Agenda item

This report provides an update on the new Early Help model that Surrey County Council and partners have been developing for the county overall and how this progressing locally in Mole Valley.

It is also seeking feedback on the latest Early Help developments in Mole Valley, and endorsement of the current Local Committee representatives to the local Early Help Advisory Board, for the remainder of 2017/18 and 2018/19.

The Local Committee (Mole Valley) agreed to:

(i)    Provide feedback on the latest early help developments in Mole Valley, including proposed early help priorities for re-commissioning and the location of Local Family Partnerships

(ii)   Endorse the Local Committee representatives to the local Early Help Advisory Board, for the remainder of 2017/18 and 2018/19 (subject to continued membership of the Local Committee)

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS:

We want Local Members to be informed about the proposals that we have been developing in partnership for the early help system in Surrey. We believe these proposals will help us realise better outcomes for children and young people within the early help resources we have available. We also know however that early help is most effective when it is planned and delivered locally, so we are seeking the advice of the Local Committee to inform our identified local priorities.

Declarations of interest: Tim Hall: Trustee of Leatherhead Youth Project;

Co-chair of Governing Body of Leatherhead Trinity School    and Children’s Centre

Officers in attendance: Natalie Howe, Families Service Manager (FSM)

Public Questions, Petitions, Statements: None

Member discussion – key highlights

1.    Members generally welcomed the new approach but expressed concern that  any aspirations would be at risk due to possible cuts to services as a result of the county council’s difficult financial position.

2.    The FSM agreed it was a challenging situation but that it was also an opportunity to work differently with partners. The priority was to ensure that families were looked after; early intervention would reduce costs in the long run.

3.    Members raised concerns over the consultation on potential changes to children’s centre services. In particular they considered the deadline for partner organisations to submit comments to be too tight.

4.    The FSM explained that the reason for this was to bring forward the public consultation, so as to avoid the period over the summer holidays. These were still very early discussions but officers had wanted to engage with partners at the outset.

5.    The divisional member for Ashtead expressed some mixed views about the work thus far of the Early Help Advisory Board (EHAB). He expressed concerns that the membership might be too large to be effective and that there was no representation by the police.

6.    The FSM explained that in developing the EHAB and the Local Family Partnerships  (LFP) in tandem, it was possible that the balance of the membership of each was not yet quite right. The EHAB should have strategic oversight of early help delivery; the LFPs were operational and the police might be better placed sending a representative to their meetings.

7.    In declaring his personal interests (above) the Chairman highlighted the fact the funding formula for the children’s centres had not been made available at the start of the process. However this would be an opportunity to review whether the former youth centre buildings were in the right places to deliver services in the future.

8.    The Chairman also highlighted that accessibility to mental health services was key and that young people from Trinity School used those provided outside the district in Redhill.

9.    Furthermore he expressed concerns that drug abuse issues in Leatherhead were not sufficiently prioritised and needed to be monitored carefully.

10.  The FSM agreed that the figures for Mole Valley were particularly challenging. She agreed that the Children and Adolescent’s Mental Health Services (CAMHS) offer still needed to be improved but commented that the Leatherhead Youth Project (LYP) was working very well with the older age groups across the district.

11.  Officers needed to further interrogate the drug abuse figures with the police to  see if there were pockets of issues where they could focus their work.

12.  The divisional member for Bookham & Fetcham East (Cabinet Member for Children) stressed that the new model of delivery was needed to meet OFSTED requirements but that the investment in early help would reduce costs in the long-term.

13.  Work on the children’s centres consultation was just beginning and there would be a briefing for members in April.

The Local Committee (Mole Valley) agreed to:

(i)    Provide feedback on the latest early help developments in Mole Valley, including proposed early help priorities for re-commissioning and the location of Local Family Partnerships

(ii)   Endorse the Local Committee representatives to the local Early Help Advisory Board, for the remainder of 2017/18 and 2018/19 (subject to continued membership of the Local Committee)

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS:

We want Local Members to be informed about the proposals that we have been developing in partnership for the early help system in Surrey. We believe these proposals will help us realise better outcomes for children and young people within the early help resources we have available. We also know however that early help is most effective when it is planned and delivered locally, so we are seeking the advice of the Local Committee to inform our identified local priorities.