Agenda item

The Panel will consider a verbal update on the Engagement of Family Hubs.  Attached as background information is the Cabinet report approved on the 15^th December 2020 on Proposal for the early help offer for children, young people and families.

Contact Officers: Jackie Beever, Service Manager Early Support and Michelle Wheatcroft, Head of Service Early Support

The Panel considered a verbal report on the Early Help offer for children Young People and Families presented by Michelle Wheatcroft , Head of Service Early Support and CarolAnn Smith, Project officer, Children’s Services.  The Panel noted that a Cabinet report approved on the 15^th December 2020 on Proposal for the early help offer for children, young people and families had been circulated with the agenda as background information.

Michelle Wheatcroft & CarolAnn Smith highlighted the following key issues:-

-       Engagement with stakeholders had taken place for a period of 8 weeks from 4^th January to the 26th February which included a generic online survey, online meetings with key partners, online public sessions, sessions with Councillors, engagement with schools and parents/carers and leaflets set to food and baby banks;

-       158 online surveys had been completed;

-       31 sessions had taken place with key partners, staff teams, third sector organisations, volunteers and foster carers had taken place;

-       250 stakeholders had engaged through online meetings;

-       Online sessions had taken place with young people with an adapted survey; 72 young people completed the survey;

-       18 sessions had been held with Councillors from all 23 wards;

-       The team attended Town/Parish council meetings;

-       Emails were sent to all 4 MP’s;

-       8 online public sessions had taken place;

-       Information had been shared and promoted through social media channels;

-       Leaflets were printed and shared with all main Kirklees food banks and Rainbow baby bank.

A number of comments were made by members of the Panel, as follows:-

-       How families in need would be identified and how support would be provided;

-       Concerns were raised regarding the distance to the hubs for some families.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding the definition of the word ‘hub’ and asking if it could be renamed, Michelle Wheatcroft advised that this could be considered and that officers were open to suggestions from the Panel.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding early intervention and how families could be contacted as early as possible, Michelle Wheatcroft responded to advise that officers were working with colleagues in the voluntary sector organisations and health colleagues to raise awareness of the services and what was on offer to families.  The Panel was informed that there was dedicated Children’s Centres in place to provide the services and support to families. Michelle Wheatcroft further explained that conversations were ongoing in respect of how to start those early conversations and break down barriers.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding what was on offer for children at the Children’s centres, Michelle Wheatcroft responded to advise that the centres would also be used as an admin area and other integrated services would be using the centres, such as adult learning.  The Panel was advised that the Centres were not just about children but were about the whole family and that there would be services for children of all ages up to the age of 25. 

In response to a question from the Panel regarding families travelling long distances to some of the Centres, Michelle Wheatcroft advised that this issue had already been raised at some of the engagement sessions and that locations for the Centres would be properly considered once all the feedback had been received from the engagement.  The Panel was informed that local Councillors would be consulted as part of the engagement and that families would not be expected to travel long distances and that services needed to be accessible by all.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding prevention work with children around mental health and trauma and how this would be addressed by the family hubs, Michelle Wheatcroft advised that this was not specific in the plan and that she would take this back for further discussion.

The Panel were informed that the branding and naming of the family engagement hubs would be a key part of the work going forward.

In response to a question from the Panel asking that when the family engagement hubs were up and running could information be provided for families on how and when they could access all the services on offer, Carol-Ann Smith advised that this work would be undertaken and examples could be given of how the services could relate to families.  The Panel was informed that the voice of the child would be taken into account and officers agreed to report back to the panel further on how this would be addressed.

RESOLVED –

1.    That the Panel noted the verbal update on the Engagement of Family Hubs and thanked Michelle Wheatcroft and CarolAnn Smith.

2.    The panel requested an update at a future meeting which would give a a narrative to explain how and when a family of 4 (2 working parents and 2 school age children) on a minimum wage would be able to access help from the hubs when they needed it.

3.    That the issue of prevention work around mental health and trauma experienced by children be built into the overall early help offer.

4. That information be provided for families on how and when they could access all the services on offer and that examples be given of how the services would relate to families. 
5. The Panel agreed to receive a future update on how the voice of the child would be taken into account in the work of the engagement of family hubs.