24 June 2021
The Social & Community Development Committee (SCDC) held its monthly meeting on Wednesday, 9 June 2021.
The Committee was introduced to Team Manager of Children’s Services in the Children and Adults Social Care Directorate, Paul Brown, who had recently arrived on- Island. Paul, who replaces Adele McMahon, has 17 years of experience working in Children’s frontline services in the UK and is looking to improve outcomes for children and families on St Helena.
Preliminary discussions took place on Non-Government Organisation budgets to enable Corporate Finance to engage further with various entities as part of St Helena Government’s need to find solutions towards balancing this year’s budget.
The Committee endorsed a proposed amendment to the Elections Ordinance to remove the anomaly and clarify the law with regard to persons that fall into section 4 of the Ordinance. Members felt it was open to interpretation that a person must be present in St Helena at the time they apply to be on the Register of Electors but the amendment bill now clarifies that you don’t need to be present on St Helena to apply to be on the Register which will include Saints overseas, providing they have been off-Island for less than 30 months.
The update from the Director of Children & Adults Social Care included the following:
- The new Portfolio Director, Michele Wheeler, will arrive on the June flight
- Team Manager, Adults Services, Philbert Howell, will leave on the June flight, having completed his two-year contract and a short extension
- Private fostering will be reviewed in conjunction with the Education Portfolio
- Probation Services joined the Directorate on 1 April and the line management has moved from Police to Social Care
- Domiciliary service demands (home care) continue to increase and there are currently over 50 individuals in the community they provide care for
- Children’s social care remains busy with a variety of children in need, child protection and looked after children.
The further updated Social Care Directorate Strategy and Delivery Plan April 2021 – March 2024 was endorsed by the Committee and will be published on the SHG website in due course.
A public consultation meeting to listen to the views of the public on the draft Archives Lending Policy had been scheduled to be held on Thursday, 17 June, at 11am at the Museum, Jamestown. The deadline for feedback on this policy is Friday, 16 July 2021. Feedback should be sent to Secretary, Nicole Plato, via email: nicole.plato@sainthelena.gov.sh. The draft Policy is available in hard copy at the Post & Customer Services Centre, the Public Library and the Castle Reception in Jamestown and can also be requested from the Secretary. An electronic copy is available on the Public Consultation page of the SHG Website at: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/government/public-consultation/.
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SHG
24 June 2021