The report of the Strategic Director Children’s Services

(Document “AC”) highlights the progress the Council and partners have made in bringing together existing arrangements for early help and early years services. 

The report outlines the need for proposed changes to how we deliver services in order to ensure we target resources at a time of increasing demand to avoid a detrimental impact on outcomes to children.  We cannot continue to deliver services in the way we do now with this level of government cuts. The focus will be on a proposed partnership approach which is more targeted to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities for children and young people across the District.

Executive is asked to approve a period of consultation on a proposed new Prevention and Early Help delivery model.

Recommended -

(1)          That the Executive in light of government cuts, local outcomes, increasing demand and after considering the Equalities Impact Assessment (in Appendix 11 to Document “AC”) accepts Option 3 as set out in Document “AC” as the option for consultation

(2)          That the Strategic Director Children’s Services be authorised to commence formal consultation on 15 November 2017 until 12 February 2018 with all  interested parties as outlined in Appendix 12 to Document “AC”

(3)          That Executive receives a further report in April 2018 following formal consultation.

(Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee)

                                                                                    (Judith Kirk – 01274 4310780)

The report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services

(Document “AC”) highlighted the progress the Council and partners had made in bringing together existing arrangements for early help and early years services. 

The report outlined the need for proposed changes to how services were delivered  in order to ensure that resources were targeted at a time of increasing demand to avoid a detrimental impact on outcomes to children.  Services could not continue to be delivered in the way they were now with the level of government cuts. The focus would be on a proposed partnership approach which was more targeted to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities for children and young people across the District.

Executive was asked to approve a period of consultation on a proposed new Prevention and Early Help delivery model.

The Strategic Director of Children’s Services advised members that the model of provision was based on locality which was a different way of delivering services based on a 0 to 9 or 0 to 25 footprint rather than single services, which would provide the best outcome for families.  He added that the proposal would result in reductions of 220 to 240 full time equivalent (fte) staff.  The council was working with public health to get the best outcome for families within financial constraints.  The proposals would be subject to a wide range of consultation with schools, voluntary sector, children and families.

The Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder put the proposals into the context of unprecedented pressure on budgets that had reduced from 37.1m in 2016-17 to 23.8m in 2020 when demand for services and costs were increasing. 

The Chair of Governors of St Edmunds Nursery School attended the meeting on spoke on behalf od the head teachers and governors of St Edmunds and Midland Road Nursery Schools.  He appreciated that the cuts were unavoidable but wanted to address the best way to handle the cuts.  He expressed concern about the preferred option highlighted in Document “AC” as follows

·         It did not recognise the important role of nurseries in providing locally based provision.

·         No detailed costings were provided to underpin that 25 hours would be provided in children’s centres.

·         No rational was provided for why 8 children’s centres would become outreach.

·         No explanation was given why or how children’s centres would be kept open.

·         No explanation was given as to why the budget reduction was 1/3 but the staffing reduction was 51%.

·         There was concern that the proposals for early years SEND would be delayed because of these proposals.

The Leader stressed that members recognised the value of nursery education but emphasised the financial situation face by the Council.  She added that this was the start of the consultation process and that their views were welcomed.

The Strategic Director of Children’s Services recognised that the value of nursery schools and early education was paramount and that they looked forward to a conversation with both nurseries. 

The Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder referred to the engagement process that had been carried out between 17 July and 20 August 2017 which was legally different to  the consultation which was to be launched.  A summary of the engagement was set out in Appendix 6 to Document “AC”

The Strategic Director of Children’s Services confirmed that the SEND consultation was still open.  He added that it had been extended in order to allow for consideration of feedback  and to ensure that the model that was put to the Executive had taken into consideration all of the consultation.

The Education, Employment and Skills Portfolio Holder stressed that difficult choices had to be made because of financial constraints and that the best possible provision had to be put in place.

In response to a member question about the future of the Menston and Burley phase 2 children’s centre the Strategic Director Children’s Services confirmed that there were no proposals for the closure of any children’s centres at that stage. 

A representative of UNISON attended the meeting and while accepting that cuts were unavoidable was unclear about option 3 contained in Document “AC”.  The union had asked to see the evidence of how the savings were to be made and how the model would work.  She referred to savings in the past that had not been achieved due to high demand.  She pointed out that cuts of 240 fte would equate to 400 people and questioned what would happen to their work which would not reduce.

The Strategic Director of Children’s Services confirmed that evidence would be provided.  A variety of different authorities had been looked at.  While being conscious of demand there would be an on going dialogue working with unions and collecting information to formulate the best model within the resources available.

A representative of UNITE attended the meeting and raised the following points:

·         No evidence had been presented to support the proposals.

·         400 staff would be effected by the proposals.

·         UNITE requested Children’s Services to delay releasing information to the press until all effected staff had been told about the proposals but this was refused.

·         The “People Can” programme relied on people being neighbourly and providing help.  People in the most deprived areas of Bradford were less likely to have support from their neighbours and family.

·         Officers had stated that there are no plans at present to close children’s centres, why had the savings in the previous two years not been achieved as evidenced in the mid year performance report?

·         The proposals were contrary to the provisions of the Equality Act 2010.

·         There were concerns about the proposals which were not evidence based.

The Leader questioned the view expressed that underestimated disadvantaged communities and stressed that the proposals were not about individual officers but as a consequence of the fact that by 2020 the council would no longer receive Revenue Support Grant and that scarcer finances would have to go further.

The Strategic Director of Children’s Services confirmed that the unions would be given the full costs of the proposals.  He stressed that officers had worked hard to fully brief staff and their feedback was appreciated.  He accepted that although the proposals related to 240 fte the number of staff effected would be higher than this number as it included part time staff.  He added that staff would be provided support to identify alternative careers including other jobs in the council.  He went on to  confirm that the other issues raised could be dealt with through the consultation process. 

The Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder praised the “People Can” initiative and referred to schemes across the country where volunteers were working to help families.  She referred to the Council’s financial situation and the need to work in different ways to target families in the greatest need and protect the most venerable.  She emphasised the need to have joined up services with partners such as the police, heath and public health.  She referred to the impact on staff and the need to do as much as possible to provide them with support.  She believed that this was the right model to adopt within the finances available to the Council.

Resolved -

(1)          That the Executive in light of government cuts, local outcomes, increasing demand and after considering the Equalities Impact Assessment (in Appendix 11 to Document “AC”) accepts Option 3 as set out in Document “AC” as the option for consultation

(2)          That the Strategic Director Children’s Services be authorised to commence formal consultation on 15 November 2017 until 12 February 2018 with all  interested parties as outlined in Appendix 12 to Document “AC”

(3)          That Executive receives a further report in April 2018 following formal consultation.

ACTION: Strategic Director Children’s Services