Introduction

Content

1. What are Sure Start Children's Centres?
2. Milton Keynes Policy Statement for Children's Centres
3. Confidentiality Values and Principles
4. Consultation Values and Principles

1. What are Sure Start Children's Centres?

Children's centres are service hubs where children under five years old and their families can receive seamless integrated services and information. By 2010, every community will be served by a Sure Start Children's Centre, offering permanent universal provision across the country, ensuring that every child gets the best start in life.

These services vary according to centre but may include:

• Integrated early education and childcare - all centres offering early years provision have a minimum half-time qualified teacher (increasing to full time within 18 months of the centre opening).
• Support for parents - including advice on parenting, local childcare options and access to specialist services for families.
• Child and family health services - ranging from health screening, health visitor services to breast-feeding support.
• Helping
• parents into work - with links to the local Jobcentre Plus and training.

The Government's vision, set out most recently in the Children's Plan, is that every child and young person should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Sure Start is at the forefront of transforming the way services are delivered for young children and their families.

The aim of Sure Start Children's Centres is to improve outcomes for all children. They are a vital part of the Government's ten-year childcare strategy to enable all families with children to have access to an affordable, flexible, high-quality childcare place for their child. 'Choice for parents, the best start for children: a ten year strategy for childcare' (2004) and related documents can be viewed at the Ten Year Strategy for Childcare page of Every Child Matters.

Local authorities have been given strategic responsibility for the delivery of children's centres. They are planning the location and development of centres to meet the needs of local communities, in consultation with parents, the private, voluntary and independent sectors, PCTs, Jobcentre Plus and other key partners to deliver a range of services.

The Government has contracted with a partnership of private-sector and public-sector organisations, called Together for Children, to provide delivery support on the ground for local authorities. Visit the Together for Children website for local authority resources, good practice, case studies and discussion forums. 

2. Milton Keynes Policy Statement for Children's Centres

1. The best interests of the child: All decisions made in relation to children must have, as the first and paramount consideration, the best interests of the child.
2. Avoiding delay: All decisions in relation to the provision of services to children will be made promptly and within agreed time-scales, having regard to the needs of the child; the achievement of these timescales will be monitored and reviewed
3. Valuing Diversity: We are committed to the principles of anti-discriminatory practice; Children and families will be treated fairly with respect and dignity. Children and families will receive services which respect their race, culture, language, disability, sexuality and religion; and we will ensure that procedures and practices in our services are designed to combat racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination.
4. Valuing the family: Children have the right, whenever possible, to be brought up within their own family, either with their parents or relatives. 
5. Partnership: In promoting this right, services will be provided in partnership with parents and with other agencies to assist and support parents in meeting their children's needs within the family. 
6. Quality services for children: Where services are provided for children, they will be provided by skilled people, committed to meeting children's needs; in a manner which promotes their physical, emotional, social and psychological needs and in an environment where they feel safe, positive and encouraged.
7. Keeping children informed: Children will be provided with a wide range of accessible information about our services and those which they may require to improve their life chances.
8. Promoting independence: We encourage Children to be as independent as possible and to take a full and active part in everyday life as is appropriate to their age and level of understanding.
9. Health Care: We will promote children's healthcare, ensuring that there is a continuity of treatment and that children's physical, emotional and psychological health needs are properly assessed and accounted for. Care is taken to ensure that the needs of children from differing cultural, religious or ethnic backgrounds are addressed appropriately. 
10. Leisure and Recreation: Children are provided with opportunities to participate in a range of leisure, exercise and recreational activities appropriate to their needs, abilities and interests.
11. Protecting children: We understand our first priority is to promote Children's rights, protect them from harm or injury and safeguard their welfare.  All reasonable steps will be taken to ensure staff/carers and Children and parents are informed about how to deal with suspicions or allegations of Significant Harm, and we will ensure that any issue is dealt with promptly, in keeping with Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) procedures.
12. Physical Contact and Relationships: We encourage staff to develop professional relationships with Children, based on clear boundaries, which demonstrate affection, acceptance and reassurance.  We encourage staff to use appropriate physical contact, positively and safely in keeping with Children's past experiences, needs and wishes. We understand that staff often have to spend time alone with Children, but we ensure that such practice is underpinned by effective procedures, evidence-based risk assessments and training which safeguard the interests of both Children and staff. 
13. Listening and taking action: We will promote an 'open door' culture for all children and parents, which encourages them to express their views, wishes and feelings; and say what they think about anything which affects them.  We will then do all we can to ensure their views are taken into account when decisions are made about them.
14. Comments, Compliments and Grievances; We welcome comments, both positive and critical about the service we provide, and actively seek information and feedback under our review and quality of care procedures. Routinely, we seek information through consultative questionnaires from all professional bodies, Children and their parents/carers who have knowledge about the service. The purpose of seeking this information is to give us the opportunity to learn, adapt and provide a better service.
15. Resolving dissatisfaction: Where children, or others on their behalf, are dissatisfied, we will take steps to resolve their dissatisfaction and provide opportunities for them to complain if they wish.
16. Respecting privacy: Children will be treated with respect and afforded privacy, where they can express their individuality through their possessions which they can enjoy and, when they move on, take with them.  
17. Safe Practices, Health and Safety:  We have a written Health and Safety policy which clarifies responsibilities under The Health and Safety at Work Act and related legislative guidance.  In accordance with this we implement controls of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities.

