To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 6 September 2016 and to note actions taken since that meeting.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 06 September 2016 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

None.

NOTED that all recommendations made by the committee in relation to the Shared Vision for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs (SEND) had been adopted by the Executive, which highlighted the value and input of the OSC to the strategic direction of travel for the authority.

None.

None.

None.

None.

To receive a brief verbal update from the Executive Members for:-

·                Social Care and Housing

·                Education and Skills and

·                Health

The Executive Member for Health advised the Committee that the 0-19 procurement process was progressing at the appropriate pace.

The Executive Member for Education and Skills encouraged Members to visit the new Oakbank school and in response to a query confirmed that the authority would request further information from local MPs regarding the Government’s position on grammar schools.  Members were informed that the school cluster locality workshops were well attended and the programme was going well.  A report will be produced detailing next steps once all the meetings have been held.

The Executive Member for Social Care confirmed that a Member briefing would take place later in the year relating to the Children’s Services Transformation Plan and that an update in relation to the budget would be provided in December.

To receive and comment on the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board Annual Report.

The Chairman of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) delivered a report highlighting the responsibility of agencies to ensure the safeguarding of children.  He also highlighted the importance of early intervention and partnership working and that work continued to take place to identify and hold offenders to account in relation to child sexual exploitation (CSE).

In light of the report Members discussed the following:-

·           The need to continue to identify and track the location of vulnerable unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) and ensure that appropriate referrals be made to the social work teams that included Ward Members reporting any instances they were aware of.

·           The challenges relating to appropriate allocation of resources by partners, which had recently been increased, to known hotspots of CSE and the current close working relationship between Children’s Services and the police in order to catch offenders and identify victims.

·           The tailored work currently underway to ensure vulnerable children achieved the best possible outcomes in relation to education and training.

·           High levels of confidence relating to the ability of a local service provider to support the growing needs of children with mental health problems.

·           Ongoing monitoring of unresolved cases with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and work carried out directly with children relating to CSE.

NOTED the report and excellent work of the LSCB and support for ongoing, close and effective partnership working.

RECOMMENDED that a recent report be circulated to Members of the Committee in relation to unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

To review the outcomes and scrutinise actions outlined in the Youth Support Services Annual Report that seek to support young people’s progression to personal, social and economic success.

The Head of Partnerships and Community Engagement delivered a report highlighting that the numbers of young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) were currently at their lowest ever levels within Central Bedfordshire. 

In light of the report Members discussed the following:-

·         The extent to which the needs of local employers and the existing skills gap are understood and the mechanisms through which the youth support service, schools and other partners provide advice to support young people into gainful employment, training and volunteering.

·         The future programme for detached youth work in the localities to encourage young people to utilise informal and social education.

·         The need to highlight the positive and proactive activity being undertaken by the youth support service in future iterations of the report.

·         The need to review the manner in which outcomes for young people who access youth support services are monitored so as to determine the benefits of the activity that is delivered.

RECOMMENDED that the Youth Support Service annual report for 2016/17 be considered at a future meeting.

To receive information regarding a public consultation and provide input in order to shape the strategic direction of travel.

The Executive Members outlined the proposed changes to the admissions arrangements for Shefford Lower School and Fairfield Park Lower School in light of which the Committee considered the rationale for these proposals and the extent to which they would impact on other schools in Central Bedfordshire.

RECOMMENDED that the Committee support the proposed Admission Arrangements for the academic year 2018/19 and that School Admissions Team be thanked for their hard work.

To receive a presentation regarding the directorate’s capital and revenue budget monitoring information for Q1 (April to June 2016).

A link to the more detailed Executive report can be found here:-

http://centralbeds.moderngov.co.uk/mgChooseDocPack.aspx?ID=5157

The Committee received the draft Q1 budget monitoring information in light of which Members queried the extent to which the directorate could accurately forecast the financial outturn for supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

NOTED the report.

The report provides Members with details of the currently drafted Committee work programme and the latest Executive Forward Plan. Members will be provided the opportunity to discuss in depth the comprehensive list of items proposed for the Committee work programme, helping shape the future direction of travel.

The Committee received the current draft work programme and Executive Forward Plan, which included a list of those items that had been proposed by Members and residents during a recent public consultation exercise.

RECOMMENDED that items relating to the following be considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee(s) at future meetings:-

1.         Advantaged and disadvantaged (November 16).

2.         Update relating to the legacy project at Kingsland Campus.

3.         Validated exam results (March 2017), with references to these in the conversation with the regional schools commissioner during the meeting in November 2016.

4.         Following initial consideration of an item on the Children’s Services Transformation Programme in November 2016 further items may be necessary on this matter throughout the year.

5.         The speech and language service and the manner in which assessments are undertaken be considered by the Committee at a future meeting

6.         Information, advice and guidance for school pupils and the changes arising since 2010.

7.         The extent to which children’s centres proactively contribute to supporting the Council to achieve it’s objectives and whether they continued to be financial viable.

8.         The Education Partnership Vision and the ways in which it supports teacher recruitment.

9.         A review of the policy principles relating to school places in light of the expansion of Central Bedfordshire.

10.      An update on the disability hubs and the impact of SEND reforms on Central Bedfordshire, particularly relating to the landscape in Central Bedfordshire given the previous recommendations of the Committee.

11.      Safer routes to schools and the process by which decisions are made.

12.      The range of mental health services for young people, including the links with looked after children, the manner in which they are delivered and the outcomes they achieve for young people.