Minutes:
Laura Hammerton (Early Start and Families Strategy and Service Manager) and Link Officer for the Area Council attended the meeting.
She gave a brief overview of her role and responsibilities and responded to Members questions. Particular reference was made to the following:
· How her service could assist in addressing the key aims and objectives of the Area Council, its procured and commissioned services and how such an approach could help in obtaining wider support and thereby better meet the needs of the residents of the area
· the service developments that were taking place:
o to improve service delivery and provide targeted support where it was most needed
o current caseload which were extremely high and the arrangements in place to address this
o The recruitment of new staff
o The receipt of £3.1m financial support to 2025. This would ensure the development of a one stop shop approach for families to enable them to access the support they needed
· the main issues identified by the service which, amongst other things included children’s emotional well-being and mental health and the drivers that related to that and particularly in relation to financial and housing issues and domestic abuse
· the ways in which referrals could be made to the service and the way in which services of the Council and with other agencies were developed in order to provide a seamless approach
· the Family Hubs Plan and a Delivery Plan that had been submitted to the DfE
· the wider consultation that was being undertaken which would inform future delivery proposals and particularly the development of the Family Hubs. A link to the survey would be provided for the Area Council Manager. A report on the findings could be submitted to a future meeting once complete
· the development of an appropriate service offer which was agile enough to move things forward and be responsive and reactive to the needs of families
Ms Hammerton was then thanked for her attendance and for answering Members questions.