Children and Families – Early Help and Prevention

Children and Families – Early Help and Prevention Children’s Centre Consultation Workshops September 2013

Aims of session • To inform of current context • To gather feedback and generate discussion around the findings of the Telephone Questionnaire part of the current consultation process • Opportunity to discuss and feedback on a proposed delivery model

Context • Agreed Principles for future delivery of Children and Family, Early Help and Prevention Services • Agreed Outcomes for future delivery of Services • Early Help Forum areas • Linked to Children’s Centre Core Purpose

Future Children’s Centre delivery in Northamptonshire • Services to be commissioned in all parts of the County, for the first time, with delivery starting July 2014 • 10 Lots will be offered (early Help Forum Areas) • Other organisations, particularly Health, will play a key role • Bidders will be required to identify and grasp opportunities relating to buildings including current Children’s Centres, Libraries , Health venues and other community assets • Each awarded contract will be for three years with the option to extend for a further two years, if appropriate

Potential Yearly Budget

Children’s Centre Consultation/MarketResearch • Telephone survey – random sampling • Face to face engagement with parents / carers – Borough Councils / community venues once a week and workshops over the last two weeks • Survey Monkey (still open) • Today - Engaging with current and prospective providers on the consultation findings and the virtues of a potential model

Weaknesses and Threats Concern about the split between 0-5s and 5+ - how will duplication be avoided when both age ranges involved? Concern about the split between libraries (universal) and other CC services (targeted) – doubt that this would be joined up Services/organisations not working effectively together and maybe less likely to do so when there is a third party Feeling that libraries do not provide the right environment for 0-5s and their parents compared to CCs Parents want to be able to go where they choose for CC services - more than they do now – don't see this model enabling that Summary findings of Consultation (Face to Face)

Strengths and Opportunites Skilled generalist (single person) seen as a strength – retaining involvement and acting as advocate More access points at a local level will raise the profile of CCs and draw in more children and families Reassurance that the budget is set and not focused on securing lowest price for targeted CC element of the delivery model Continued LA scrutiny - holding commissioned providers accountable for high quality delivery with contracts terminated if quality not sustained Positive that local providers have a chance to tender Summary findings of Consultation (Face to Face)

Proposed Delivery Model Enable a greater proportion of the available funding to focus on “early help and assistance” and “targeted participation” through supporting families that welcome and benefit from this Aim to optimise the use of community buildings, especially libraries to potentially provide more access points to Parents / Carers for activities and services

Universal: Library Plus Service Information and Advice Service Supplying information about a range of services, including childcare and employment support. Supporting families to access appropriate Children’s Centre services Registration Service Linking registration for Children’s Centre services with general participation events at the library and with birth registration and library membership. Volunteer Service Using its quality mark Investors in Volunteers, Library Plus will recruit, co ordinate a network of volunteers to support Children’s Centre services, including participation in Advisory Boards and Parent Forums Stories Song and Rhyme Service Building on the existing offer of general participation events in libraries Targeted Commissioned Services Stay and Play Services Supporting parents in their role as their children’s first educators School Readiness Services Working in partnership with parents and childcare providers to improve outcomes for children Health, Lifestyles and Well Being Services Targeted activities to improve outcome for parents and children. Includes ante-natal and post natal support delivered in partnership with midwives and health visitors Improved Parenting and Family Support Services Early Help services for families that need extra support, including Looked After Children and their families and Children in Need and on Child Protection Plans Services to improve adults personal skills, education and employability. Links to benefits and debt advice, adult learning opportunities and JobCentre Plus Possible Future delivery model

Discussion Questions • What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with this model? • How could the principles work within Early Help Forum areas? What would need to be in place?

BREAK 15 minutes Coming next... Possible future delivery model and your thoughts around this

Overview of Telephone Survey Findings • 246 of the interviews were with parents from a “deprived” area, defined as living in a Lower Super Output Area which is one of the 30% most deprived nationally. 6 • 74 of the interviews have been with parents from a “rural” area, using the NOS definition associated with the “Village, Hamlet and isolated dwelling – Sparse and Less Sparse – Lower Super Output Area” – Estimated in Northamptonshire that <10% of those who live in these SOA’s have a child under 8 therefore 74 out of 990 is only marginally “under representative” • of the interviews have been with parents from a “deprived” area. In this context, a deprived area is defined as a Lower Super Output Area which is one of the 30% most deprived nationally.

Overview of Telephone Survey Findings • 62% of those living in a deprived area and only 43% of those living in a rural area have used one of the Sure Start Children’s Centres since 2010 • Only 30% and 20% respectively are doing so currently. • Usage from those living in a deprived area are similar to those for parents in a non-deprived area (60% and 26% respectively) • Significant differences evident relating to those who live in a rural area re use at both levels relative to the overall County figure

Overview of Telephone Survey Findings • 21% of parents in a deprived area use one of the library services regularly and a further 23% use one occasionally. The proportion using one of the services at least occasionally is significantly lower amongst parents in a deprived area (44%) compared with a non-deprived area (50%). • However, parents in a rural area are no less likely to use one of the library services than those in a non-rural area. 28% of parents in a rural area are regular users, and a further 20% are occasional users, of one of the library services. By comparison, 24% of parents in a non-rural area are regular users and a further 24% are occasional users.

