SureStart Foleshill

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	Dad's Group
	Partnership Board
	Sure Start Friends
	BME Black Ethnic Minority

Dad's Group
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Partnership Board

Programme Overview
Sure Start is a multi-dimensional government initiative to develop new ways of providing services for pre-birth to preschool children and their families. We work in partnership with parents/carers and local agencies within the voluntary, private and statutory sectors, including Health, Education and Social Services.

The Partnership Board

The purpose of the Partnership Board is to ensure that the aims and objectives of Sure Start (Foleshill) are met in line with government policy, legal duties, obligations and service objectives, in accordance with the views and aspirations of local families within the designated catchment area.

The Board and its Sub-Groups has responsibility for ensuring the development and delivery of the Sure Start Plan and all related matters including:

•	Directing and supporting the work of the Programme Manager in the delivery of the programme.

•	The support and management of staff recruited to deliver the plan through agreed delegated structures.

•	Financial probity, utilising Coventry City Council procedures to monitor the capital and revenue programmes.

•	Commissioning services from other agencies, creating service level agreements.

•	Ensuring that declarations of interest, both corporately and as individuals are acknowledged.

The Partnership Board will deliver its duties and obligations via the Programme Manager who is responsible to the Board for the day-to-day management and co-ordination of the range of services provided. The Partnership Board will provide guidance, advice and support to the Programme Manager in pursuance of these duties. In addition, the Board shall have responsibility for considering the future sustainability and delivery of the programme.

The following principles underpin the working of the Partnership Board:

•	Principles of Partnership – SureStart is based on an equality of all partners with all partners being of equal value and importance. All members contribute from the strength and knowledge of their organisation, as parents and members of the community and come together to deliver the Sure Start plan.

•	Spirit of Transparency – both within the Board meetings and in outside dealings in order to ensure that decisions are taken openly.

•	Learning Culture – the Board will put in place monitoring, evaluation and review mechanisms as part of a learning culture.

Any Board member should feel confident to challenge inequality of treatment, bias or stereotype. Formal and informal structures will be encouraged and formed as required. Taken from the Partnership Board Terms of Reference. A full copy of the Terms of Reference is available on request.

The Role of the Representative

What sorts of roles and responsibilities should Partnership members be considering?

1. What the representative needs to do
•	To know what their organisation/group thinks and is concerned about.
•	To share those views in partnership meetings.
•	To keep their organisation/group up to date with what is happening at the Partnership.

2. Before meetings
•	Have read the agenda for the meeting and minutes of the last one in good time to discuss with their organisation/group properly.
•	Contact the people or groups they represent.
•	Find out their views on the items on the agenda when needed.

3. At meetings
•	Put across the views they have collected.
•	Resist expressing their personal opinions, but make it clear to the meeting if they are doing that.
•	Make notes for themselves and so that they can pass on relevant information.
•	Not allow themselves to be forced into instant decisions on matters that they have not been able to discuss with those whom they represent.

4. After meetings
•	Report back to those they represent.

5. In between meetings
•	Keep in touch with their organisation/group and the partnership.
•	Build up links between their organisation/group and the partnership.
•	Be willing to take up matters that people want to see discussed by the partnership.

Whats in it for me?
•	Develop and exchange skills and information.
•	Have your voice heard – take part in developing a parent and Voluntary, Independent and Private sector led ‘consumer strategy’.
•	Expenses reimbursed i.e. travel, childcare etc.
•	Participate in training events for mutual benefit.
•	Bridging the gap between service providers and service receivers.
•	An opportunity for the Statutory Sector, Parents and the Voluntary, Independent and Private Sector to learn from each other.
•	Expenses paid for Voluntary Organisations contribution to the Board in terms of specific skills knowledge and expertise.
•	Enjoy good food and good company.

Expertise and areas of interest for representation
•	Employment Advice and Information
•	Training
•	Early Years
•	Disability/Special Needs
•	Women's Issues
•	Black, Minority, Ethnic and Hard to Reach Groups
•	Health Issues
•	Cultural Issues

Partnership Board Members

Parent Representatives (Voting)
Sally Child	Paradise Neighbourhood	Can be contacted through Sure Start 7666 1631
Kaneez Khan	Pridmore Neighbourhood
Hamziya Izadeen	Edgwick Neighbourhood
Vacant	Paradise Neighbourhood
Vacant	Pridmore Neighbourhood
Vacant	Edgwick Neighbourhood

Voluntary, Independent and Private Organisation Representatives (Voting)
Javed Iqbal	Muslim Resource Centre	7663 7933
Navjot Johal	Foleshill Women's Training	7663 7693
Rani Saund	Sahil Project	7663 8754
Paramjit Sall	NSPCC	7622 2456
Ranjeet Virk	Wonder Years Day Nursery	7668 8111
+ 1 vacancy

StatutoryBody Representatives (Voting)
Sue Whitmore	Social Services (Foleshill Family Centre)	7666 1131
Jane Goodyer	Children and Family Education Service	7660 2590
Alison Hook	Primary Care Trust	7668 9890
Pearl Chick	Lone Parent Advisor, Connexions	7658 5132
Geraldine Fisher	Job Centre Plus	76815548
Jo Gowers	Children's Information Service	7683 4373

Advisors (No voting rights)
Michael Baxter	Children, Learning and Young People's Directorate
John Payne	Area Coordination North	7668 8893
Margaret Brassington	Project Officer, Early Years	7683 1513
Kulwant Basi	Programme Manager	7666 1631
Bruce Oliver	Client Manager, City Development	7683 2675
Vicky Busby	Finance Technician, Children's Services	7683 1640
Councillor Asif	Coventry City Council	7683 3333

Sure Start Friends

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BME Black Ethnic Minority

Deals with issues appertaining to black and minority ethnic groups who are under represented in the city. The group mainly focuses on dealing with information relating to equality and inclusion making sure that services are accessible to all.

If you would like to join our Black, Minority, Ethnic and Hard to Reach Subgroup, if feel that your expertise and experience would be of great value to the Sure Start Foleshill programme then please contact us.

The Groups meet bi-monthly to support the work of the Partnership Board (link to the partnership board info).

The BME subgroup is primarily responsible for ensuring that groups that are traditionally hard to reach, such as


•	Fathers (including single fathers)
•	Families dealing with special educational needs
•	Families affected by mental health issues – jointly with Health Group
•	Adopted and fostered families (often with 'problem' children)
•	Grandparents
•	Teenage parents
•	Travelling families
•	Asian cultures
•	African cultures
•	Eastern European – Croatian, Bosnian etc.
•	Physical disabilities
•	Asylum seekers and refugees

are represented and supported within the Sure Start Foleshill area. We are still in the process of specifying the aims and objectives of this group, as the group has only recently been reformed following the restructuring of our Partnership Board.

Please contact Wendy Ohandjania for more information.

We look forward to seeing you.