Background / Policy Context

2. Background / Policy Context ‘For Scotland’s children’ examined children’s services across Scotland. Identified need to ensure that agencies work together effectively to provide services for children. Children’s services that were better integrated would be better services and have better outcomes for children and families.

3. The “For Scotland’s children” Action Team identified 6 key challenges: • Consider Children’s Services as a single system • Establish a Joint Children’s Services Plan • Ensure Inclusive Access to Universal Services • Co-ordinate Needs Assessment • Co-ordinate Intervention • Target Services

4. Scottish Ministers’ Vision • Scotland’s children should be: • Confident individuals • Effective contributors • Successful learners • Responsible citizens

5. To achieve this, • Scotland’s children need to be: • Safe • Nurtured • Healthy • Achieving • Active • Respected and Responsible • Included

6. OUR Shared Vision: We believe that all children and young people in Aberdeen should enjoy being young. Aberdeen will be a City where children and young people are safe, nurtured, healthy and active; are included, respected and responsible; achieve their full potential; and are supported to participate in decisions that affect them.

7. We will: • Promote and deliver integrated services of the highest quality. • Ensure that services are accessible to all and promote the rights and responsibilities of those who use them. • Raise achievement. • Reduce inequality. • Demonstrate that services can be improved if we work together and work differently.

8. Who are we - what do we do ? • Project Director • Change Managers • Changing C S Fund • £2.5m+ in 05/06 • 67% on front line posts • 43 posts and projects all contributing to an integrated children’s service

9. 6 x Areas of work • Strategic Planning and OD. • Expansion of early years services. • Targeted services for C&YP involved in or affected by drug or alcohol misuse. • Support at key transition points. • Support packages for children with special needs. • Universal services to reach all children.

10. Counselling Service for LAAC • Primary Mental Health Work • Integrated Transport Project • Young Runaways Project • Family Group Conferencing • Shared Equipment Project • MARGs • Positive Change Initiative • CAMHS • Child Protection input

11. Priority Areas • Integrated Assessment • Integrated Finance • Multi-Agency Workforce Training and Development

12. Key Priorities • Aberdeen will be a City where children and young people are : • Safe • Nurtured • Healthy • Achieving • Active • Respected and Responsible • Included

13. For Aberdeen’s Children Integrated Children’s Services Plan 2005-08 • Prepared following new guidance from the Scottish Executive. • Describes our local objectives and strategies for improving services and outcomes for Aberdeen’s children and young people. • Developed in partnership. • Reflects national and local priorities. • Sets out our intentions and commitment to the children and young people of Aberdeen. • Statutory reporting document.

14. Replaces the separate plans for the following areas of service: • Statements of Education Improvement Objectives • Children’s Services Plans for Children in Need • Youth Justice Strategies • Child health elements of Local Health Plans / NHS Priority Statements

15. The Plan includes: • Our shared vision • The strategic framework • The local context • Progress • The action plan There are 105 Outcome Indicators in our Integrated Children’s Services Plan

16. Future Challenges (locally) • Identify learning and best practice from CCSF “projects” • Recommend changes to existing, core service delivery to incorporate project work • Reinforce front-line projects with long-term mainstream funding • Initiate preparation for multi-agency inspections of services • Embed self-evaluation culture in response to HMIe Quality Indicators, ICSP and the Framework for Standards • This culture to be supported by a different management structure

17. Future Challenges (nationally) • Spend less time assessing and more time helping children to experience better outcomes. • Reduce duplication and increase confidence and trust. • Simplify and speed up processes and systems. • Ensure everyone has the information needed to make decisions and take action. • Tackle and resolve genuine concerns and practical difficulties. • Clear governance, ownership and accountability.

18. Features of a Quality System • People get help when they need it • Level of support depends on need - not the service provider • No duplication or confusion • Information sharing based on needs of service users • Clear governance, ownership and accountability • Compulsion a last resort • Review to ensure outcomes and needs • Learning from and sharing good practice (CPD)

19. For a copy of: “For Aberdeen’s Children” Integrated Children Services Plan 2005-08 please contact Louise Beaton Principal Officer (Planning) 01224 523406 lbeaton@aberdeencity.gov.uk

20. For a copy of: “Changing Children’s Services Annual Report 2005” or CCSF Newsletters please contact Irene McGugan Project Director Children’s Services 01224 346030 imcgugan@aberdeencity.gov.uk

21. Thank You