Agenda item

This report provides an update on the process of co-production and consultation to date and that programmed ahead of the scheduled November 2019 approval by the Cabinet Member.

The Health and Wellbeing Board is asked to: -

1)   agree the strategic leads from each organisation to be involved in a monthly partner steering group between October and April at Appendix 1; and

2)   consider and respond to the questions for discussion in 2.6

30.1 In the absence of the Director of Children’s Services the Assistant Director, Early Help, Children’s Services presented the report on the Children First Strategy Development.  The Children First Strategy was noted as a multi-agency Strategy sponsored by the Director of Public Health, the Director of Education and the Director of Children’s Services. The report provided an update on the process of co-production and consultation to date.

30.2 Board Members were referred to Section 2.6 of the report and asked to provide a response to the questions listed as follows:

•  What would be different if Children and Families came first in West Sussex across our organisations? Do you think they already come first?

•  Where are the opportunities to work better together for children and families and their carers?

•  What are the barriers and how can we overcome them?

•  Why do you think previous strategies haven’t worked in the ways we hoped?

•  What can you/your organisation bring to this agenda? What can you commit?

30.3 In discussing the questions raised the Board recognised the importance of hearing the voice of children in order to provide a considered and appropriate strategic response to provide services that meet need. It was agreed that the Voices of Children had to be the central focus moving forward. The Board responded as follows:

·         Joint ownership to put children first was agreed as the aspiration and intent.

·         Healthwatch had been listening to the voice of the children and would be supplying a report that would be made available within the next two weeks. The Board agreed that the partner organisations had to get better at listening to children.

·         Good placed based prevention activity was cited as key and Board Members were keen to use the local knowledge and influence of the District and Boroughs. Localised plans with the focus on actions and implementation were preferred to avoid a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

·         Members were keen not to look at barriers but focus on an asset based approach, defining what ‘good’ should look like.

·         It was recognised that all partners needed to change and adapt behaviours so Children First is seen as one piece of work across the County whilst still being place based. This was seen as both a financial (pooling resources) and strategic issue (ceasing duplication of work).  It was agreed that younger people needed to be involved in the process and suggestions were made on who the Partnership Steering Group could engage with. It was suggested that contact was made with the young/youth leaders such as Youth Mayor, Voice of Looked after Children Council, Youth Cabinet, Scout Association, Guiding Association Leaders.

·         Members agreed that Housing, Environment and Education was vital to a child’s security and development.

·         It was recognised that in West Sussex it was easy to be drawn into needs around an Ageing Population but the Health and Wellbeing Board’s Strategy also championed the Start Well agenda.

30.4 In summing up, the Board agreed that children needed to share the balance of power and ways of engaging the wider audience of children needed to be addressed. The Chairman noted that the Partnership Steering Group needed invites to the youth/young and perhaps other partners such as Headteachers from schools/colleges. The Chairman also asked that consideration be given to the timing of the meetings so children could attend if they wished to do so.

30.5     The Board Resolved that;

1)   the strategic leads, to include those suggested by the Board, from each organisation to be involved in a monthly partner steering group between October and April at Appendix 1 be agreed; and

2)    it had considered and responded to the questions for discussion in 2.6.