3.Confidentiality Values and Principles

1. Legal duty of confidence

Personal information held about children and families is subject to a legal duty of confidence as adults, and should not normally be disclosed without the consent of the subject.

The legal framework for confidentiality is contained in common law, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Data Protection Act 1998.

2. Disclosure of confidential information in exceptional circumstances

Whilst the general principle is that information obtained about children and families must be shared with them and not with others, there are exceptions.  The public interest in child protection overrides the public interest in maintaining confidentiality and the law permits the disclosure of confidential information necessary to safeguard a child or children.

Disclosure should be justifiable in each case, for example to provide information to professionals from other agencies working with the child, and where possible and appropriate, the agreement of the person concerned should be obtained.

Those working with children and families must make it clear that confidentiality may not be maintained if the disclosure of information is necessary in the interests of the child.

Even in these circumstances, disclosure will be appropriate for the purpose and only to the extent necessary to achieve that purpose. There may also be situations where third parties have a statutory right of access to the information or where a Court Order requires that access be given.

The circumstances in which information held in records on children and families can and should be disclosed and shared with others with or without consent are set out in the following sections.

In all other cases, where third parties such as advocates, solicitors or external researchers request access to information, this should only be given if written consent is given by the person concerned.

3. Informing children about disclosure

Children and parents should be informed of the circumstances in which information about them will be shared with other professionals.  This may be provided in the form of a User/Children's Guide or in other ways, and it will be made clear that in each case the information passed on will only be what is relevant and on a 'need to know' basis.

4. Disclosures and sharing information with colleagues and agencies

Sharing information promptly with others working with the same child, or who may need to know, is invariably the key to safeguarding the child's interests.

Therefore, relevant information about children must be shared with colleagues, other professionals or agencies who may have a role to play in their care.

However, the general principle is that information may only be shared on a 'need to know' basis.

For example:

• Where professionals are undertaking a Child Protection Enquiry or Complaints investigation in relation to a child.
• Where the Police are investigating a criminal offence or require information to help them find an absent, missing or absconded child.
• Where information is requested in the furtherance of an inquiry or tribunal, or for the purposes of a Serious Case Review.

In such circumstances the person to whom the information relates should be informed that records have been requested unless to do so would prejudice the purpose of the request.

Any objections they have should be considered before responding to the person making the request.

Where information or records are passed to others it should be noted and confirmed in writing.

Information may also be disclosed to persons who have a statutory right of access to the information; for example

• Where the Court directs that records be produced or a Children's Guardian is appointed.
• Where information is requested by Inspectors of the Regulatory Authority e.g. Ofsted

Where information is requested by telephone or electronically, great care must be taken to ensure that the recipient is entitled to receive the information requested.  Where there is any doubt the information may not be provided without the approval of a Manager.

4. Consultation Values and Principles

1. General Principles of Consultation

Everyone involved in the receipt and delivery of services should be consulted about decisions which may affect them.  This includes children, their parents, other significant family members and those charged with providing the service; including managers, staff, carers and professionals or colleagues from other agencies.

This means that people's views should be sought and taken into account in relation to all decisions which are likely to affect their daily life and their future.

Consultation should take place on a regular and frequent basis and assumptions should not be made about the inability or lack of interest of those who should be consulted.

Where people have communication difficulties, or any sort, suitable means must be provided to enable them to be consulted; including access to advocates or representatives who may speak on their behalf.

Consultation should be undertaken in a creative and attractive manner.

If consultation is not possible or is restricted, for whatever reason, steps should be taken to ensure they are informed of the decisions as soon as practicable thereafter;  an explanation should be given and the person involved given the opportunity to make a comment and express their views.

If it is then felt that a different decision may have been appropriate, steps should be taken to reconsider it.

If decisions are made against people's wishes, they should be informed of the decision and the reasons for the decision should be explained.  In these circumstances, the person should be informed of any rights they have to formally challenge the decision, for example by way of a Complaints or Grievance Procedure.

2. Management Consultation

Unless otherwise stated in specific procedures in this manual, it is assumed that people working in this organisation will take reasonable steps to keep their managers informed of their actions; and will consult and seek their approval where they do not have decision making responsibility delegated to them.

In order to facilitate this, managers must ensure that effective lines of communication are established and maintained.

If procedures in this manual require that managers are informed within specified timescales or their approval is sought before actions are taken, this must be complied with unless there are exceptional circumstances which prevent it; for example, where it is necessary to act immediately to protect a child from injury.

In which case, the most senior person should take what action seems appropriate in the circumstances and the manager must then be informed as soon as practicable thereafter, but within 24 hours.

End