How our constitution works

Our Constitution Explained May 2016 1.

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Structure Trustees Steering Group Working Practices Approach

SFV Our Constitution Explained

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1. SEND Family Voices Structure The Organisational Structure of SEND Family Voices The Steering Group is the core of SEND Family Voices (SFV), the trustees’ role is to ensure good governance of the charity and to enable the Steering Group to focus on the SFV objective of ‘empowering children and young people with SEND in Richmond and Kingston and their families to obtain the best possible care and services.’

Steering Group 20 Representatives from disability specific support groups, specialist schools and individual parents

Trustees - 9 members of the Steering Group. Possibility of 1-2 non steering group members

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2. SEND Family Voices Trustees Q:

Who is on the board of Trustees?

A:

Nine members of the Steering Group are the Trustees for SFV with the understanding that 1 or 2 non steering Group members could be appointed if their expertise was required.

Q:

What is their remit and individual responsibilities?

A:

The role of the Trustees is to ensure that SFV does what it has been set up to do (see objects in constitution): 

Make plans for the future and set budgets accordingly

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Monitor progress of activities against plans and finances

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Evaluate effectiveness of activities

Q:

Is there to be a chair and vice chair?

A:

Two chairs – one for Richmond and one for Kingston

Q:

What is the election process?

A:

Every Trustee must be appointed [for a term of [three] years] by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.

Q:

What other officers should there be, and are they appointed or elected?

A:

Chair, Treasurer and Secretary are appointed, other roles to be determined as and when they are needed (see List of Trustees and their Roles)

Q:

Is there an official clerk and, if so, does she/he have to be a member of the group or could they be an appointed, experienced official?

A:

No official clerk

Q:

Who are the Trustees accountable to and what is the process of accountability?

A:

The Trustees are accountable to the Charity Commission for completing financial reports and the annual report and to the Steering Group for all decisions made by the board.

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Q:

What is their relationship with the steering group and is there defined delegation?

A:

The Trustees have the authority to direct the Steering Group if the charity’s objectives as set out in the constitution are not being adhered to or the governance of the charity is compromised. Non trustee members of the Steering Group have the right to present to the Trustees if they do not agree with a decision.

Q:

Are decisions decided by vote, if so, do all members have a vote? What is the criterion for a decision, a simple majority? If there is a tie, does the chair have the casting vote?

A:

No decision shall be taken at a meeting unless a quorum is present at the time when the decision is taken. The quorum is two charity trustees, or the number nearest to one-third of the total number of charity trustees, whichever is greater, or such larger number as the charity trustees may decide from time to time. A charity trustee shall not be counted in the quorum present when any decision is made about a matter upon which he or she is not entitled to vote. Questions arising at a meeting shall be decided by a majority of those eligible to vote. [In the case of an equality of votes, the person who chairs the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.]

Q:

What do you need to be quorate?

A:

The quorum is five charity trustees, or the number over one half of the total number of charity trustees, whichever is greater, or such larger number as the charity trustees may decide from time to time.

Q:

How many full meetings of the Trustees are to be held a year?

A:

Trustee meetings four times a year. Calendar for 2016/17: 

18th April 2016

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11th July 2016 (as no meetings held in August)

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14th November 2016

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13th March 2017

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17th July 2017

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13th November 2017

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3. SEND Family Voices Steering Group Q:

What is the composition of the group? Who sits on it, anyone/volunteers, representatives of Richmond & Kingston SEND groups?

A:

Representatives from disability specific support groups, specialist schools and individual parents – Steering group members will have attended one SFV meeting as an observer prior to joining.

The Steering Group consists of residents of LBRuT and RBK.

Q:

Who decides who sits on it?

A:

The members of the Steering Group. If an objection to the inclusion of a representative is made, the decision would be taken to the Trustees, with the objector stating their reasons to the trustees.

Q:

What is the structure of the group? Is everyone who sits on it an equal member or is there a core group? If there is a core group, how is it decided who forms the core group?

A:

The Steering Group is core group and operates as a flat structure – all are equal as they act as conduits to own groups or networks.

Q:

How are decisions made? Are all decisions made by the whole group or can some be delegated to the core group or individuals? If so, which ones?

A:

The majority of decisions will be made by the Steering Group. Any decision that may impact the direction of the charity or its financial or legal status will be taken by the Trustees at a quarterly meeting.

Q:

How many full meetings of the full Steering Group are to be held a year?

A:

12, on the ‘teenth Monday in each month. Swapping between Kingston & Richmond boroughs. Members of the Steering Group are expected to attend at least eight in any 12 month period.

Q:

Assuming the secretary takes the minutes, who are they approved by, who are they distributed to?

A:

The Secretary takes the minutes. Minutes(Trustee & Steering Group) are circulated by email to all members of SFV. Minutes to be approved at the following meeting.

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Q:

Is there to be the opportunity to hold a confidential section of the meeting? If so, what would be the criteria for excluding people? Where would the confidential section of the minutes be stored?

A:

Confidential section of meetings held as last agenda item (after AoB).

Exclusion is based upon conflict of interest. Confidential section of minutes – sent as separate document.

Q:

At the beginning of each year, would every member of the Steering Group and Trustees sign a form which registers their interests in order to avoid any conflict of interest?

