To provide assurance that the early help strategy (attached at appendix 1) is aligned and fulfils the aims and priorities of the health and wellbeing board strategy.

The director of children’s wellbeing introduced the report.  Board members were reminded that the children and young people’s plan included a refreshed approach to early help and there was a lot of evidence that it was not intervening at an early enough point to reduce the number of children reaching the higher tiers of service provision to get help.  The children and young people’s partnership recommended the refreshed strategy.  

The head of children’s commissioning summarised the key features of the strategy, which were:

·         family focused, addressing the issues of the whole family

·         community focused – drawing on strengths and services in each locality  and working with families to build resilience

·         targeted – ensuring the right level of support and the right time and integrating with the families first programme

·         multi-agency – to reflect the complex issues faced by families

·         aimed at building resilience in families – equipping families with skills to self-support in the future and looking at alternative ways to support families.

The changes meant that families would be empowered and equipped to identify their own needs and solutions using local resources in their community. Based on a ‘team around the family’ approach, this would enable support to be accessed at lower levels of need, and avoid the most intensive intervention as far as possible. Any interventions would be based on appropriate assessments and review.

The refreshed strategy presented challenges around changing cultures and strategic developments in the context of One Herefordshire and the STP, and there would need to be co-ordination with care pathways.  Effectiveness would be evidenced by an outcomes scorecard which would be reported to the CYPP.

A pilot had commenced in Leominster in order to test the model, extending to Bromyard, and, by the end of the year, would be county-wide.

Support and commitment was sought from the board for the early help strategy and for board members to provide the leadership to ensure that care pathways between partners were joined up.

It was acknowledged that a commitment to the strategy was required from all partners and a rebalancing of resources would be required in order for there to be a beneficial and sustainable service.  The need to for earlier contact with families was noted, and in such a way that was supportive and empowering.

The Leominster pilot used community connections and was an opportunity to test those connections, working with a number of families.  

The director of children’s wellbeing explained that in some cases the biggest issue for families was around the neglect of children but for whom major intervention would not be necessary if they received the right early help provision.  The safeguarding board set out the levels of need to show the appropriate level of intervention for children at significant risk of significant harm.  However it was evident that the higher level of intervention at level 4 was sometimes applied in escalation to ensure that a child accessed the provision that was needed.  Support for professionals was needed in order to reduce need for access to higher levels of intervention so that families could resolve issues themselves rather than depending on formal systems.    

Board members identified a number of examples of good practice and partnership approaches that encouraged cohesion, and which if implemented more widely would encourage agencies to change practice and approach. This was particularly important in providing support in rural areas and it was suggested that for completeness, it would be beneficial for the early help strategy to be piloted in a rural area. It was acknowledged that there were a number of other aspects that would benefit from further exploration such as children in home education and young carers, and although this relied on community intelligence, changes should emphasise empowerment for families rather reliance on social care.  

Discussion took place regarding the practical steps that could be taken to encourage cultural change, including contact with GPs, teachers and other professionals who could help to promote new approaches, and developing multi-agency group meetings which could be developed into family network meetings. 

The chairman commented that the strategy must gather pace following the Leominster pilot in order for it to be seen across the whole system. Commitment at senior leadership level was therefore encouraged to ensure it happened.  Board members were assured that there were plans in place to ensure this and the strategy would extend to Bromyard after Leominster and rural issues were being addressed. 

However, support was required to increase engagement with providers in recognition that there were many ways of supporting people in communities. 

Assurance was also given regarding the matter of information sharing, which would be supported through a data hub and an overarching data agreement covering major agencies and this would set the scene for other providers to follow. The success of this would be dependent on being open with families about sharing data and to establish their consent. 

RESOLVED

THAT:

(a)  the early help strategy be endorsed to deliver the priorities of the health and wellbeing strategy;

(b)  updates on delivery of the strategy be provided to the board; and

(c)  a visit be arranged for board members to Leominster to review progress to date.