Transcript Working with children and families

Children’s Centres and their
Advisory Board
Workshop
Aims of the session
• To understand the principles of Advisory Boards/
governance for Children’s centres
• To clarify roles and responsibilities for members
• To look at the practical issues and how they can be
resolved
• To evaluate present arrangements and set targets for
better governance
The Sure Start children’s centre statutory
guidance (DfE 2013) stats that:
• “Sure Start children’s centres improve outcomes for young children
and their families and reduce inequalities, particularly for those
families in greatest need of support.”
• A Sure Start children’s centre is defined in the Childcare Act
2006 as a place or a group of places:
• Which is managed by or on behalf of, or under arrangements
with, the local authority with a view to securing that early
childhood services in the local authority’s area are made
available in an integrated way;
• Through which early childhood services are made available
(either by providing the services on site, or by providing advice
and assistance on gaining access to services elsewhere); and
• At which activities for young children are provided.
The core purpose of children’s centres
• The core purpose of children’s centres is to improve
outcomes for young children and their families and
reduce inequalities between families in greatest need
and their peers in:
• Child development and school readiness;
• Parenting aspirations and parenting skills; and
• Child and family health and life chances.
Ofsted inspection of children’s centres
• Three key judgements that contribute to the overall
effectiveness of the centre, these are:
• Access to services by young children and their families
• The quality and impact of practice and services
• The effectiveness of leadership, governance and
management.
There will be final judgement on:
• Overall effectiveness.
Why Advisory Boards ?
Statutory Guidance
• To provide support and challenge to the children’s centre
• Ensures compliance of the children Act 2006, Ofsted Children’s
centre inspection framework, 2013 and the Sure Start children’s
centre statutory guidance, 2013
• To ensure that safeguarding of children and families is a priority at
all times, paying due regard to ‘Working Together to Safeguard
Children- A guide to interagency working to safeguard and
promote the welfare of children March 2013, (section 11 of the
Children Act 2004)
• To work with the centre manager to identify local priorities through
data/needs analysis and effective evaluation and consultation.
• To set challenging performance measures leading to good
outcomes for children and families.
• To facilitate co-production in design and evaluation of children
centre services.
What are the Benefits of
Having an Advisory Board?
What are the roles and
responsibilities of an
Advisory Board Member ?
Strategic
• Agree the children’s centre development
plan
• Contribute to the annual review of policies
• Review the use of budgets
• Respond to and participate in Ofsted
inspection including input into the
development and maintenance of the Self
Evaluation From. (SEF)
• Support achievement of local authority
performance targets
Accountability
• Attend meetings on a regular
basis
• Represent the local community
• Publish minutes
• Consult and involve the local
community
Supporting
• Support and advise the children
centre leader
• Provide practical help and skills
• Promote the children centre
services
• Encourage further partnership
working
Executive
• Support recruitment
• Support commissioning
Monitoring and Reviewing
• Monitor and review impact and
outcomes
• Review the use of budgets
• Review centre policies and
procedures
Who do you think should be
members of the Advisory
Board?
Advisory Board Membership
• Local authorities must ensure that the
membership of advisory boards represents:
• outreach support networks or parent forums
• each children’s centre within the remit of the
board;
• the local authority;
• and parents and prospective parents in the
local authority’s area.
Guiding principles of being
an Advisory Board member
• Confidentiality
Advisory board members should remain confidential at all times,
recognising the importance to safeguard children
• Selflessness
Advisory board members should advise solely in terms of the public
interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other
material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.
• Integrity
Advisory board members should not place themselves under any
financial or other obligations to outside individuals or organisations
that might influence them in their advisory role.
• Objectivity
Members must ensure that there is an open fair and transparent
process, relating to the commissioning and procurement
procedures in line with the financial regulations of the Children’s
centre lead body
• Accountability
Members are accountable for their advice and information re the
community.
• Openness
Advisory board members should be as open as possible about all their
advice. They should give reasons for it and restrict information only
when the wider public interest clearly demands this.
• Honesty
Advisory board members have a duty to declare any private interest
relating to their public board role and to take steps to resolve any
conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.
Guiding principles of being
an Advisory Board member
• Adapted from “ The Seven Principles of Public Life from the
Second Report of the committee on standards in public life- the
Nolan Committee CM3270-1st may 1996”
What do we need to do next?
• Agree priorities for development of the governing body/
advisory board
• Plan for improvement:
How? When? Who?
Information Pack for Advisory Board
Members of Children’s Centres
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Induction Pack for Advisory Board members
Terms of Reference
Job Description
Additional Training and Development
Top Tips
Resources
Contact details
Denise Brennan -Quality Improvement Officer
Tel:
01604 366692
07921 093196
[email protected]
Lorraine Meads Targeted prevention-Quality Improvement officer
Tel:
01604365280
07912187344
[email protected]
Strategic Early Years Officer- Deborah Wallis
Tel:
01604 367148
07921 093195
[email protected]