Issue - meetings

Report of the Service Director Commissioning & Performance (DCE) is attached

Councillor Lionel Grundy Cabinet member for Children’s Services presented the report which sought approval of the Family and Parenting Strategy.

During the debate it was emphasised that this was not a cost cutting exercise but a way to work more closely and effectively with the service providers and volunteers.

The Leader thanked volunteers and expressed appreciation for the work carried out through their work with family and parenting support.

Resolved:

1. To approve the Family and Parenting Support Commissioning Strategy including the commissioning intentions outlined in the strategy and highlighted in section 8, 9 and 10 of the report.

2. To ask the Head of Strategy – Community and Voluntary Sector Support to contact service providers to see how Wiltshire Council can support them in their bids to develop a new family and parenting support service.  Also to contact those service providers who will not be bidding to see how they can be supported in the future.

Reason for decision:

On 10^th March 2010 the Wiltshire Children’s Trust Executive agreed to develop a Family and Parenting Support Commissioning Strategy as parenting and family support is relevant to 9 out of the 10 priorities identified in the current Children and Young People’s Plan.  In addition, the Children’s Trust Executive was also aware that a number of family and parenting support services provided by voluntary sector agencies under contract were due to end on 31 March 2011.  The Family and Parenting Support Strategy provides a framework for making decisions on future services.