Budget transfer from Community and Constitutional Affairs Department to Health and Social Services Department: Baby Steps Universal Antenatal Programme

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[THIS DECISION RESCINDS MD-TR-2017-0051] A decision made 27 October 2017:

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2017-0132
Decision Summary Title:	Reallocation of Contingency Funding from CCA to HSSD for the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme		Date of Decision Summary:	25th October 2017
Decision Summary Author:	Head of Decision Support		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title:	Reallocation of Contingency Funding from CCA to HSSD for the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme		Date of Written Report:	25th October 2017
Written Report Author:	Head of Decision Support		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: The rescindment of part of the Treasury and Resources Department decision, MD-TR-2017-0051 and the reallocation of Contingency Funding from the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department (“CCA”) to the Health and Social Services Department (“HSSD”) for the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme.
Decision(s): The Minister approved the rescindment of part of the Treasury and Resources Department decision, MD-TR-2017-0051 and the reallocation of Contingency Funding of up to £422,550 (up to £70,000 in 2017, up to £140,000 in 2018 and up to £212,500 in 2019) from the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department (“CCA”) to the Health and Social Services Department (“HSSD”) for the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme.
Reason(s) for Decision: Article 17(2) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that the Minister for Treasury and Resources is authorised to approve the transfer from contingency expenditure of amounts not exceeding, in total, the amount available for contingency expenditure in a financial year. The current Contingency Allocation Policy (published as R.110/2017) sets the requirement for all allocations from Contingency over £100,000 to be considered by the Council of Ministers prior to submission to the Minister for approval. The MTFP2, as adopted by the States Assembly, included the allocation of £1.65million per year from Central Contingencies for initiatives that support vulnerable children (£4,950,000 in total over the period from 2017 to 2019). In addition on 9th November 2016, the Council of Ministers collectively agreed nine projects to be allocated a proportion of those contingencies monies (totalling up to £2,260,650 over the period from 2017 to 2019). The Council of Ministers also collectively agreed to delegate to the Chief Minister the decision to request the Treasury and Resources Minister to fund other initiatives that support vulnerable children from the remaining contingency allocation. The Chief Minister signed decision MD-C-2017-0038 on 31st March 2017 requesting the current allocation. A T&R decision, MD-TR-2017-0051, was signed by the Assistant Treasury and Resources Minister on 18th April 2017 and the CCA decision, MD-HA-2017-0029 was signed by the Minister for Home Affairs on 11th April 2017. It is necessary to rescind part of the T&R decision MD-TR-2017-0051, specifically item 2 of the decision requesting: 2) up to £70,000 in 2017, up to £140,000 in 2018 and up to £212,500 in 2019 from Central Contingency to the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department revenue head of expenditure to support delivery of the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme. It has been agreed by all parties in October 2017 that this funding be transferred to the HSSD rather than to CCA as previously agreed by Ministerial decision.
Resource Implications: Central Contingency to decrease by up to £422,550 (up to £70,000 in 2017, up to £140,000 in 2018 and up to £212,500 in 2019) and the HSSD revenue head of expenditure to increase by identical amounts. The £422,550 in total is proposed to be drawn down across the years 2017, 2018 and 2019. The amount for each year may be varied without exceeding the total amount for the three years. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2017 and 2018 in the Medium Term Financial Plan.
Action required: Head of Decision Support to advise the Finance Director – CCA and the Assistant Director of Finance – HSSD once this decision has been approved.
Signature:		Position: Senator A J H Maclean, Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Budget transfer from Community and Constitutional Affairs Department to Health and Social Services Department: Baby Steps Universal Antenatal Programme

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Treasury and Resources

Ministerial Decision Report

Reallocation of Contingency Funding from CCA to HSSD for the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme

Purpose of Report

Request to rescind part of the Treasury and Resources Department decision, MD-TR-2017-0051 and reallocate Contingency Funding from the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department (“CCA”) to the Health and Social Services Department (“HSSD”) for the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme.

Background

Babies under one are particularly vulnerable to abuse and neglect. One third of serious case reviews in England relate to babies under the age of 1 year (Brandon et al, 2012). In England and Wales babies are seven times more likely to be killed than older children (ONS, 2015). In Jersey the Safeguarding Partnership Board annual report found that in 2015 34% of children placed on the child protection register were under 4 years old. Abuse has life-long impacts and early adversity can cast a long shadow. Recent neurological and psychological research highlights more clearly than ever before how critical pregnancy and the first years are to a baby's development. They provide the essential foundations for all future learning, behaviour and health.

