Minutes 1.10.03—Grangeway

Pauline welcomed everyone to the forum and explained how the forum links into the family support strategy.

The key aim of the forum is for people to understand what other groups are involved in. A quick overview was presented of how the forum feeds into the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) via Halton Together and the Children’s and Young People’s Strategic Partnership.

A diagram of the virtual LSP organisation was requested to go to all members, along with an explanation (see enclosed).

It was agreed that minutes should be presented as a newsletter with an action box of items to be carried out by the forum.

No nominations were received for Children and Young Peoples Strategic Partnership before the meeting therefore nominations were taken at the meeting.

Wendy Price – from the Pre School Learning Alliance was nominated and duly elected.

News Roundup

Pauline asked for all members to highlight any activities or issues that they felt may be of interest to the wider forum, this went around the room:-

Andy Dunleavy

· Engaging Young Men with a Young Men’s Worker looking at sexual health in the YMCA accommodation project – links

· in with lots of target agencies.

· Teenage Pregnancy counselling service - through Kings Cross Prevention.

· Lots of work going on in schools – sexual health and planning.

Pre School Alliance

· Groups – mobile crèche facility.

· Bank of equipment – pre-school groups and toddlers groups.

Halton Children’s Fund

17 different services

· Crime prevention – celebration event of good work

· Healthy schools

· Kingsway Leisure Centre event 7^th October

Sure Start

Coordination group has been set up to bring the family support work together from the 5 Sure Start areas.

· Names have come from the shape on the map of the areas – done through consultation with families.

· For under 4’s – Work with young parents to be.

· Fathers Direct Network - Activities targeted at Dad’s –

· Camping – support equipment, soft play, tool hire, days out

Care to learn

· Targeting 16-19 year olds.

· Crèche facilities to enable young parents to get involved in education.

· £5000 over 3 years – main referrer is Connexions.

Kings Cross

· After School Clubs – theme based.

· Family Support team – 1 full time worker.

· Working closer with (Sure Start in Widnes) New Steps, Trailblazers.

· Stewards Avenue Estate – Community house – Community Parents Project – Access information – tea and toast.

· Training local parents – accredited course 2 Sure Starts and Kings Cross.

· Befriending, skills sharing – befriending – support .

· Bike Club – supported by Police forum

Community Safety Team

· Dealing with young people that go missing – why did they run away, where did they go to, any problems at home.

· Refer parents

· Police Officer – school liaison-Inspector – domestic violence youth issues

· Drug issues – family team

Womens Aid

· Supporting children in the refuge

· Need to build up new networks as they are new to the area.

(Adult) Family Mental Health

· Nurses and Doctors set up to support mental health transition to

· parenthood

· Work across service boundaries.

· Started early intervention right through to older family members – work closely with health visitors.

· Working in families where one/some family members are facing deep seated mental health problems.

· Remind professionals that there is a context of the family around the ‘patient’ they are treating.

· Support people to avoid a long term ‘psychiatric career’

CAMHS

· Patients as parents.

· Developing a Mother and Baby Unit.

Future issue

· Men in Families.

· Look at ‘What is Mental Health’.

· What services do the hospital provide for families/what are the family friendly policies.

· Young people leaving care.

Next Meeting Tuesday 2^nd December at the River Suite, Halton Stadium, Widnes, 12.00pm—2.00pm.