Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members received a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services relative to the Early Help offerings.

Members asked what was the status on the number of stakeholders committed to the Reducing Parental Conflict workshop, and if there was a risk that the City would lose the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) funding to run the programme. 

The Director reported that, in relation to reducing parental conflict, the aim is to create a safe environment for children. Early Help offers support for the entire family, not only individual children. Parental support includes therapeutic help, budgeting assistance, assisting parents in accessing financial benefits and respite assistance. Early Help has contacted 25 stakeholders to respond to the DWP survey, with a view to running a leadership workshop as part of the next Early Help Subgroup. The practitioner training is being jointly run with the London Borough of Hackney. There is not a risk that the City will lose the funding.

Members noted that it was positive that parents’ views were being sought on the proposed changes to the assessment framework, and asked what the timescale is for completing the consultation and implementing the new Early Help Assessment.

The Director reported that a new and simplified assessment form would be launched in the summer. The assessment has received positive multi-agency feedback from work with both agencies and families.

RESOLVED – that, the report be received and its contents noted.