Issue - items at meetings - Children's Centres Performance 2008

Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached).

1.       That the citywide summary (at appendix 2 of the report) be noted.

2.       That the priorities for 2009 be agreed.

3.       That it be noted that annual reports are being published for each of the eight main children’s centre areas. 

6.1     The Board considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning Children’s Centres Performance 2008, which provided information on the performance of the city’s Sure Start Children’s Centres in 2008 and the priorities for the future (for copy see minute book).

6.2     The Head of Service, City Early Years and Childcare, gave a presentation to Members on this item, which summarised the report’s main points; identified both the successes achieved and the challenges the city still faced (see Appendix 1 to the minutes).

6.3     Members welcomed the report. Members recognised the improvements achieved in some of the areas since they were first opened; they noted those areas which still required further intervention in order to achieve the required level of achievement.  They further welcomed the community participation work with volunteering parents.

6.4     Members enquired whether the city monitored its level of immunisation.

6.5     Officers explained that immunisation was monitored by GPs and it was also the core function of health visitors. Officers also indicated that this matter had been actively supported by the CYPT immunisation team.

6.6     Members referred to the partnership work currently in place where Children’s Centres were concerned and enquired whether it needed improving. 

6.7     Officers explained that the partnership work included the different local schools, Job Centres, and a wide range of agencies and organisations which work with children. It was noted, however, that Job Centres had not been as involved as previously with the support they used to offer.

6.8     Members suggested that officers could utilise more the volunteering opportunities available to support the lack of service in other areas. Officers confirmed they had been working with that stream as well.

6.9     The Head of Service further indicated that officers also took account of national information in relation to what proved to work well in order to improve what goes on locally. She indicated that having a good mix of users, where parents use different centres, was of benefit; having mid-wives and the availability of maternity services in Children’s Centres had also worked well across the city; and health visiting was also of great support. She noted that there was continuity in the work that the Centres provided because users continued to return to make use of the services offered.   

6.10    RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Board accepted the following recommendations:

(1)      That the citywide summary (at appendix 2 of the report) be noted.

(2)      That the priorities for 2009 be agreed.

(3)      That it be noted that annual reports were being published for each of the eight main children’s centre areas.