.pdf

 

 

Contact Point:    Jimmy Doyle, Head of Children’s Services,Tel:01983 520600 [email protected]

                           Glen Garrod, Strategic Director of Social Services & Housing

 

J DOYLE

Head of Children’s Services

 

G KENDALL

 Portfolio Holder for Social services & Housing

 

 

J WAREHAM

 Portfolio Holder for Education & Community Development

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                APPENDIX A

 

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL DRAFT RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER ’EVERY CHILD MATTERS’

 

The Isle of Wight Council welcomes the publication of the Green Paper ‘Every Child Matters’, not least because we consider the government’s analysis of the needs of children and young people to be sound.  Some elements of the Green Paper require further clarification and discussion, but in general terms, it represents an important step forward.

 

Notwithstanding the above, the implications of the Green Paper will require careful consideration, and it is this Council’s view that there should be sufficient flexibility to allow for local circumstances to shape local arrangements.

 

The Green Paper contains a standardised consultation response form containing detailed questions relating to particular elements of services to children and young people.  These will be considered by officers and responded to accordingly.

 

However, as a consequence of consultation locally, a number of key themes have emerged which this Council wishes to concentrate upon:

 

 

The Council wishes to adopt an ambitious approach to the development of services to children, young people and families and in this regard welcomes the approach outlined within the Green Paper.

 

 

To achieve this Council will need to consider additional temporary resources and would urge the government to make available interim funding to support all authorities to this end.  The Council believes that considerable effort is being invested in implementing the Laming recommendations; Local Preventative Strategy and Identification Referral & Tracking.  Project management capacity to advance these developments and the aims of the Green Paper is in short supply and the government should seriously consider the support, which councils will need to make the Green Paper a reality.

 

 

It is the Council’s considered view that efforts to progress Children’s Trusts should benefit from being informed by the experience of existing Children’s Trusts pilot schemes. 

 

 

The NHS is investing substantial time and resources in developing a patient record system. Councils are individually working to promote better information sharing. The government needs to identify how best to support councils in developing effective systems for information management and exchange in the light of the Pathfinder’s experience

.

 

The council welcomes the opportunity to play a lead role in developing an integrated service. However, it is imperative that the government supports this through explicit requirements that partner agencies subscribe to this agenda. The council is particularly keen that linkages with health and youth justice are strengthened to achieve the aims of the green paper.

 

 

The council is concerned that the issue of transition is not adequately addressed within the Green Paper and would urge the government to take the opportunity to strengthen this when considering legislative changes and practice guidance. 

 

 

The Council believes that the NHS should regard the needs of children and young people as a key priority and that this should be reflected in future legislation, guidance and the National Service Framework for Children.

 

 

The Government is requested to ensure that appropriate funding is made available to enable all the proposals contained in the Green Paper to be successfully implemented. It is the Council’s view that this is not something, which should be passed on to council taxpayers.

 

The Council would welcome some rationalisation of funding streams to facilitate service planning and the development of service integration.

 

 

The Council welcomes the proposal for a Lead Member for children and young people.  It would be helpful to develop a national recruitment, training and  support mechanism to ensure that Members can fulfil the expectations of this important role on an ongoing basis.

 

 

The Council recognises the importance of workforce development, but has concerns that this, aside from being urgent, would benefit from a regional approach.  This is also a development where the pooling of budgets for multi-disciplinary training for post qualification courses would be helpful.

 

 

Assessment of future performance should reflect how far councils and partner agencies together have progressed the aims and objectives of the Green Paper.

 

 

In conclusion, the council is eager to work with relevant government departments/agencies in pursuing this ambitious agenda.