Issue - meetings

The Committee received a presentation and update from  Sarah Callaghan, Director of Education and Skills, and, Debbie Duffell, Head of Service Early Help, Children and Family Wellbeing  on the Early Help Offer for Lancashire informing Members that Early Help meant providing support as soon as a problem emerged, at any point of a child's life from the foundation years to the teenage years. Early Help could also prevent further problems arising.

It was noted that the model of Early Help delivered by Lancashire County Council strengthened the focus on outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and their families by prioritising children and families with the most needs. It delivered an Early Help offer for families across the county in neighbourhoods, multi-agency support teams around schools and family support at home. It ensured that the Early Help Service offer aligned with education provision at a locality basis recognising that most children accessed childcare and went to school. It complemented the Family Safeguarding model and other joint working opportunities.

It was noted that in terms of delivering Early Help to children, young people and families it was vital for them to have access to provision of the right support, at the right level at the right time. Regarding Family Intensive Support which was about responding to families with more complex needs and where there were developing risks for children, a lot of resources had been put aside for this.

It was noted that Lancashire County Council did things well in terms of delivering Early Help Support. The county council had been able to demonstrate the impact that its Early Help offer had made through its engagement with the national Troubled Families Programme.

It was noted that there was a key focus on ensuring Lancashire County Council worked alongside colleagues in delivering the new Family Safeguarding Model in Lancashire. There was a workforce development programme in place to improve practice in Early Help and align practitioners with the Family Safeguarding Model. The development programme would also strengthen Early Help Partnership arrangements.

Members were informed that the team would establish joint management oversight arrangements with social care for the new service arrangements. The Early Help Partnership strategy would be reviewed and updated based on the Early Help remodelling, Family Safeguarding Model and Early Years Strategy. The team would embed the closer support for school approach, delivering early intervention pathways. The remodelling and audit action plans would be implemented including a new Quality Assurance and Performance Framework.

Comments and questions raised by the committee were as follows:

·  There was concern over what the impact Covid-19 had been in terms of family breakdown, domestic violence and mental health issues. The committee enquired if Lancashire County Council had front loaded resources to try and meet the steep increase in demand regarding these issues. It was noted that since the pandemic these issues had been exacerbated. There had been increased referrals regarding home education and vulnerable families had become more vulnerable. The team had moved Early  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4