Co-ordinated Support Plans Short-Life Working Group meeting minutes: 4 May 2021

Attendees and apologies

• Scottish Government, Supporting Learners’ team
• Scottish Government, GIRFEC team
• Scottish Government, Health and Allied Health professionals
• COSLA
• ASLO
• ASPEP
• Education Scotland
• Health and Education Chamber of the First Tier Tribunal
• My Rights, My Say
• National Parent Forum Scotland
• EIS
• UNISON
• NAIT

Apologies

• Scottish Government, Health and Allied Health professionals
• Social Work Scotland
• ADES
• Looked After Children rep
• Voice

Items and actions

Minutes and actions from the previous meeting

Group members were content with the minutes from the previous meeting.

The group reviewed the actions arising from the previous meeting and updates were provided. The following actions were agreed:

Membership 

Scottish Government (SG) officials have a meeting with CYPCS later this week to discuss the work of group and the opportunities for engagement with CYPCS. 

Action: SG officials to engage with CYPCS to invite a representative to join the group.

Terms of reference

SG officials met with EiS to consider the terms of reference further. The Terms of Reference were updated and a revised version was circulated to the group. Group members were content with the updated version. 

Action: SG officials will publish the terms of reference and the minutes from previous meetings the SG web pages, following the pre-election period.

Action: Carried over from the last meeting, the looked-after children rep will link in with CELCIS. 

Action: The President of the Tribunal will share an anonymised decision on a reference related to a CSP when available.

Barriers to implementation

The paper on initial opportunities was updated following the last meeting of the group and re-circulated to the group. 

The group discussed what success for this work looks like, for example, whether success can be measured through a change in the number of CSPs. During their discussion the group again highlighted that there are a number of common misconceptions about CSPs. A number of these have been highlighted within the barriers to implementation paper. 

The group were asked to consider any gaps in the barriers to implementation paper. It was raised that a number of the barriers identified relate to the process of a CSP being considered and that further thought also needs to be given to what happens once a CSP has been established. Members suggested that the paper should be shared with CELCIS, CYPCS and within SWS to see if they have anything additional to add.

Action: barriers to implementation paper to be shared with CELCIS, CYPCS and within SWS for consideration and comment.

Next steps 

Linked to the above discussion, the group were asked to continue to consider how to address the barriers that have been identified. The group agreed that to allow for further, detailed consideration of how to address the barriers to implementation, 3 sub-groups would be set up: planning; multi-agency/partnership working; and information and communication. It was agreed that it was important that the work of these sub-groups is aligned and communicated. Group members agreed to indicate which sub-group they would like to be involved in. 

A paper was shared on screen which set out a summary of the scope of each sub-group, linked to the Terms of Reference. Concerns were raised about whether the visual fully captured the whole journey. It was agreed that this would be made explicit in the role of the sub-groups and the summary would be updated to reflect this.

The group discussed whether a fourth sub-group was needed to consider specific concerns in relation to parents, carers, children and young people. However, the group agreed that as there are common threads and themes which will be considered by all the sub-groups, a fourth sub-group wasn’t needed.

As part of the work of the information and communication sub-group, consideration will be given to how information and universal resources are made available and shared to ensure everyone has the information they need. 

Action: The paper setting out the summary of the sub-groups to be updated to reflect the comments from the group. 

Action: Group members to email SG officials to indicate which sub-group they would like to be part of.

AOB

No items were raised.

Date of next meeting

There is already a date in the diary for the next meeting on 3 June. However, the group agreed this will now be used for the first meeting of the sub-group workstreams.  

A doodle poll will be issued for the next full meeting of the short-life working group.