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Dear {contact.first_name},
I hope you enjoyed the festive season and wish you a Happy New Year. 2012 looks to be an exciting year for ESN, and the secretariat have planning well underway for various projects and events throughout the year.
SPRING SEMINAR - transitions for vulnerable youth
I will be visiting Rome next week to finalise preparations for the forthcoming Spring Seminar (provisional dates 10-11 May). We will update you in next month’s communication as to the details of what promises to be an interesting event. You will have seen in the December members’ communication that we are looking for good practice examples in two areas: transitions for young people leaving care and prevention of early school-leaving. Thanks to Luc Kupers already for a response on this. Your ideas please by 23 January to Dorota
>>CONTACT Dorota Tomalak, Policy Officer: dorota.tomalak@esn-eu.org
EU POLICY - ESN on child poverty and wellbeing
Following our recent seminar in Paris on ‘Investing in Children’, Alfonso from the secretariat and Alexis Jay from the Scottish government attended a stakeholder consultation with the European Commission and several national government officials, as the EU seeks to bring forward policy guidance on combating child poverty and promoting child wellbeing. ESN is seeking to ensure recognition of the role of social services, in particular child protection, and the participation of children in decisions affecting their lives. We are currently looking for examples of good practice on two aspects: multidisciplinary work between social services, education and health or projects promoting the participation of children in local decision-making, e.g. children’s councils > ideas on both to Alfonso as soon as possible. Your ideas may well feature in a formal ESN paper on the subject.
>>CONTACT Alfonso Montero, Policy Officer: alfonso.montero@esn-eu.org
NEW WORKING GROUP
Leadership, performance and innovation are the keywords for this group, who will hold a preliminary meeting in Brighton on 28 February. Members confirmed so far are: Bruno Marcato, Director of Social Services Agency, City of Bolzano, Italy; John Powell, Director of Adult Social Care, London Borough of Redbridge (also representing ADASS), UK; Staf Mariën, Director of the Public Social Welfare Centre, Genk, Belgium (VVOS); Steinar Eggen Kristensen, Director of Social Services, City of Aarhus, Denmark; and Jukka Lindberg, Head of Purchasing, Social Services Department, City of Hameenlinna, Finland (ESN-coalition Finland). We are currently in negotiations with other potential group members to ensure a geographical and gender balance together with the right level of leadership experience.
HR CHANGES
As per the changes communicated in December, Sam Crossfield has now become full-time as Communications and Data Assistant and our new Communications Officer, Irina Savin, will start at ESN on 16th January. We are confident that Irina and Sam will make a great team to take ESN’s communications to the next level.
GOVERNANCE
Philip Cotterill and I will be meeting in February to review last year’s changes and shall present a paper at the forthcoming Board meeting in March. Some members will be contacted in the meantime to update information regarding their organisations’ legal status.
FINANCE
I am pleased to report that the first payment of the European Commission’s grant for 2012 (€279,000) has been received and that Oracle have become a new conference sponsor.
MEMBERSHIP
The Board is asked to confirm the membership of the Health department of the region of Andalusia (the social department is also a member), and The City of Copenhagen who requested membership this week. Neither are requesting Board membership.
I do hope you’re having a great start to 2012 and look forward to further fruitful collaboration throughout the year.
Best wishes,
John Halloran
Chief Executive