Issue - meetings

Background:

This report presented an Early Help Strategy for Medway, which was required under the new framework for the inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers (Ofsted December 2013).

The strategy, which was attached at Appendix 1 to the report, highlighted the need for greater coordination, information sharing and coherence in Medway’s approach to early help.  It was noted that the Early Help Strategy articulated what Medway wanted to achieve through early help and what it needed to do to make that a reality. The strategy acknowledged that current practice required some improvement and proposed actions to ensure that access to early help and monitoring of outcomes improved immediately.

In addition, the strategy proposed a single point of access for all early help services to ensure a more effectively managed and collaborative approach in the future. It was reported that the successful implementation of the strategy would depend on support from senior leaders across all partner organisations.

The report gave details of the consultation that had contributed to the development of the strategy and it was noted that a Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken, which was attached at Appendix 2 to the report. This had indicated that a full Diversity Impact Assessment was not necessary.

It was noted that the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered the Early Help Strategy on 14 February 2014 and details of the discussion were set out in the report.

Reasons:

The new framework for the inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers (Ofsted December 2013) required the Council to submit an Early Help Strategy as part of its evidence.