Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Service (Children) in relation to the above.

Submitted – a report by the Head of Service (Children) in relation to the above.

The Head of Service (Children) reported that the Social Services Department commissioned an independent professional advocacy service for children and young people, in collaboration with the other North West Wales Authorities.  The contract comes to an end in March 2015.  The six North Wales local authorities have agreed to commission independent professional advocacy on a regional basis.

A regional project was set up in May 2013, with a Task Group of members from the six North Wales local authorities, Health and the Voluntary Sector. The main aim of the project is to address the gaps and duplication in the provision of independent advocacy for vulnerable groups of children and young people as listed in the Welsh Government guidance. 

Since this report was completed a number of relevant developments should be noted :-

·        The Wales Children’s Commissioner has recently published a report Missing Voices, Right to be Heard.  The Commissioner expects that each Local Authority responds to its recommendations by the 4^th September, 2014.

·        Welsh Government has considered each Local Authority’s commissioning arrangements in respect of professional advocacy and the amount of funding invested.  They have also established a Ministerial Expert Group on Advocacy (MEGA).  They have put forward a number of recommendations to which the Local Authority is expected to respond.  This includes, ring fencing money to fulfil spending on advocacy whatever the financial pressures.  The Local Authority has received a letter from Welsh Government urging us to maintain the current investment in advocacy.

This work will be undertaken and presented to the Corporate Parenting Panel in due course.

Work has been undertaken with the North Wales Heads of Children’s Services to agree budgets and to develop the service description and specification.  A great deal of discussion has taken place regarding funding allocations based on various formulas.  The Head of Children’s Services have agreed to a budget ceiling of £100,000 for the contract and base their budget contribution on a percentage of the RSG grant.  The following financial commitment will be made by each local authority :-

Anglesey                   -           £10,450

Gwynedd                   -           £19,220

Conwy                       -           £16,110

Denbighshire           -           £15,770

Flintshire                   -           £20,440

Wrexham                   -           £18,020

The Officer noted that the Local Authority may see this as a saving opportunity, however it was her professional view that the service needed to invest in its participation arrangements and that this arrangement will release some resources to enable the Service to strengthen the local arrangements for advocacy and participation.  It is an intention to establish a part time Young Person’s Participation/Advocate post for Anglesey and a further option appraisal report on this will be submitted to the relevant Committee in due course.

RESOLVED to support, in principle, the commissioning arrangements for advocacy services and the process of tendering for a regional independent professional advocacy service for children and young people.

ACTION : To note that the matter will be considered in depth at the next Corporate Parenting Panel.