PART 1
(OPEN TO THE PUBLIC)
ITEM NO.
REPORT OF THE LEAD MEMBERS FOR
COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICES & EDUCATION & LEISURE
TO THE CABINET BRIEFING
ON 6th MAY, 2003
TITLE: Children’s Trust in Salford
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the development of a Children’s Trust as set out in the submission
to the Department of Health proceed in conjunction with the Primary
Care Trust and other partners listed in the submission, whether or not
Salford is included in the Government’s pilots.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On 28th January 2003 Cabinet agreed that the Authority, in partnership
with the Primary Care Trust, submit a proposal to Government to be
included in the Children’s Trusts pilot programme. Accordingly the
attached submission was sent to the Department of Health on 31st
March 2003.
This sets out a plan to create a Children’s Trust over a period of three
years which would become responsible for:
 All personal social services for children and families
 All local health services for children
 Education support services for vulnerable children
The first phase, to be completed by December 2003, would be the
creation of a Commissioning Team.
The Government’s intention is that Local Authorities should lead on the
establishment of Children’s Trusts and the governance would be through
a committee established by the Local Authority but including
representatives of the Primary Care Trust in its membership. Parent
bodies and statutory officers cannot delegate their accountability to the
Trust. Therefore the governance arrangements must recognise the
accountability of the Directors of Community & Social Services and
Education and Leisure and the Chief Executive of the Primary Care
Trust.
However, the legislation being used to allow the creation of Children’s
Trust pilots already exists and there will be no special provision for
pilots. This means that it will be possible to proceed with the creation of
a Trust even if pilot status is not awarded. Since the intention of the
Trust is to help agencies to improve:
 sharing information between their services to identify children
with multiple risks
 ensuring that children do not receive multiple, sometimes
duplicate assessments from their different agencies
 focusing spending to provide intensive support in a more
coherent way, rather than large number of agencies spending
small amounts of money on the same child
 harnessing the resources of the voluntary, community and private
sectors
 broadening the focus so that service coverage extends beyond
core priorities
 co-ordinating plans, partnerships, and strategies across their
agencies
 developing a strategic needs analysis of the overall needs of
children within an area
 workforce planning, especially as new services create new
demands on different parts of the their workforce
 identifying a single person in overall charge of improving services
for which the Trust is responsible
 organising their services around the needs of children rather than
for the convenience of providers
(Government guide on Children’s Trusts January 2003)
and therefore achieve better services for children, the creation of a Trust
will be appropriate whether or not pilot status is awarded.
The benefits of pilot status are
 Enabling funds of £60,000 per year for three years
 Opportunity to apply for legislative freedoms
The disadvantages are
 Being bound to the Government’s timetable
 Being bound by specific requirements set for Children’s Trust
pilots.
It is suggested that the benefits for children which a Trust could achieve
outweigh the disadvantages of not being a pilot. Establishing the Trust
to coincide with the LIFT development also provides an opportunity to
locate children’s services in modern locations.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:
(Available for public inspection)
Salford Children’s Trust – submission to Government March 2003
Government Guidance on Children’s Trusts January 2003
ASSESSMENT OF RISK
Potential risks and their management are included in the attached
submission.
THE SOURCE OF FUNDING IS
Funding would be transferred from the budgets of parent agencies. In
the event of Salford being awarded pilot status there would be a small
enabling grant of £60,000 available for three years.
LEGAL ADVICE OBTAINED
Government guidance provides basic legal advice. The advice of the
Head of Law and Administration will be necessary to develop the Trust
and in particular to address governance issues.
FINANCIAL ADVICE OBTAINED
The Corporate Services Directorate will contribute financial advice to the
development of the Trust
CONTACT OFFICERS
Paul Woltman 793 2243
Paul Greenway 778 0436
WARD(S) TO WHICH REPORT RELATE(S)
All
KEY COUNCIL POLICIES
Cabinet decision of 5th February 2003 to apply for Children’s Trust pilot
status.
The development of the Trust is also relevant to four of the Council’s
pledges:
Better education for all
A Clean & Healthy City (health needs of children looked after and
vulnerable children)
A Safer Salford (reducing offending by children and protecting
children from harm)
Support for young people (maximising life chance opportunities for
vulnerable children and young people)
DETAILS:
Submission to Government attached.