Agenda item

Update from SBC Director Social Work & Practice. (Attached)

5.1       There had been circulated copies of a report by the Director Social Work and Practice which outlined the proposed governance for Scottish Borders Council to deliver The Promise.  The Promise was based on five priority areas and five fundamentals – what matters to children and families, listening, poverty, children’s rights and language.  The five priority areas were:

·         A Good Childhood – Support, A Right to an Education, Relationships, Brothers and Sisters, Youth Justice, Advocacy, Moving on, and Physical Intervention;

·         Whole family support – Family Support, Peer and Community Support, Service Integration, and Family Therapies;

·         Planning – Planning, Investment, and Information Sharing;

·         Supporting the Workforce – Workforce Values, Trauma Informed, and Relationships, Workforce Support; and,

·         Building Capacity – Legislation, Children’s Hearing System, Inspection and Regulation, Policy Coherence, Data Mapping and Collection, and Governance Structures.

5.2       Mr Easingwood advised that The Promise would be a significant policy driver over the next decade and the Scottish Government would be measuring children and young people’s services using the plan.  The Promise was not to detract from excellent work that was taking place but to provide a governance platform to deliver on The Promise.  The Promise was not solely focused about care-experienced young people as the plan had at its heart an approach of shifting the balance of care away from acute delivery to early intervention using a multi-agency approach.  There would be regular updates to the Community Planning Strategic Board on updates on The Promise and the governance structure would function as the strategic corporate parenting board of the Scottish Borders and have the voice of lived experience built into it from the outset.  The proposed governance structure would provide a forum with a single overview of services for children, young people and families in the Borders and would align with Scottish Government policy.  Scottish Borders Council was one of three pilot areas for delivering The Promise so there would be some input from the Scottish Government.  The proposed governance structure featured a Champions Board as part of a number of forums where the voices of children, young people and families were listened to.  A young person would also be present on the proposed Strategic Forum.  In response to a question from Councillor Thornton-Nicol, Mr Easingwood advised strategic corporate parenting would be part of the role of the Scottish Borders’ Children and Young People’s Promise Oversight and Leadership Board.

DECISION

AGREED:

(a)       to approve the implementation of the Strategic Partnership outlined in the report (which was agreed in principle at the Children and Young People’s Leadership Group (CYPLG) away day on 30th June 2022);

(b)       that the Promise Strategic Lead Officer, Promise Operational Lead Officer and Promise Implementation Officer be directed to continue to work with the current members of the CYPLG to finalise and implement the new governance structure;

(c)       that additional partners, including AHSCP and ADP, were made aware of the re-organisation of CYPLG in order to identify areas of cross partnership working in relation to The Promise; and,

(d)       that strategic corporate parenting be part of the role of the Scottish Borders’ Children and Young People’s Promise Oversight and Leadership Board.