• The name of the group shall be ‘ Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association Interest Group for Promoting the Health of Looked After Children and Young People.’

• To champion the profile of health needs and life chances

• To work at local and national level

• This group supports the ‘child and young person centred’ approach

Objectives

• To raise awareness of the specific and holistic health needs of looked after children and young people.

• To encourage participation and meaningful consultation with children, young people and carers.

• To share good practice, expertise and models of care which are underpinned by research and evidence based, within a framework of clinical governance.

• To jointly express concerns about health and social care issues and related practices to relevant bodies.

• To develop policy and practice relating to the promotion of health care pathways both locally and nationally.

• To keep the CPHVA informed of current topical issues in relation to health of looked after children and young people.

• To encourage partnership between agencies who share the corporate parenting role to benefit the health of looked after children and young people, (also voluntary agencies and other interested parties).

• To raise the profile of children and young people in ‘out of county’ placements and their associated difficulties.

• To recommend and drive forward the public health role of School Nurses and Health Visitors in relation to the health needs of looked after children and young people.

• To lobby the Department of Health, Health Authorities, Health Trusts and other agencies on issues in relation to the health needs of looked after children and young people.

• To recommend and contribute to the development of mandatory training for staff and carers on the health needs of looked after children and young people.

• To work towards having a National Comprehensive health record for looked after children and young people.

• To encourage and support a shared database for Local Authorities and Health Trus

• To organise study groups and seminars.

• To form local and regional networks

Membership

• Membership should be open to all members and staff of the CPHVA, but may also be open to other interested parties. At least 50% should be members or staff of the CPHVA.

• Subscriptions should be determined from time to time by the annual general meeting of the group.

Termination of membership. Membership shall be terminated in the following manner:-

• by resigning in writing to the Membership Secretary. Resignations shall be effective from the date of the receipt by the secretary. Subscriptions shall not be refunded to any member who resigns.

• By non-payment of subscription. Any person whose subscription is outstanding for more than six months shall cease to be a member.

Subscriptions

The initial annual subscription shall be £10 each October and thereafter shall be determined from time by the Annual General Meeting.

Membership Form

Publications

Newsletter, February 2003

Officers and Committee

• The affairs of the group shall be administered by a committee comprising the elected officers of the group and committee members. The committee shall be the governing body of the group between general meetings and shall carry with effect the policy of the group as set down in General Meetings. The committee shall meet as often as it deems necessary.

• There shall be the following officers who shall be voting members of the committee: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and General Secretary.

• Officers shall be elected each year by members attending the AGM. Only members present at the AGM shall be entitled to vote. The vote shall be by secret ballot.

Duties of officers:-

Chair - The Chair shall preside at all general and committee meetings when possible. In the event of a tie in any vote the Chair shall have the casting vote. The Chair should ensure that an Annual Report is submitted to the CPHVA for the Annual Report.

Vice-Chair - The Vice-Chair shall preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair.

General Secretary - The General Secretary shall be responsible for the administration of the group meetings of the committee.

Treasurer - The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial affairs of the group. The Treasure shall prepare a budget for the committee and shall present the accounts to the AGM.

Committee Members - The committee shall comprise the officers and members elected at the AGM. There shall be as many committee members including the officers as are deemed necessary by the executive to allow fair representation of all members. Sub-committees may be set up as deemed necessary by the committee.
The group shall set up such sub-committees as it feels necessary for the good of the group, by majority decision of members attending a general meeting.

General Meetings

• The principle policymaking body of the group shall be the members in the General Meetings.

• There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the group. The date and venue shall be determined by the Committee and shall be notified to members at least two months before the date of the meeting.

• Extraordinary General Meetings may be called by the committee or by a petition of at least 25 members to the General Secretary at least six weeks before the proposed date of the meetings.

• Resolutions for submission to a General Meeting shall be made and seconded by members and shall be submitted to the Secretary at least one month before the date of the General Meeting.

• The Secretary shall circulate an Agenda for a General Meeting to members at least two weeks before the date of the General Meeting but if any members fails to receive an Agenda, no decision of the meeting will thereby be invalidated.

• The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to receive a report on behalf of the Committee by the Secretary on the activities of the group and to receive a financial statement.

Activities

Champions for Children and Young People in Care

Contacts

Chair -
27 Holly Croft, Hertford, Hertfordshire,
SG14 2DR
Tel. 01707 324 541

Vice Chair -
266 Woodgrange Drive, Southend, Essex, SS1 25H
Tel. 01707 464 693

Treasurer-
36 Cotswold Drive, Garforth, Leeds
LS25 2DD
Tel. 0113 286 1654

Membership Secretary - Janet Butterfield, Child Health Department, St. Mary's Hospital, Greenhill Road, Armely
Leeds
Tel. 0113 305 5266

Secretary - Elizabeth Skinner
30 Leyland Road, London
SE12 8DT
Tel.0208 8524946

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Related Information

Looked-after children in Scotland say they are treated with respect by care home staff and society, Community Care, 17-23 March 2005,1564 pp.9.