Foreword
This Plan sets out the strategic direction and priorities that have been agreed by the Convenor & Tribunal Board (the Board), the President of the Child, Youth and Community Tribunal (CYCT) and the Children’s Convenor for the period 2017 to 2020.
Much has been done over the last three years to make a difference to the lives of the children and young people that come into contact with our services. There is however always more that we can do to make sure that our contribution is as strong as it can be. In this plan we have identified five outcomes that we want to achieve over the next three years. We have set out the actions we will take to support these and the measures we will use to tell us about our progress. In developing this plan we have noted the overarching actions and priority outcomes of the Children and Young People’s Plan 2016 -2022. We believe that our outcomes and activities support the six commitments to add value to children’s lives.
We look forward to the next three years. However, we recognise that delivering this plan will require openness, honesty and trust between those agencies and professionals charged with improving outcomes for children and young people. It will also need a commitment to the aims and ethos of the CYCT system. We know that we cannot deliver all aspects of this plan without the help and support of those who work within the CYCT system and without the cooperation and support of our partners.
About the CYCT system
The CYCT system is made up of three independent parts:
- The Child Youth and Community Tribunal
The purpose of the Tribunal is to make decisions that protect children from harm and promote their proper and adequate health, welfare and development. The Tribunal is a legal forum and the decisions that it makes are legally binding. The Tribunal deals with the majority of children’s cases where some compulsory state intervention may be needed. The President’s main responsibilities are to manage the work of the Tribunal and monitor and develop the performance of the members of the Tribunal.
- The Office of the Children’s Convenor
The Children’s Convenor’s main responsibility is to decide when a child or young person under the age of 18 years is referred to the Tribunal. The Children’s Convenor also has many other legal responsibilities relating to children and young people and the Tribunal process.
- The Convenor and Tribunal Board.
The Board sets the overall strategic direction for both services and provides support and challenge to both the President of the CYCT and the Children’s Convenor. The Board is responsible for securing the resources required to enable the Children’s Convenor and the CYCT to carry out their respective duties. The Board also has a wider interest in promoting a better awareness and understanding of the CYCT and encouraging respect for its ethos, its values and vision.
About the CYCT community
The CYCT system relies on a number of highly inter-dependent roles that extend beyond the roles of the Board, Children’s Convenor and CYCT members. This wider CYCT community includes the Committee for Health and Social Care which is responsible for giving effect to the decisions of Tribunal hearings, social workers, safeguarders, teachers, Advocates and a range of other professionals and volunteers.
Our Vision, Purpose, Ethos and Values
The CYCT system is broadly based on the Children’s Hearing System in Scotland and there is much that we can learn from their many years of experience.
We know that when we work well together within the wider CYCT community the decisions that are made for children and young people will be the best that they can be.
Reflecting on this and our experience to date our vision is for a CYCT system that is:
- Positive and constructive for children and young people, committed to their rights and needs and their positive growth;
- Committed to a shared culture of respect, learning, support and partnership;
- Understood and respected by our community; and
- Has children and young people at the heart of decisions and actions
Purpose
Our purpose is to improve the outcomes and experiences for children and young people who may be at risk to ensure that they are safe, protected and offered positive futures.
Ethos
- Except in exceptional circumstances the welfare of children and young people is the paramount consideration.
- Trained lay members of the local community with their understanding and experience of island life are ideally placed to make decisions about children and young people.
- Children who offend almost always have the same needs and backgrounds as children in need of care and protection.
- Children’s needs and deeds must be tackled together if they are to be dealt with effectively
- Children and their families should play an active part in finding the solutions to their problems.
- An environment that is supportive and non-adversarial helps children and young people to have their say. A hearing “should be a conversation not a confrontation”.
- The best outcomes are achieved for children and young people when everyone works together in an open and enquiring way that is respectful of rights and needs. Fair, transparent and lawful – but not a court of law.
Values
- Child centred; acting in the best interests of children and young people and guided by their views and experiences
- Respectful; considerate in our conduct and behaviours
- Fair and transparent; respectful of individual rights and needs
- Approachable; welcoming, helpful and honest
- Open; committed to a culture of reflection, learning and partnership
Outcomes and Priorities
We have five main outcomes:
- Our services are centred around the child and young person where their rights are respected and upheld and they are involved and engaged in the process;
- Our decisions are proportionate and timely to consciously make a positive impact on the welfare and experience of children and young people, their families and the community;
- Our work with partner agencies ensures that the right children are referred at the right time and outcomes for children and young people are improved through the earliest and most effective interventions;
- Our services maintain an appropriate level of resources and support and our Tribunal members and staff feel valued and supported; and
- Our island communities understand and value the services we provide.
Priorities
- Increasing participation and engagement of children and young people
- Raising awareness and understanding of the OCC and CYCT throughout the islands’ communities
- Working with our partners to ensure that any changes to the Children Law are aligned with the ethos of the CYCT system and are in the best interests of children and young people
Outcome One
Our services are centred around the child and young person where their rights are respected and upheld and they are involved and engaged in the process.
