Review Topic

(name of Review)

Young Carers

Review Reference Code

CS015

Parent Scrutiny Committee

Children’s Services

Lead Member Review Group

(Cllr’s involved)

Cllrs Fitzgerald O’Connor, D. Turner, Viney and Mr Jackson

Member responsible for tracking

(nominate one Cllr)

To be decided

Officer Support

(Scrutiny Review Officer lead)

Julian Hehir

Rationale

(key issues and/ or reason for doing the Review)

·           There are concerns, as yet unsupported by documented evidence, that young carers are not being identified and that there are gaps in the multi-agency approach to assessing their needs, wishes, support and the availability of suitable provision. 

·           Young carers have been identified by Members (including two of the authority’s Scrutiny Committees; Social & Community Services and Health) as a key issue.

·           There is considerable public interest in this issue, as indicated by recent media coverage.

·           There is an opportunity to make a distinctive impact in this area of current interest (to date, no other authorities have undertaken a scrutiny review of this topic from perspectives other than health).

·           There is not an absolutely definitive and identifiable process for carrying out an individual assessment of the carer’s rather than the cared for person’s needs.  There is a duty for the local authority to assess needs but not necessarily to provide at the level of need identified.

Purpose of Review/Objective

(specify exactly what the Review should achieve)

·           To identify how the County Council (and its partners) may empower young carers to approach the authority for help (the fear is that they do not because, conversely, they often think that they may be taken into care).

·           To identify the different kinds of Young Carers, in terms of age and caring responsibilities (eg age and disability of the cared for).

·           To identify how Young Carers are catered for in the context of the “Every Child Matters” agenda.

·           To achieve a change in understanding and perception around young carers.

·           To identify the gaps between provision, need/demand and availability of services.

·           To examine the social/economic/educational and health impacts of the issue.

·           And will endeavour to answer the E Riding questions

Indicators of Success

(what factors would tell you what a good Review should look like)

·           Will have identified who the young carers are.

·           Will have identified local needs and wishes.

·           Will have identified how the service for young carers can be improved, including the ongoing identification process.

Methodology/ Approach

(what types of enquiry will be used to gather evidence and why)

·           Desk based review of topic.

·           Making comparisons with what other authorities do well/not so well in respect of Young Carers.

·           “Client journeys” Including looking at the transitional phases between the different age groups of young carers (by testimonials, written evidence).

·           Interviewing officers.

·           Questioning witnesses.

Specify Witnesses/ Experts

(who to see and when)

(Most of the witnesses and contacts identified can be grouped together as appropriate for interview/visit/documentary evidence purposes).

·           Andy Couldrick – Head of Early Years & Family Support (CYP&F).

·           Deborah Parkhouse - Strategic Development Officer- Young Carers (CYP&F).

·           Nick Welch (Head of Social & Health Care Planning & Partnership) role in relation to Supporting People fund.

·           Oxfordshire Parent Partnership (& Parents).

·           Officers etc from other authorities for comparative purposes.

(Mainly by visiting, rather than inviting to interview) the following:

·           Banbury, Witney & Bicester Young Carers (contacts: Veronica Jones/June Sutherland – Young Carers Project).

·           Carers Centre (South & Vale) 3-5 Lydalls Road, Didcot -Young Carers Project (contacts: Sarah Norvis/Mitch Warwick).

·           City Carers Centre. 

·           Children’s Society – Young Carers; Edward Rudolf House, Margery Street, London WC1 0JZ - www.childrenssociety.org.uk Children’s Society Carers Initiative - Jenny Frank

·           The Princess Royal Trust for Carers (PRTC) Alex Fox (Assistant Director-Service Development).

·           Oxfordshire Family Support Network.

·           SENCO’S (possibly via Brenda Williams, COTO Secretary).

·           Schools’ Pastoral Heads of Year Groups.

·           Representatives of Primary School Headteachers.

·           Representatives of voluntary organizations.

(Initially by written input):

·           Oxfordshire PCT (including sample of GP’s, Health Visitors, District Nurses - as regards Assessments etc) and School Nurses.

·           District Councils (eg, as regards “Staying Put” scheme and its successes and the Districts’ housing responsibilities).

·           Carers Forum. (Annual meeting 14 Nov)

and

·           Young carers (via Ben Jackson as parent link & through written evidence, testimonials)

·           People being cared for (including the effect on older people of having young carers).  (Refer also to detailed contacts listed in other   documentation).

·           Jim Flux - Chairman PRTC Carers Centre (N&W Oxon) and CEO, Jean Miller, as well as Veronica Jones, our Young Carers Support Worker, on the list of people to be interviewed

Specify Evidence Sources for Documents

(which to look at)

·           Commission for Social Care & Inspection – “Being a Young Carer” – Views from a Young Carers Workshop.

·           Guide to Carers’ Organisations – OCC Carers Strategy 2004-05 – OCC (due to be revised and re-written in March 2008); Young Carers Policy (is there a requirement that there should be one?)

·           New Carers Strategy (in development, from Central Government).

·           Times Online article – “Crying Out To Be Heard”.

·           “Doubts on Respite Care” – Oxford Mail article.

·           Early Years & Family Support Business Plan – 2007/8 -10/11.

·           The Children’s Board

·           “Every Child Matters” framework.

·           National Foundation for Educational Research – www.nfer.ac.uk/emie Young Carers page.

·           Legislation/Guidance (see below).

·           Assessment documents that may indicate whether the needs of young carers are actually being assessed.

·           Evidence from other independent research.

·           Evidence and focus from education and schools’ perspectives.

·           Evidence from any other reviews.

Specify Site Visits

(where and when)

To include:

·           Young Carers’ projects.

·           Other voluntary organisations listed among witness details.

·           Other authorities.

Specify Evidence Sources for Views of Stakeholders

(consultation/ workshops/ focus groups/ public meetings)

·           Focus groups (possibly).

·           LGIU “Young Carers: Securing a Better Future” conference – 3 Oct 2007.

·           Visits.

·           Interviews.

·           Written evidence of experiences (not attributed) from young carers.

Publicity requirements

(what is needed – fliers, leaflets, radio broadcast, press-release, etc.)

Not identified at this stage, but this an issue that will grab the public imagination.

Resource requirements

·              Person-days

·              Expenditure

Anticipate approximately 6 months, which will equate to:

·           40-50 days

·           Approx £2,500 (for conference in October, visits, other research required).

Barriers/ dangers/ risks

(identify any weaknesses and potential pitfalls)

·           Over-ambitious in scope.

·           Difficulties in accessing carers and agencies, and in recommendations being binding upon the latter.

·           Difficulties in keeping to the projected timescale.

·           Not achieving review objectives.

·           Practicality of implementing recommendations, particularly if they are costly.

Projected start date

Sept 2007

Draft Report Deadline

26 February 2008

Meeting Frequency

12 Sept, 25 Sept and 28 Sept 2007 (for first witnesses) and thereafter, every 2 weeks approximately.

Projected completion date

March 2008

When to evaluate impact and response

March 2009

Methods for tracking and evaluating

·           Tracking template.

·           Lead Member tracking.

·           Question and answer follow up session at Committee.