Summary of Community Planning Partnerships' (CPPs) Early Years Change Fund returns (2012-2015)

Partnership working

CPPs were asked what partner organisations had been involved in developing their ICSP and their Early Years Change Fund returns.

They were also asked about their partnership governance and financial frameworks.

Partners

Returns showed that CPPs have involved a wide range of partner organisations and others in developing their ICSP (or local equivalent). Many CPPs gave details of specific strategic structures in place to plan and co-ordinate the delivery of children's services. These included devolved responsibility to specific strategic groups such as GIRFEC Strategy Groups or Children's Services Executive Groups. Several CPPs also mentioned that their return had been completed by Early Years Partnerships or groups.

The membership of these groups differed across CPPs but most included senior representation from:

• Local authority departments (mainly education, housing and social care/social work)
• The local NHS Board
• Police Scotland

Many also included representatives, again mainly at a senior level, from:

• Scottish Fire and Rescue
• Community Health
• Community Safety
• Third Sector umbrella/representative organisations and/or specific third sector organisations
• Scottish Children's Reporter Administration ( SCRA)
• Criminal Justice
• Children's Panel
• Local voluntary organisations
• Local colleges
• Third Sector and private providers of childcare

While development of the ICSPs in most areas involved key public and third sector partners, many CPPs also included details of involvement or consultation with parents, carers and young people.

Governance

CPPs were also asked to describe the partnership governance framework and financial frameworks in place to enable partnership decisions to be made.

Governance frameworks include regular reporting and performance reviews and structures mainly comprise multi-agency groups at various levels of accountability:

• Leadership groups providing strategic direction
• Management groups
• Early Years Strategy groups
• Local area or thematic groups and workstreams

Returns showed structured approaches across all CPPs with descriptions and/or diagrams evidencing clear governance, accountability and reporting. These structures have been developed to align with local priorities and reporting requirements.

Many of the returns indicated that these structures are reviewed regularly to ensure continuing clear local governance, to align with local needs and priorities and to encompass any strategic changes at local or national level.