South Quadrant Children’s Centres

Anne Armstrong

Assistant Director for Children’s Services

Essex Children’s CentresSouth Quadrant

Barnardo’s, CAVS, PSLA

Vision

Our vision is of innovative children’s centres which act as a community resources for families supporting and facilitating all to achieve their aspirations and potential

Barnardo’s Today

Largest children's charity in the UK

• We support more than 190,000 vulnerable and disadvantaged children, young people and their families every year through 800+ services

• We are one of the largest providers of Children’s Centres inc. Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, Birmingham, Devon etc.

Our Basis & Values• Christianity: Barnardo’s derives its inspiration

and values from the Christian faith

• Other Influences: These values, enriched and shared by many people of other faiths and beliefs, provide the basis of our work with children and young people, their families and communities

• Value the contribution of others: We value the contributions of everyone who works with Barnardo’s

• Respecting the unique worth of every person

• Encouraging people to fulfil their potential

• Working with hope

• Exercising responsible stewardship

Barnardo’s works in the areas of:

• Child poverty• Children in trouble• Education• Sexual abuse • Children in care• Advocacy • Fostering,

adoption and short break care

• Sexual exploitation• Substance misuse • Homelessness• Domestic violence• Parenting support • Disability, inclusion• Young carers• Political

campaigning

What we do…• Barnardo’s believes in children regardless

of their circumstances, gender, race, disability or behaviour. We believe in the abused, the vulnerable, the forgotten and the neglected

• We will support them, stand up for them and bring out the best in each and every child.

• With the right help, committed support and a little belief, even the most vulnerable children can turn their lives around

• We do all this because webelieve in children

Partnership

We are a unique multi-disciplinary partnership that has come together with a shared passion for supporting children and empowering families and communities to improve the life chances of children in south Essex

How we will achieve this• Building on the best• Cluster working• Partnership working • Innovation through empowerment• Resources to front line working• Safeguarding • National and local expertise• Out reach to in reach• Increase use of volunteers providing

routes into employment • Skilled and supported workforce

South Quadrant Structure

CAVSCastle Point(6 Centres)

BasildonCluster

Barnardo's (8 Centres)

Brentwood/ Billericay

ClusterBarnardo's(6 Centres)

PSLARochford / WickfordCluster

(7 Centres)

Barnardo’s core -Strategic Manager,

Finance/HR/MIS/QA functions

South Quadrant Delivery Structure

We aim to achieve in Essex Children’s Centres:

A quadrant-wide service which is a community resource of targeted and universal services to families with children from pre-birth to age 5 that identify needs early and prevent emerging problems for children and families from escalating.

Our commitment is to focus our resources and our efforts on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged families that will benefit the most from our support within a universal setting

Core purpose

Improving outcomes for young children and their families, and reducing inequalities

• Child development and School readiness

• Supported by parenting aspirations, self esteem and parenting programme.

• Child and Family Health

Core purpose continued….

• Assessing strengths and needs across the area to inform local commissioning of local services.

• Providing access to high quality universal services in the area

• Using Evidence – Based approaches to deliver targeted family centred support

• Acting as hub for local community, building social capital and social cohesion

Core purpose continued…..

• Sharing expertise with other early years settings to improve quality.

• Respecting and engaging parents• Partnership working

Service Delivery

• Universal services i.e. stay and plays, drop in’s

• Parenting and Family support – home visiting , structured parenting programmes and information on childcare.

• Improve parental aspirations- access to Adult Learning this includes employment support , training and volunteering opportunities.

• Health activities delivered onsite.

Service Delivery Continued…

• Links with specialist services i.e. Debt advice, CAHMS, Social Care, Supporting children with additional needs.

Outcomes

• NI 72 'Raising the Attainment for all Children' the percentage of children in each Children’s Centre reach area to achieve at least 78 points across the EYFS profile with at least 6 points each in PSED and in CLLNI

• NI 92 'Narrowing the Gap' -The gap between the median score of children in the reach area and the mean score of the lowest achieving 20% of children in the reach area, as a % of the median score all children in the reach area.

Example of Effective Working Together

Communication & Language Project

• Information from local schools in Billericay indicated a falling level of language acquisition in children in Reception classes in Billericay schools.

• Billericay Community Trust speech & language support worker identified and supported 73 children with speech & language communications needs in the six reception classes within the reach area of the two Billericay Children’s Centres

• Jointly visited 20 early year’s settings (pre-schools, nurseries etc) in Billericay to share information and good practice and increase knowledge of Language and Communication skills and services available, such as NHS Drop-in and Children’s Centre support

End of year data

2009/10 2010/11 2011/12

BAS1 Billericay CC reach area

57.5% 56% 72%

BAS11 Sunnyside CC reach area

53.2% 53% 75.4%

Increase in NI 72 % from 2010/11 to 2011/12:30 more children in BAS1 reach area – across 4 schools40 more children in BAS11 reach area – across 2 schools

Potential benefits of working together

• Improving attendance • Supporting learning • Contribution to Children’s Centre

governance – understanding of local need, planning and shaping services.

Working Together in 2013Next Steps for Children’s Centres and Schools in

South Essex ?

And finally….

• A dynamic and vibrant service which actively seeks to meet the needs of young families and children

• Continuous consultation with all stakeholders

• Continuous empowerment of service users

• Happy and thriving children