To consider possible options for consultation for the future delivery of early help through Children’s Centres

The Executive Member introduced a report that proposed possible options for a consultation on the future delivery of early help through children’s centres.  The Committee were advised of the need to realign support to those areas of highest need and comments on specific issues including the following were encouraged:-

1.    Whether Members would prefer a targeted approach at the expense of a universal service.

2.    Members views on a suitable age range

3.    Where services should be delivered

4.    The services that should be delivered from Children’s Centres

In light of the report and the issues highlighted by the Executive Member the Committee discussed several issues in detail.  In particular Members raised a concern that whilst not all of the ‘spokes’ in the universal service model had been effective there could be instances where vulnerable people would no longer receive support if the universal element was removed.  In response the Acting Assistant Director Children’s Services commented that in the targeted approach the needs of vulnerable families could still be addressed following early help assessments.  The Executive Member agreed to highlight in the consultation document the alternatives that would be available for those that had been in receipt of universal support if a targeted approach was taken by the Council. 

A Member also raised a concern regards the order in which the children’s centres were listed in the relevant data table in the appendix to the Executive report. There was also a concern that the impact of growth in some areas would affect the “reach” of some centres and this had not been taken into account in the proposals.  In response the Acting Assistant Director Children’s Services commented that the data used in the table had recently been provided by ONS and the order of the centres could be amended based on a range of factors.  The Council was aware of particular growth issues, which may impact on the reach of some children’s centres.

In addition the Committee discussed the following issues in detail:-

·         The benefits of children’s centres to encourage social integration.

·         Whether effective arrangements were in place with GPs to encourage the use of support.  The Acting Assistant Director Children’s Services responded that a high number of referrals for support were received from health visitors although further work in this area was necessary.

·         The ways in which the Council could encourage residents who needed support but did not use Children’s Centres to make best use of it.

·         The importance of the role of health visitors and the support they could provide.

·         Whether proof could be provided that children did not require support beyond two years of age.  In response the Acting Assistant Director Children’s Services commented that whichever model was approved there would be flexibility to provide targeted support to children of any in light of a need. Children above the age of two would not be precluded from support and the consultation would highlight the alternative support that was available.

·         Whether other local authorities were considering similar changes in the way that services were delivered.  In response the Acting Assistant Director Children’s Services confirmed that other authorities were focusing on the most appropriate means of delivering early intervention for families most in need of support.

·         Whether the impetus for change related solely to the current financial climate.  In response the Executive Member advised the Committee that the changes were not about funding, there was a commitment to deliver early intervention and doing this in the most appropriate way.

In summarising the Chairman proposed that the range of views provided by the Committee be made available to the Executive.  The Committee supported the principal of targeted early intervention and agreed that the consultation should include a range of models in addition to making clear the alternative provision that would be available for children not included in the identified age range.  The Committee also agreed that none of the ‘hubs’ should disappear as a result of the changes.

In addition the Committee requested that a summary of the consultation responses to date be presented to the Committee at their meeting in July 2014.

RECOMMENDED to Executive

1.    That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee supports the approach to deliver targeted early intervention but feels it is important that children not included in the identified age range should still be able to access support where necessary.

2.    That the consultation include a range of proposed models that also identify the alternative support that would be available if a ‘spoke’ ceased to operate as a result of the proposal.

3.    That none of the current ‘hubs’ in Central Bedfordshire should disappear as a result of the proposed changes.

(Meeting adjourned at 1121 and reconvened at 1130)