Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Children’s Services.

Time – 15 Mins (Council Function)

The Director of Children’s Services submitted a report regarding Children’s Trust Arrangements for Leeds.  The Chair welcomed Rosemary Archer, Director of Children’s Services, who was in attendance to present the report.

 It was reported that the Executive Board had formally agreed proposals for children’s trust arrangements to provide a framework to improve the lives of children and young people within Leeds.  There was a need to connect strategy to local area thinking  as a statutory requirement of the Children Act and Councillors and Area Committees would be consulted as part of the overall plan.

The Committee was informed of the Council’s responses to the 2004 Children Act.  These included the following:

• The appointment of a Lead Member for Children’s Services.
• The creation of a Director of Children’s Services – would give a route to accountability.
• The establishing of Children Leeds – city wide partnership which included all agencies in Leeds that dealt with children’s issues.
• Children and Young People’s Plan – this was a statutory requirement of the act; had first been produced in June 2006 and was currently under revision.

Members were informed of the six main elements of Children’s Trust Arrangements:

• Integrated Strategic Commissioning Board
• Children Leeds Partnership – this was a themed board of the Leeds Initiative.
• Locality Arrangements – this included consulting with Area Committees.
• Local Safeguarding Children Board -  covering a range of protection issues for children and young people.
• Open Forum
• Directorate of Children’s Services Unit.

Further issues discussed included the targeting of vulnerable groups, funding, Youth Service input and working with relevant partners such as the District Partnership and District Children’s Partnership.

The Chair thanked Rosemary Archer for her attendance.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.