Children's Committee *DISCONTINUED*

Terms of Reference

  PURPOSE:   CHC1   The Children’s Committee of the Council of the Isles of Scilly is charged with setting the strategic lead and direction for the Council’s work with children and young people. The committee will facilitate partnership working between elected Members, officers, the Health and Wellbeing Board and partner organisations to ensure that positive outcomes for children and young people are achieved. The committee shall ensure that the safety and the educational, social and emotional needs of children and young people are central to the local vision.   CORE FUNCTIONS:   CHC2   The committee shall undertake the statutory duties of the Authority in relation to children and young people age 0-18 or 25 for those with a disability. Including, but not exclusively:

  1)                  Educational excellence, and high quality early years provision 2)                  Safeguarding, and engagement with the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board 3)                  Fair access to services, including home to school transport 4)                  Special educational needs and disability 5)                  Participation in education, employment or training of young people (aged 16-      19, or 25 for those with a disability) 6)                  Fostering and adoption capacity 7)                  Corporate parenting of Looked After Children 8)                  Alternative provision for children outside mainstream education 9)                  Coherent planning between all agencies providing services for children     involved in the youth justice system 10)              Promotion of the voice of children and young people in local decision making 11)              Employment of children

  CHC3   The committee shall work in partnership with health partners, the governing body and other agencies delivering services for young people to secure services for children, young  people and their families.

  CHC4   The committee shall be responsible for the management of its budgets and for approving virements between headings within those budgets, provided that the committee’s net expenditure is not exceeded

  CHC5   The committee shall develop, publish and review the Children and Young People’s Plan and statutory plans in relation to children and young people with the aim of improving outcomes for children and young people on the Isles of Scilly.

  CHC6   The committee shall work with the Health and Wellbeing Board and challenge or support their decision-making in relation to children.

  CHC7   The committee shall work to ensure place availability at the Five Islands School to meet the needs of the community.   CHC8   The committee shall monitor the provision of school improvement and academic achievements.

  CHC9   The committee shall work to current statute including, but not exclusively, the Children and Families Act (2014), the Education Reform Act (2011), the Apprenticeships, Skills and Learning Act (2009), the Children Act (1989, 2004), and the Children, Schools and Families Act (2010). It will also be mindful of current statutory guidance including Working Together to Safeguard Children.

  CHC10The committee shall set the committee’s fees and charges.

 

  DETAIL OF SPECIFIC AREA OF REFERENCE   CHC11The Children’s Committee is accountable to current democratic and professional governance structures. Members of the committee will act within their delegated powers but also represent their agencies in terms of a commitment to developing and delivering services in a multi-agency way.   MEMBERSHIP   CHC12The Children’s Committee shall consist of:

a)                  Lead Member for Children and Young People, Council of the Isles of Scilly

b)                  Elected members of the Council of the Isles of Scilly as appointed by Council (10) c)                  Co-opted representatives of partner organisations   CHC13Appointments to the Children’s Committee shall be decided at each Annual Council.  The Chairman and Vice-Chair will be elected annually at the first meeting of the committee following Annual Council.   Co-opted members of the Committee shall be representatives of: a)                  Health Commissioning (KCCG) b)                  Health current provider (CFT) c)                  Healthwatch d)                  Devon and Cornwall Constabulary e)                  Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Safeguarding Children          Board (participating observer)(no vote) f)                   LA Governor, Five Islands School g)                  Parent Governor Representatives h)                  Head teacher, Five Islands School i)                    Representative of the voluntary sector j)                    Careers South-West k)                  Youth Offending Team l)                    Job Centre Plus m)               Diocese of Truro n)                  Probation (Dorset, Devon and Cornwall Rehabilitation service)   VOTING RIGHTS   CHC14Local Authority Members can vote on any issue providing they do not have a disclosable pecuniary interest in a matter.   CHC15Non-Local Authority Members appointed to the committee can vote on any matter except for decisions pertaining to budget decisions of the Council of the Isles of Scilly.   OPERATING PRINCIPLES   CHC16

a)                  All strategic commissioning decisions, particularly those involving more than one agency, will be made through the Children’s Committee

b)                  Partners will align individual plans to the Children and Young People’s Plan

c)                  Partners will align, and where appropriate, pool budgets to enable joint commissioning of services

d)                  The involvement and engagement of children, young people and their families will be a consistent part of the Children’s Committee work

e)                  Partners will work together actively to manage risk

f)                   The voice of service providers will always be considered in planning and commissioning decisions

g)                  Performance will be actively managed and challenged

h)                  Equality and diversity will be a consistent consideration across the Children’s Committee

i)                    Partners will act in accordance with any frameworks agreed by the Children’s Committee e.g. performance, communications, commissioning and information sharing