One Vision Isles of Scilly’

ONE VISION ISLES OF SCILLY   Terms of Reference One Vision Isles of Scilly is a partnership and is a means by which local agencies come together to ensure effective collaboration in the development and delivery of services to children and their families and to improve outcomes for all children who live on the islands.   Our Ambition We will work together to provide integrated services for all children and young people on the Isles of Scilly to improve their life chances and to help them maximise their potential   Our Purpose One Vision Isles of Scilly is a partnership of organisations that commission and provide services for children, young people and their families on the Isles of Scilly. One Vision Isles of Scilly enables these partner services to meet their statutory duty, under the Children Act 2004, to co-operate to improve the well-being of children. It will ensure that effective multi agency working is in place at a strategic level across children’s services and that the voice of children, young people and their families contributes to these arrangements and to decision making.   One Vision Isles of Scilly has an active working relationship with the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Safeguarding Children Partnership (SCP). The SCP provides scrutiny and challenge of the One Vision Isles of Scilly activities.   The Isles of Scilly Children, Young People and Families Plan (business plan) is the joint strategic plan of One Vision Isles of Scilly.   Our Principles  

We will work together strategically to achieve our vision, building mutual trust, respect and openness. Members of One Vision Isles of Scilly are in a position to take a strategic overview and to influence decision making and delivery within their organisation We will seek the views of children and young people, families and communities when planning partnership activities We will be clear about partnership priorities and base our joint planning or commissioning of services around them We will identify how integrated commissioning or shared delivery can promote high quality, cost-effective service delivery that meets local needs We will work flexibly and adapt our plans and activities to changing circumstances. We will always seek to maximise value for money, both in the partnership activities that we develop and in our meeting or information-sharing arrangements. We will ensure that decisions are based on clear evidence about local needs and about the likely impact of planned activities. We will communicate about what we do, with our staff in partner organisations and to children, young people, families and the community

  Our responsibilities The responsibilities of One Vision Isles of Scilly are to: 1. Identify and agree the shared priorities for children and young people for each financial year and develop a shared strategic business plan 2. Agree actions for improvement 3. Agree systems and procedures for effective information sharing and collaboration 4. Implement an agreed approach to involving children and young people 5. Design and implement a shared workforce development strategy   Our Structure   Membership  Members are required to be of sufficient seniority to be able to:

Have an understanding of the full range of actions of the organisation, partnership or sector they represent Speak for their organisation Commit their organisation on policy and practice matters Hold their organisation to account

  The Council of the Isles of Scilly is the lead partner with statutory responsibility to make arrangements to promote co-operation to improve children’s well-being (Children Act 2004). Other partners include:

Devon and Cornwall Police NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group Five Islands School Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Safeguarding Children Partnership Healthwatch Isles of Scilly Youth Justice Addaction Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Helston Medical Centre Parent Carer Forum Youth Parliament

  One Vision Isles of Scilly will invite other partners on a temporary or permanent basis as required.   A list of current members is at Appendix 1   Meetings   One Vision Isles of Scilly will meet 3 times a year and publish an annual plan for its meetings.  The first meeting in each cycle will comprise a business planning session.   The agenda for three of the meetings will include an in-depth focus on at least one of the priorities identified in the business plan and also include time to consider emerging and core business.   Core business includes: 1. Performance monitoring and management 2. Updates from partners 3. New and emerging national, regional and local developments which impact on the business of One Vision Isles of Scilly   One Vision Isles of Scilly will review and update its business plan and terms of reference at its annual business planning meeting.   Accountability   How the Trust is held to account: One Vision Isles of Scilly will present regular reports to the Council of the Isles of Scilly, the Isles of Scilly Health and Wellbeing Board and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Safeguarding Children Board.   How One Vision Isles of Scilly holds others to account: One Vision Isles of Scilly is not a formal decision making body in the commitment of resources. The Trust does, however, hold partners to account by the way in which it operates to build influence with partners.   A number of commissioning and delivery groups will provide at least annual reports on their activities including:

Community Safety Partnership Bloom Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub One Vision Partnership

        Communication, Consultation and Engagement One Vision Isles of Scilly is responsible for engaging and involving children, young people, their families, carers and other local stakeholders to help shape plans and decisions about children’s services.   To achieve this, One Vision Isles of Scilly will work with children, young people and their families to ensure that the voice of children, young people and families influence and inform the business of the Trust.   Code of Conduct A code of conduct is designed to promote public confidence in the actions of the One Vision Isles of Scilly. This is based on the Nolan Principles of public life. Elected Members of the Council of the Isles of Scilly and partners are expected to have in place and abide by their respective organisation’s Code of Conduct.   Members of One Vision Isles of Scilly must comply with this code whenever they:   1. Conduct Trust business 2. Act as representative of One Vision Isles of Scilly   The seven Nolan Principles are principles of public life that apply to anyone elected or appointed to public office, nationally and locally. These are attached at Appendix 2.   Decision making arrangements Where an item is placed for decision, that decision will be taken by agreement of One Vision Isles of Scilly members, by vote if necessary.   The Chairman of One Vision Isles of Scilly may initiate and coordinate out of session decision making, via written (electronic or hardcopy) communication with all One Vision Isles of Scilly members.   Performance Management One Vision Isles of Scilly has an agreed performance management framework that details how performance against the Children and Young People’s Plan will be managed and monitored throughout the year. This is reviewed and updated annually.   Confidentiality and Information Sharing Information used by One Vision Isles of Scilly and provided to external bodies will be accurate, timely and fit for purpose. Members of One Vision Isles of Scilly are encouraged to share information as required for the purpose of planning, developing and monitoring partnership projects and services by ensuring all data is in line with the Data Protection Act 1998.   All members of One Vision Isles of Scilly are responsible for communicating any relevant information to their organisation, unless that information is deemed confidential to a particular meeting.   Chairmanship The Chairman of One Vision Isles of Scilly is the Lead Member for Children   The Vice Chairman of One Vision Isles of Scilly is the representative from Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group  

