Issue details

Early Help Service Redesign

 

The County Council’s Early Help service is part of its Children, Young People and Learning Directorate.  It identifies and works with children and families in need of support, to help to promote the safe and healthy development of children and young people within stable families and prevent social care interventions in the future.  

 

The County Council wishes to create an improved, targeted Early Help offer directed to those most at need, while continuing to provide the existing statutory functions of the service, and to deploy its resources with the greatest efficiency and the maximum benefit to vulnerable children and families.

 

On 23 February 2021, the Cabinet approved (decision CAB17 (20/21) refers) the launch of a public consultation on its preferred option for the future design of the Early Help service, to increase the support and focused response to vulnerable children, for which there is an identified and growing need.  This would ensure that families have access to the most appropriate support, including closer working with schools, the Children’s Social Care service and the Council’s other delivery partners. 

 

The public consultation, running between 8 March and 17 May 2021 has enabled all customers and stakeholders of the service, together with local communities to study and comment on the detailed proposals, and the reasons for the Council’s preferred option.  

 

Following consideration of the results of the public consultation Cabinet will be asked to make a decision about the form of the new Early Help service, the future service offer and its means of delivery. 

Decision type: Key

Reason Key: Affects more than 1 division;

Decision status: For Determination

Divisions affected: (All Divisions);

Notice of proposed decision first published: 14/05/2021

Decision due: 27 July 2021 by Cabinet

Lead member: Councillor Duncan Crow duncan.crow@westsussex.gov.uk, Councillor Joy Dennis joy.dennis@westsussex.gov.uk, Councillor Jeremy Hunt jeremy.hunt@westsussex.gov.uk, Councillor Amanda Jupp amanda.jupp@westsussex.gov.uk, Councillor Nigel Jupp nigel.jupp@westsussex.gov.uk, Councillor Bob Lanzer bob.lanzer@westsussex.gov.uk, Councillor Paul Marshall paul.marshall@westsussex.gov.uk, Councillor Jacquie Russell jacquie.russell@westsussex.gov.uk, Councillor Deborah Urquhart deborah.urquhart@westsussex.gov.uk, Councillor Steve Waight steve.waight@westsussex.gov.uk

Contact: Claire Hayes, Assistant Director (Education and Skills) Email: claire.hayes@westsussex.gov.uk Tel: 07702 442462.

Consultation process

Representations concerning this proposed decision can be made to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People via the author or officer contact, by the beginning of the month in which the decision is due to be taken.

Consultees

Children and Young People’s Services Scrutiny Committee – 20 July 2021

Democratic Services Contact: Wendy Saunders Tel: 033 022 22553

Decisions

Agenda items

Background papers