There is, however, evidence that antenatal education that focuses on the transition to parenthood on the relationship between partners and on the development of a positive parent-infant relationship can improve parent and child outcomes. The promotion of secure attachment and reflective functioning can play an important role in prevention of abuse and neglect.

The implementation of a universal antenatal programme is, therefore, a key component of the 1001 Critical Days manifesto. The aim being to ensure that all parents are able to access antenatal classes which address both the physical and emotional aspects of parenthood and the baby’s well-being and health social and emotional development.

Programme development in Jersey

In Jersey, the current antenatal provision tends to focus on the medical aspects of childbirth and can therefore fail to prepare parents for their new role in caring and supporting their baby when they go home after the birth.

The NSPCC is currently operating in Jersey and delivering a Baby Steps programme. The programme which is based on the Department of Health’s Preparation for Birth and Beyond framework and also incorporates other evidence about risk and protective factors in the perinatal period. It aims to:

improve outcomes for parents and their babies and generate substantial savings later on
promote informed choices and resilience before conception to create the conditions for families to thrive.

The NSPCC current Baby Steps programme is however targeted at a limited number of families; it is not a universal provision. The contingency funding will be used to develop on the NSPCC target programme in order that, by the beginning of 2019, it will be universally available to all expectant and new parents.

This be will achieved through the provision of training and development of staff in relation to programme delivery and the collection of data for evaluation purposes. The staff will be based at Family Nursing and Home Care - in order to maximize the benefit of learning and partnership with MESCH (Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-Visiting) plus liaison with Samares Pathways - but will deliver the universal baby steps programme in different community settings.

3. Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve the rescindment of part of the Treasury and Resources Department decision, MD-TR-2017-0051 and the reallocation of Contingency Funding of up to £422,550 (up to £70,000 in 2017, up to £140,000 in 2018 and up to £212,500 in 2019) from the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department (“CCA”) to the Health and Social Services Department (“HSSD”) for the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme.

4. Reason for Decision

Article 17(2) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that the Minister for Treasury and Resources is authorised to approve the transfer from contingency expenditure of amounts not exceeding, in total, the amount available for contingency expenditure in a financial year.

The current Contingency Allocation Policy (published as R.110/2017) sets the requirement for all allocations from Contingency over £100,000 to be considered by the Council of Ministers prior to submission to the Minister for approval.

The MTFP2, as adopted by the States Assembly, included the allocation of £1.65million per year from Central Contingencies for initiatives that support vulnerable children (£4,950,000 in total over the period from 2017 to 2019). In addition on 9th November 2016, the Council of Ministers collectively agreed nine projects to be allocated a proportion of those contingencies monies (totalling up to £2,260,650 over the period from 2017 to 2019). The Council of Ministers also collectively agreed to delegate to the Chief Minister the decision to request the Treasury and Resources Minister to fund other initiatives that support vulnerable children from the remaining contingency allocation. The Chief Minister signed decision MD-C-2017-0038 on 31st March 2017 requesting the current allocation.

A T&R decision, MD-TR-2017-0051, was signed by the Assistant Treasury and Resources Minister on 18th April 2017 and the CCA decision, MD-HA-2017-0029 was signed by the Minister for Home Affairs on 11th April 2017.

It is now necessary to rescind part of the T&R decision MD-TR-2017-0051, specifically item 2 of the decision requesting:

2) up to £70,000 in 2017, up to £140,000 in 2018 and up to £212,500 in 2019 from Central Contingency to the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department revenue head of expenditure to support delivery of the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme.

It has been agreed by all parties in October 2017 that this funding be transferred to the HSSD rather than to CCA as previously agreed by Ministerial decision.

5. Resource Implications

Central Contingency to decrease by up to £422,550 (up to £70,000 in 2017, up to £140,000 in 2018 and up to £212,500 in 2019) and the HSSD revenue head of expenditure to increase by identical amounts.

The £422,550 in total is proposed to be drawn down across the years 2017, 2018 and 2019. The amount for each year may be varied without exceeding the total amount for the three years.

This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2017 and 2018 in the Medium Term Financial Plan.

Report author : Head of Decision Support	Document date 25th October 2017
Quality Assurance / Review : Director of Financial performance and Planning	File name and path: L:\Treasury\Sections\Corporate Finance\Ministerial Decisions\DS, WR and SD\2017-0132 - Reallocation of Contingency funding for Baby Steps from CCA to HSSD
MD sponsor : Director of Financial performance and Planning