Issue - meetings

This paper sets out:

·        Information on the main issues arising from the government announcements about the Children’s Fund.

·        An approach to be developed which will enable effective commissioning for the Children’s Fund and will give opportunity for developing the wider commissioning agenda in the city through Children’s Trust arrangements.

The paper Recommends an interim approach from a range of options to continuing the legacy of work undertaken by the Children’s Fund in York.

Advice of the advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

·        Adopt Option A, as set out below

-        Development of a coherent multi-agency commissioning process be developed for and piloted by Children’s Fund which can be utilised for wider commissioning.

-        Transitional arrangements put in place for a 6 month period to ensure that the legacy of the Children’s Fund can be preserved and then built upon and developed.

-        To reinforce the fact that these are transitional arrangements a slight change in name from Children’s Fund to Children’s Early Intervention Fund be introduced. Cost of transition arrangements would be a maximum of £177k for the 6 months with an additional funding for Nurture groups over the year of £25,000.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  This option will ensure an effective commissioning process for Children’s Fund monies. It will utilise this process to develop a wider more coherent commissioning process. It will ensure that the legacy of the Children’s Fund can be built upon. It will facilitate the development of services under the new funding arrangement.

Members considered a report that informed them of the main issues arising from the government announcements about the Children’s Fund, an approach to be developed which will enable effective commissioning for the Children’s Fund and will give opportunity for developing the wider commissioning agenda in the city through Children’s Trust arrangements as well as an interim approach to continue the legacy of work undertaken by the Children’s Fund in York.

Members were presented with the following options:

Option A        Development of a coherent commissioning process piloted through the Children’s Fund which can be utilised for wider commissioning.

Option B       Continuation of current governance and commissioning process for Children’s Fund.

Option C       Funds to be allocated by City of York to Early intervention work for children and young people.

Advice of the advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

·        Adopt Option A, as set out below ¹

-        Development of a coherent multi-agency commissioning process be developed for and piloted by Children’s Fund which can be utilised for wider commissioning.

-        Transitional arrangements put in place for a 6 month period to ensure that the legacy of the Children’s Fund can be preserved and then built upon and developed.

-        To reinforce the fact that these are transitional arrangements a slight change in name from Children’s Fund to Children’s Early Intervention Fund be introduced. Cost of transition arrangements would be a maximum of £177k for the 6 months with an additional funding for Nurture groups over the year of £25,000.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  This option will ensure an effective commissioning process for Children’s Fund monies. It will utilise this process to develop a wider more coherent commissioning process. It will ensure that the legacy of the Children’s Fund can be built upon. It will facilitate the development of services under the new funding arrangement.