Overview of Telephone Survey Findings • Majority of current users of a children’s centre who live in a deprived area would be willing to access Children’s Centre activities from an alternative venue if a suitable venue could be found. 37% of these parents stated that they would be “extremely willing” 49% that they would be “willing” to do so. • However these figures are not significantly different from those for parents in a non-deprived area (43% of these parents would be “extremely willing” and a further 50% would be “willing” to do so). • Without exception, all current users of a children’s centre who live in a rural area claim to be willing to access Children’s Centre activities from an alternative venue if a suitable venue could be found though acknowledgment of the small sample size should be made

Overview of Telephone Survey Findings • 29% of parents not currently using one of the Sure Start centres and living in a deprived area would “definitely” consider accessing Children’s Centre activities at an alternative venue if a suitable venue could be found. A further 54% would “possibly” consider doing so. • However These figures are not significantly different from those recorded for a non-deprived area (30% and 50% respectively) • An identical 29% of parents not currently using one of the Sure Start centres and living in a rural area would “definitely” consider accessing Children’s Centre activities at an alternative venue if a suitable venue could be found. A further 53% would “possibly” consider doing so.

Overview of Telephone Survey Findings • One of the library sites would be seen as a suitable alternative by the great majority of current users of one of the Sure Start centres living in a deprived area. 49% of these parents believe that one of the sites would offer a “very acceptable” alternative venue and a further 32% that it would offer a “quite acceptable” alternative venue. • These proportions are slightly, but not significantly, lower than those recorded for users of one of the centres living in a non-deprived area (51% and 37% respectively) • 47% of current users of one of the Sure Start centres living in a rural area believe that one of the sites would offer a “very acceptable” alternative venue and a further 47% that it would offer a “quite acceptable” alternative venue.

If library sites were made available as an access point linked to Children’s Centres it would seem likely to attract some parents not currently using the Sure Start Children’s Centres. • 35% of parents living in a deprived area and who are not currently using one of the centres claimed that they would be “very likely”, and a further 45% that they would be “quite likely”, to use one of the library sites if made available • However no significant difference between parents in a deprived area and those in a non-deprived area in this respect (30% of parents in a non-deprived area would be “very likely” and 44% would be “quite likely” to do so) • 24% of parents living in a rural area and who are not currently using one of the centres claimed that they would be “very likely”, and a further 47% that they would be “quite likely”, to use one of the library sites if made available. Overview of Telephone Survey Findings

The “types of activities and services offered at the venue” was seen as the most important on average of the six prompted factors in determining willingness and ability to access Children’s Centre services. 55% of parents in a deprived area rated this factor as “very important” and a further 34% rated it as “quite important”. • This factor was also seen as the most important amongst parents in a non-deprived area, for whom a similar level of importance was recorded • This factor was also seen as the most important on average of the six prompted factors for parents in a rural area where 58% rated this factor as “very important” and a further 34% rated it as “quite important”. Overview of Telephone Survey Findings

Overview of Telephone Survey Findings • 65% of parents in a deprived area expressed willingness to attend one of the workshops to investigate the issues in more detail. • Conversely only 49% of parents in a rural area expressed willingness to attend one of the workshops to investigate the issues in more detail. • The level of willingness expressed by parents across the county was 56%

Written report by independent facilitator relating to a) customer consultation and b) prospective / current provider engagement • Incorporation of views within forthcoming Cabinet Paper • Interpretation and as required, following any Cabinet decision, adaption of current proposed model into development of the specification • Acknowledgement that further engagement of parents and carers in each EHF area required – to be led by the awarded organisation (s) supported by NCC • Awarded contracts will enable some flexibility to vary the delivery model if above engagement highlights the need to Next steps (Short and Medium Term)

One final question - Do you think that the proposed model has the potential to increase access and ongoing usage of Children and Families Early Help and Prevention Service (CFEHP) for parents / carers with a child under 5? Please use your sticky dot to indicate your thoughts : Very Likely Likely No Effect Unlikely Very Unlikely

Partnering Events – 1st/2nd October – NVC led but principles supported by NCC • Consortia Working For Contracts: Sharing Without Merging – 10th / 16th October - NVC led but principles supported by NCC • Thresholds and Pathways Re-Launch – Autumn / Winter – NCC led Existing providers should also look out for details of • New Ofsted Framework and SEF Training – 18th September • Financial closedown information session – October-date tbc • Training around new data profile – November-date tbc Events update

Further Detail relating to Early Help and Prevention – Children and Families • http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/social-care/plans/prevent/Pages/Prevention-strategy.aspx

Children and Families – Early Help and Prevention