A:

All members, on joining the Steering Group are required to: 

register their interests

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complete a skills audit (languages, legal knowledge etc).

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read and sign the code of practice

Should any of the above change it is incumbent upon the Steering Group member to amend their details on the register.

Q:

What measures are in place to ensure Safeguarding procedures are being followed as per the Charity Commission recommendations?

A:

A Trustee is appointed to manage safeguarding issues

Q:

What are the delegation of powers, especially around financial responsibility; and to define and record the internal financial controls and audit systems?

A:

Both Chairs and one other to be signatories on the bank account. Financial reports to be circulated quarterly to all members of the Steering Group Trustees agree allocation of funds for individual projects as they arise

Q:

What measures are in place to implement Induction and training?

A:

New members of the Steering Group attend SFV meeting as observer and have a discussion with one of the Chairs. The group carries out a comprehensive induction of new members and will make available any appropriate training to members so that they can adequately carry out their duties.

Q:

Who are the SFV Steering Group accountable to?

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A:

The Steering Group are accountable to the charity commission (and our funders eg CaF within the scope of specific funding/grants.) and to the Trustees.

Q:

How does that process works and how it is communicated, including a complaints procedure?

A:

A Complaints procedure is required. Chairs accountable to Trustee. If a decision cannot be made, Chairs have final say. Trustees accountable to Steering Group.

Q:

How does the group review its actions, procedures and processes in order to measure whether it has achieved its objectives and identify how it can improve?

A:

This is part of the CaF bid process – we have provided objectives, outcomes and outputs to receive the funding. We can tighten these + add others that are outside CaF monies.

Our Issues Tracking Log records Thanks You’s as well. Plus, our reach is extending with schools now referring direct to us. Anna Chiva commented recently that, in their eyes, we were doing job of Parent Partnership (as opposed to just legal advice on EHCPs. Is this something we want to do?

Probably as this supports the participation and our leaflets say ‘we will always do our best to find an answer’

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SEND Family Voices Working practices 1. We form sub-teams that deal with specific projects as they arise; these can be dissolved once the work is completed. Sub-teams may have a lead appointed that leads and coordinates the work 2. For regular tasks in running the organisation, we appoint a lead person within the group. Others are free to contribute as much as they can but this person will be accountable overall for that task 3. Anyone in the group can be a lead on a project or task, depending on their area of interest and time available 4. We all contribute time and effort to the group on the basis of what we have available, however the minimum contribution expected is attendance at at least 8 meetings per year (Steering Group meetings or other project, communication or influencing meetings) 5. Representatives of specialist schools or disability-specific groups contribute to the extent that they have capacity to participate & act as conduits to their own groups 6. We will adhere to our Guiding Principles & Values and conduct ourselves as professionals 7. We undertake to develop the professionalization of parent participation through supervised support, training, professional conduct & accountability 8. Steering Group members are all required to respond promptly to requests for opinion or contribution on given projects, tasks, or issues 9. We undertake to respond to all e-mail or telephone enquires sent to SEND Family Voices within 48 hours 10. We will always do our best to find an answer to any family’s query 11. We will protect family’s anonymity when asked to do so (within good safeguarding practice)

Working Structure

(SFV Steering Group)

DEFINE THE AGENDA  Identify  Debate  Decide collectively

Influencers : build relationships and influence on behalf of SFV and the families we represent

MANAGE COMMUNICATION  Agree messages  Disseminate  Feedback

Communications : Manage the execution of communication on behalf of SFV

MANAGE THE ORGANISATION

Project leads of sub-teams : progress

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   

Agree resources Manage and account Agree approaches Report back

defined initiatives agreed by the Steering Group

SEND Family Voices Approach 1. To develop the communications cycle to ‘Inform, Listen, Consult and Feedback.’ We will do this via: Events Pro-active face to face discussions through events are markedly better than the more passive forms of communications.

Outreach – visiting disability specific support groups’ and school coffee mornings Public meetings to support discussions and joint development of specific issues (eg post-16 education & employment) Contact with front line staff (eg family support workers, SENCo’s and school nurses) to extend discussions with the ‘hard to reach’ groups Information events – where consultation is not the major focus, but information and publicity for specific services Other Media We will use the following media to support our events: Website - including links to our partners and a SEND Family Voices Facebook page where events are publicised and kept up-to-date Facebook and Twitter – to support the above Regular E-mail – to support the above and as a conversational tool where people find this form most convenient. Our bulletins are known as the ‘Dear All’s Telephone support – a dedicated number with all text/telephone messages responded to within 48 hours Publications and resources

2.

To develop the infrastructure of SEND Family Voices, to support sustainability, representation and a clear professional direction for the group: Development and Training programmes to include: 

Effective governance - listening, assertiveness, conduct in meetings, how to use personal experiences, speaking with confidence

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Safeguarding and Child Protection

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Supervision (in particular, to support the outreach work)

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Advocacy & Facilitation (how to provide best practice)

Administrative support and collateral to include: 

A virtual administrative assistant

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A telephone number and telephone

Our Constitution Explained will be reviewed once a year – next review May 2017.

Date:

15th May 2016

SFV Our Constitution Explained

Signed:

May 2016

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