This means we actively seek the views of children and young people. We encourage and support their participation so that they can actively contribute to and influence the decisions that are made about them. Opportunities exist to hear their views and their feedback on our services.
| What we will do |
| Explore and develop new ways to help children and young people understand and participate in their CYCT hearings |
| Continue to improve our hearing facilities at Briarwood |
| Train our staff and CYCT members on interacting with children and young people and encouraging them to participate |
| Ask children and young people for feedback on our services and the way we communicate with them |
| Monitor the role which social media plays in the lives of children and young people and adapt our approaches accordingly |
| Contribute to the work on the Bailiwick’s adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child |
| Contribute to the development of a Children’s Charter, facilitated by the Youth Commission and the Youth Forum |
How we will measure our progress
- Establish % of children and young people who understand their rights within the CYCT system and who feel listened to and treated with respect
- Increase in the range of methods available for children and young people to participate and provide feedback
- Increase % of hearings where the child or young person actively participates
- Establish % of children and young people aged 8 and over who access advocacy support during their involvement with the OCC and CYCT
Outcome Two
Our decisions are proportionate and timely and are sound decisions that make a positive impact on the welfare of children and young people, their families and the community.
This means our decision making processes are robust, consistent and reflect the core principles of the Children Law. Staff and volunteers are trained, supported and monitored. This enables us to contribute to improving outcomes and experiences for children and young people.
| What we will do |
| Ensure that Convenor decision making is effectively audited and analysed and that areas for improvement are identified and good practice shared |
| Develop a Scheme of Delegation to support consistency of practice |
| Continue to review and develop the CYCT Member monitoring framework |
| Work with partner agencies to continue to improve the quality and consistency of information provided to inform decision making by the Children’s Convenor and the CYCT members |
| Provide high quality practice information and training to convenors and CYCT members to support decision making |
| Agree agencies joint outcome measures with our partner |
| Work with our colleagues within the Children’s Hearing System in Scotland to explore ways to demons |
How we will measure our progress
- % of appeals upheld as a result of procedural errors.
- % of CYCT members monitored and % who fully meet all appropriate competencies
- Audit and evaluation results evidence consistent and high quality decision-making by the convenors
- Increase or sustain % of decisions made within 50 working days
- Increase or sustain % of CYCT hearings concluded within 90 minutes
- % of training evaluations that evidence learning outcomes met or exceeded.
- Joint outcome measures are agreed and a reporting framework implemented
- Scheme of Delegation developed and implemented
- Establish % of children and young people who indicate that their needs were met as a result of their Child’s Plan
Outcome Three
Our work with partner agencies ensures that the right children are referred at the right time and outcomes for children and young people are improved through the earliest and most effective interventions.
Providing the right help, support and intervention at the right time provides the best chance for improving the life chances of children in the future. Compulsory state intervention in the life of a child and their family is a significant step and we must therefore ensure that we understand the impact of this for children and young people. This means sharing information and data to inform, influence and challenge.
| What we will do |
| Continue to work with partner agencies to ensure that the threshold for referral to the Children’s Convenor is understood and acted upon |
| Issue guidance on referral to the Children’s Convenor and develop training to support the implementation of this |
| Promote awareness and understanding of the OCC and the CYCT by providing training to all new professional staff in partner agencies |
| Work with partner agencies to understand and remove potential barriers that may prevent us working effectively and efficiently together |
| Contribute to the development of additional early intervention programmes to support policy initiatives such as the Tobacco Strategy along the lines of the earlier success of the Road Traffic Awareness Programme (RTAP) |
| Work with our partners to further develop the Child’s Plan documentation and process. |
| Share information and data with the MASH and the wider children’s services community to improve our shared understanding of effective interventions |
| Consider the recommendations in the Marshall Report and implement those within our remit and resources that are agreed by the Board |
How we will measure our progress
- % of referrals received by the Convenor that are referred to a CYCT hearing
- Referral criteria are being applied consistently by partner agencies
- % of children and young people who re-offend following completion of the RTAP
- % children and young people who are re-referred to the Convenor for the same reason following their case being closed
- Number of referrals from the MASH to the Children’s Convenor
- Qualitative research demonstrates that children and young people are referred at the right time
Outcome Four
Our services maintain an appropriate level of resource and support and our Tribunal members and staff feel valued and supported.
| What we will do |
| Continue to review the resources required to deliver and support the OCC and CYCT |
| Assist the Committee for Health and Social Care in understanding the developing needs and value of the OCC and CYCT |
| Continue to build support and resource networks in relation to provision for contingencies |
| Continue to develop the knowledge and skills of the convenors and CYCT members through participation in CYCT hearings and through the implementation of a training and development strategy |
| Develop succession planning for the services, to include the Board, the President and CYCT Members |
How we will measure our progress
- % turnover of OCC staff and CYCT members
- Number of training opportunities offered to OCC staff and CYCT members and % attendance
- Performance framework and measures are in place for staff and CYCT members
- % of staff and volunteers surveyed who say they feel valued and supported
Outcome Five
Our communities understand and value the services we provide.
| What we will do |
| Approach the Committee for Education, Sport and Leisure to investigate adding information about the CYCT to the PSHE Curriculum within schools |
| Develop our approach to raising awareness and understanding of the role of the Children’s Convenor and the CYCT |
| Extend our engagement with the local communities of Guernsey and Alderney to include structured media releases and social media |
| Creation of an up to date and engaging website |
| Cultivate ambassadors and champions for the services |
| Facilitate and provide training for partner agencies |
| Seek feedback from children and young people and families on the best ways of promoting our services |
How we will measure our progress
- Number of professionals within partner agencies who have attended training on the role of the Convenor and CYCT
- An increase in people visiting the CYCT and Children’s Convenor’s website
Key Performance Measures And Targets
Working with our partners we will continue to develop performance measures throughout the duration of this plan. We will also continually review the measures and targets identified below to ensure that we are reporting on the right things.
Measures
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