4. There is significant government funding accompanying all of these strategies, some channelled via the local authority, but all intended to be used in ‘partnership’ with other providers and underlining the Local Authority’s role as enabler rather than universal provider.

5. Bristol City Council is a significant direct provider of early years services and funder of childcare provision. There is also a very active Early Years & Childcare Partnership keen to participate fully in all new developments. Temporary arrangements have been put into place to co-ordinate services between Social Services and Education and to ensure the implementation of new government policy directives. There is a need to ensure that any new local service is able to deliver on new national objectives and can encompass the whole range of Early Years and Childcare services as well as the establishing facilitator role envisaged in Partnership working.

6. Officers are currently auditing relevant early years services in both Education and Social Services. Work has also been undertaken to identify the lessons from other local authorities which have well-established integrated Early Years services, eg. Kirklees, Manchester, Southwark and Leeds. Research from the National Children’s Bureau has also identified the need for careful planning and commitment from senior officers and councillors. A members’ seminar on 23 November 1998 considered draft statements of Overall Objective, Underpinning Principles and Responsibilities for the new service:

Overall Objective

7. To ensure that a high quality Early Years and Childcare service is available to all families and children in Bristol, both through direct provision and working in partnership with the Bristol Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership. The service should provide a strategic direction for Local Authority provision and promote the prioritisation of disadvantaged children’s needs across all sectors.

Functions and Responsibilities of a City Council Integrated Early Years Service

8. The seminar confirmed functions and responsibilities set out in the diagram attached to this report (Appendix 1). These can be summarised as:

Committee Structures

9. Research has been undertaken into the different committee structures adopted by other local authorities. There are a number of different models involving joint sub-committees or the Education Committee assuming full responsibility. Discussion at the Members’ Seminar indicated a preference for the Education Committee assuming overall responsibility in the long term with some possible interim arrangements whilst the service is being developed. However the possibility of fundamental changes to committee structures as part of the agenda of modernising local government should be borne in mind.

 Consultation

10. Since the adoption of the draft `Vision’ for early years staff in both Social Services and Education have been briefed by officers about progress towards integration. A reference group has been established with staff representation from a range of provision both in Education and Social Services. More formal consultations with staff representatives and trade unions will need to take place as there are significant staffing implications and we would wish to continue to work with a reference group including trades union representatives. A meeting with trade unions took place on 20 January 1999 and comments will be reported verbally to this Committee. The Bristol Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership will also need to be kept fully informed of developments and consulted.

Appendices

i) Responsibilities for Early Years and Childcare Services

ii) Report - Personnel Implications of Developing and Integrated Early Years and Childcare Service : Terms of Reference

Policy Implications

11. The development of an integrated early years and childcare service, based in the Education Directorate will have significant policy implications for the City Council. The new service will assume responsibility for services and policy development currently delivered by Education and Social Services Directorates, as well as leading on childcare initiatives which will need to be co-ordinated across other City Council Committees. There will be a need to ensure that the new service develops and commissions services which are consistent with the overall strategic objectives of both Social Services and Education. The integrated service should, however, provide an enhanced, more coherent, non-stigmatising service offering better value for money.

Resource Implications

12. There is an assumption that the new service will be funded within existing resources. Current funding for the services and associated costs such as Personnel, Finance support, repairs and maintenance needs to be disaggregated to assess how this may be achieved.

13. It is proposed that the services are brought within an integrated management structure and are then subject to Best Value Reviews.

14. The new central government agenda in Childcare and Early Years has significantly expanded the remit of such a service, particularly in relation to implementing the Early Years Development and Childcare Plan and working with the Bristol Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. The Education Committee has already recognised the need to resource these additional commitments and £40k (including £10k - Parents’ Information Service) has been agreed for inclusion in the 1999/2000 Education budget in addition to £60k in 1998/99. Discussions should also take place with the Partnership on funding of infrastructure support which may be provided through personnel employed through the Local Authority on behalf of the Partnership.

15. In the fullness of time members may wish to examine more closely the interface between an integrated early years service and other city council providers.

Personnel Implications

16. There will be implications for staffing the new service with staff from both Education and Social Services. New staffing structures will need to be developed for the management and co-ordination of the service and staff representatives and trades unions will need to be fully consulted. Personnel implications may need to be referred to the Corporate Services Committee.

Other Approvals Necessary

17. Policy and Resources Committee. These proposals should also be discussed with the Bristol Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

Conclusions and Recommendations

18. The proposal to establish an integrated early years and childcare service within the Education Directorate represents a significant step forward in the City Council’s strategy to provide a high quality, co-ordinated service to children and families across the city.

i) The Leisure Services (Special Purposes) Sub-Committee endorse the principle of establishing an integrated early years services in line with the overall objectives and underpinning principles listed in paragraph 6 and Appendix 1.

ii) That the Education and Social Services (Special Purposes) Sub-Committees:

a) approve the overall objective and underpinning principles as set out in paragraph 7 and Appendix 1 to this report as a basis for developing an integrated Early Years and Childcare Service;

b) that the terms of reference for the Early Years and Childcare Service as contained in Appendix 2 be approved;

PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPING AN INTEGRATED EARLY YEARS AND CHILD CARE SERVICE - TERMS OF REFERENCE

(Joint Report of the Director of Education and Director of Social Services)(City Wide Ward)

Purpose of Report

1. To seek Members’ agreement to terms of reference to develop new organisational structures arising from the establishment of an Integrated Early Years and CHILD CARE Service.

Terms of Reference

2. Subject to Members’ agreement at this committee today, a new integrated service will be established from 1 September 1999. There are a number of key personnel issues that will need to be considered. In particular, the most significant issue will be the transfer of Social Services staff to the Education Directorate. Set out below are the terms of reference for establishing the new service:

The implementation of the following principles need to be considered:

- to have a clearly defined management structure.

- to transfer staff from the Social Services Directorate in to the new integrated service.

- to re-align the reporting arrangements for staff currently in the Education Directorate as appropriate.

- that employees in support services functions provided by the Social Services Directorate are integrated within the Education Directorate, ie transferred, as appropriate.

- that the terms and conditions of staff in the new service affected by Single Status Phase II are reviewed with a view to implementation on 1 April 2001.

- that Nursery Schools and the Hartcliffe Early Years Centre are integrated in to the new service.

Potentially the following employees may be encompassed in this review.

Service Manager, Team Managers, Social Workers (Under 8s teams), Day Nursery staff

Nursery Schools, Hartcliffe Early Years Centre, Early Years Development Manager

Support Services (Social Services)

Employees or equivalent financial resources as appropriate.

Director of Education, Director of Social Services, Personnel, Finance,

For consultation: Employees, Service users, Trade Unions

Consultation

The Trade Unions have been consulted on the draft terms of reference. There will be detailed consultation on all of the arrangements for establishing an integrated service. The new service will be established in accordance with the Implementation of Change Policy. Detailed proposals will be brought back to Committee in June 1999.

Policy Implications

None arising from this report.

Resource Implications

None at this stage

Other Approvals Necessary

None

That the Social Services and Education (Special Purposes) Committees agree the terms of reference.

Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985

Background papers: None

Contact Officer: Mark Williams, Personnel Manager (Education)
Tel: 0117 903 7835   Fax: 0117 903 7840   EMail: mark_williams@bristol-city.gov.uk