  Appendix 1   Current members   Council of the Isles of Scilly Director of Children’s Services                Aisling Khan Director of Public Health                        Caroline Court Lead Member for Children                     Cllr Joel Williams Lead Member for Adults                        Cllr Dan Marcus Chairman of Council                             Cllr Robert Francis Vice Chairman of Council                       Cllr Fran Grottick   Devon and Cornwall Police 1 x Representative   Five Islands Academy                           1 x Representative   Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group 1 x Representative   Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Associate Director 1 x Representative   Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Safeguarding Children Board Independent Chair 1 x Representative   Primary Care Helston Medical Centre                       1 x Representative   Youth Parliament Member of Youth Parliament                  1 x Representative   Parent Carers Forum Co-ordinator                                  1 x Representative   Healthwatch Isles of Scilly Board Rep                                      1 x Representative   Addaction 1 x Representative   Youth Justice 1 x Representative Appendix 2   Nolan Principles   1. Selflessness Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.   2. Integrity Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.   3. Objectivity Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.   4. Accountability Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.   5. Openness Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.   6. Honesty Holders of public office should be truthful.   7. Leadership Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.                 Appendix 3 Isles of Scilly Corporate Parenting Panel Terms of Reference When a child’s parents or family cannot, or do not, provide appropriate care for them, the local authority has a legal responsibility to consider whether they should assume care of the child. This can either be by agreement with those who hold parental responsibility or by the courts granting a Care Order. In these circumstances the local authority has a corporate parenting responsibility for the child. In the UK we have approximately 62,000 looked after children, who are often referred to as 'children looked after’. They are cared for by the local authorities, either with foster carers or, occasionally, in residential homes. Currently the Council of the Isles of Scilly has no children in its care. The purpose of the Corporate Parenting Panel at the current time is therefore to rehearse our response and support to a child if and when a child does become looked after by us. This means that we can develop expertise in advance. The values and ambition involved in being a good corporate parent are also directly relevant to championing every child in Scilly whether looked after or not.  We will revise membership to include the Virtual School Head and Named Nurse as and when a child is looked after. We are all Corporate Parents Good corporate parenting emphasises that we should have the same interest in and aspirations for children and young people in care (or leaving care) as we would for our own children. A care leaver is a person aged 25 or under, who has been looked after by a local authority for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14; and who was looked after by the local authority at school-leaving age or after that date. Corporate parents champion every opportunity to help young people in care to achieve their full potential and to have a successful transition into adulthood. Corporate parents seek to provide the necessary life-skills, experience and confidence for our young people to thrive when they leave care, with special attention to those judged to be the most vulnerable. We want our children and young people to have everything that any good parent would want for their children. Everybody working with or representing the interests of children and young people in care is a corporate parent, and should be aware of their responsibilities. Corporate parenting responsibilities are not limited to the Children’s Social Care team; all local authority staff, elected members and relevant partner agencies share this duty. In practical terms, being a corporate parent means advocating on behalf of these children and young people to ensure they get the support they need to achieve the best outcomes. Asking the straightforward question, “Would this be good enough for my child?” and challenging any poor practice are central to this role. All Members, with leadership from the Panel, ensure that our children, young people and care leavers have their needs recognised and appropriately met, in a way which does not disadvantage them in relation to their ’non-looked after’ peers. Elected members hold services to account for what they provide. The Panel’s role is to lead on ensuring the Corporate Parenting responsibilities of the multi-agency partnership are being met in line with the Children Act 1989. The Act sets out the general duty of the local authority in relation to children looked after by them; to safeguard and promote the welfare of these children, ensuring effective, individualised support and access to services. This duty is inclusive of both children and young people with care orders and those provided with accommodation. The Corporate Parenting Panel is accountable

To the Council of the Isles of Scilly and to the Lead Member for Children.

To looked after children, care leavers and their carers or guardians.

To each respective member on the Panel and the relevant senior management team of each agency that is represented.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Corporate Parenting Panel

1.   To develop expertise about services for and issues affecting children and young people, both in care and leaving care; in doing so, elected members are enabled to fulfil their role as corporate parenting champions and advocates for children who are looked after, and those leaving local authority care.

2.   To provide the multi-agency strategic direction for services and projects working to achieve good outcomes for both children in local authority and leaving care.

3.   To actively raise the awareness of other elected members to the whole Council’s corporate parenting responsibilities.

4.   To consider any changes arising from relevant legislation, guidance or reviews.

5.   To lead on ensuring that the corporate parenting roles and responsibilities of the local authority are being met, including: a) To be aware of national expectations regarding the services to looked after children (including unaccompanied Asylum seeking Children) and Care Leavers; including those contained in reports from the office of the Children’s Commissioner, the adoption reform agenda, changes to permanent planning and the commitment to ‘staying put’. b) To creatively consider ways in which the Corporate Parenting Panel will hear and respond to the views of Looked after Children, Care Leavers, their parents and carers. c) To have an understanding of the arrangements that need to be in place in order to be an effective Corporate Parent. d) To take action continually, in conjunction with officers and partner agencies, to improve services and ensure it is responsive and meeting changing needs.   Membership The membership is equivalent to that for One Vision Isles of Scilly. Meetings Meetings will be held three times a year, consecutive to those of One Vision Isles of Scilly It is anticipated that meetings will be of 15-30 minutes duration. Chairmanship The Chairman of the Panel is the Lead Member for Children.   The Vice Chairman of the Panel is the representative from NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group.