Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

No disclosures of interest were made.

Paxton Hood-Williams was confirmed as Convener of the Panel.

To receive the notes of the previous meeting and agree as an accurate record.

The Panel agreed the notes as an accurate record of the meeting.

Questions must relate to matters on the Agenda and will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

No members of the public were present at the meeting.

Rachel Moxey, Head of Poverty and Prevention

Gavin Evans, Poverty and Prevention

Rachel Moxey, Head of Poverty and Prevention and Gavin Evans from the Poverty and Prevention team, attended the meeting to present the Family Support Continuum Performance Report for Quarter 4 2018, highlighting the context for this work and progress to date and answering questions.

It was emphasised that this is very much a work in progress.  It is currently raw data and a group has been established and will begin to meet shortly to analyse and discuss trends and determine the way forward.  The plan is that in the future the report will only include key indicators.

Discussion points:

·       The Panel asked how families can be made aware that this help is available.  They were informed that it is a very complex issue.  Services are trying to pre-empt where there may be problems in families. All services need to work together to inform families that this help is available.  Networking with colleagues and other public services is very important.  Key to this is health staff.  They need to be aware how important it is to identify problems in families early.

·       Issues with children often show up in the school situation.  It is hard to identify issues earlier when children are withdrawn from mainstream education.

·       The Panel feels that this work is too high level and there is a need to talk to the people affected.

·       The Panel emphasised that this work has to be about getting the best outcomes for children.  That is the priority.  Informed that the needs of individuals are the main driver but have to be aware of costs. 

·       Logic model pre-16 – the hope is that this work with families will stop them becoming involved with Child and Family Services.  80% of what comes to social services ‘front door’ should not be coming there.  Social Services should be focussing on complex cases only.  We can get better outcomes for children if we intervene early with specialist services so investment in early help services is vital.    

·       Panel concerned about the amount of staff time taken up in producing this data and whether they will be able to analyse and understand it in order to get the best outcomes for children.  Panel was informed that this data is being collected anyway.

Actions:

·       Report on progress to be brought to the Panel in 6 months’ time.  This should be a more fit for purpose highlight report, including the outcomes of the work by Vanguard and what is being done at social services ‘front door’.

Panel had insufficient time to undertake the review of the year.

The Panel considered the work programme.

a) Convener’s letter to Cabinet Member (26 February 2018 meeting)

b) Response from Cabinet Member (26 February 2018 meeting)

c) Convener’s letter to Cabinet Member (20 April 2018 meeting)

Letters received and considered by the Panel.

·       Terms of Reference for the Child and Family Services Panel

The Panel noted the Terms of Reference.