Agenda and minutes

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests.

Apologies for absence were submitted by Councillor K Mitchell and Co-opted members K Jan, E Britten and T Kayani. 

There were no substitutes.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 18 December 2014.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 December 2014 be approved as a correct record.

To consider the report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which recommends the appointment of a co-opted member to the Scrutiny Board.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which recommended the appointment of a co-opted member to the Scrutiny Board.

RESOLVED – That Charlee Bewsher be appointed as the co-opted member for Looked After Children and Care Leavers from 26 February 2015 and also recommended that this appointment continues for the municipal year 2015/16. 

To consider the report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which provides an update on progress regarding the services for children, young people and families in Leeds.

The Director of Children’s Services submitted a report which provided an update on progress regarding the services for children, young people and families in Leeds.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Transforming Children’s Social Work in Leeds – Progress and Further Developments – Executive Board (11 February 2015)

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Members’ queries and comments:

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-  Steve Walker, Deputy Director of Children’s Services, Safeguarding, Specialist and Targeted Services

-  Gail Webb, Head of Learning Improvement.

The key areas of discussion were:

·  Securing £4.85m of DofE funding which will enable restorative practices to be expanded further with agencies and practitioners working with children. This includes Family Group Conferencing.

·  The reduction in the number of looked after children and the ambition to reduce this further, safely and securely.

·  Social work career scheme to retain qualified and experienced social workers.

·  Frameworki and the reporting capabilities of the new system. The system is also due to be upgraded to Frameworki Mosaic which will support mobile working.

·  Recent Ofsted inspection – there was an intensive focus on cases for children at risk of CSE. The findings are now being moderated and quality assured and the full report is expected on 27 March 2015.

·  Clarity about the BESD SILC and the provision of PRU places in Leeds and pupil integration. The Board felt that this warranted further inquiry in 2015/16.

RESOLVED –

The Scrutiny Board (Children and Families)

a)  Notes the report of the Director of Children’s Services to the Executive Board on 11 February 2015 and the verbal information presented at the meeting

b)  Recommends that the Scrutiny Board conducts further work in 2015/16 to consider the BESD SILC and PRU’s in Leeds.

To consider the report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which outlines the third session of the inquiry into Learning Improvement.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which outlined the third session of the inquiry into Learning Improvement.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Presentation covering Early Years, Partnerships, Vulnerable Learners and Governance

-  Peer Review Report

-  Talk Matters Brochure

-  Closing the Gap Secondary Oracy Programme

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Members’ queries and comments:

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-   Gail Webb, Head of Learning Improvement

-  Sara Harris, Area Lead Primary Learning Improvement

-  Kim Porter, Area Lead Primary Learning Improvement

-  Marcia Harding, Inclusion Lead.

The key areas of discussion were:

·  Complexity of the Early Years sector and the communication and organisation of the forthcoming early year’s pupil premium in these settings.

·  The role of the local authority in supporting early years settings, including narrowing the attainment gap and the targeted support utilising intelligence such as data and Ofsted judgements.

·  Communication and training provision through newsletters, the family hub website, Sunnybank Mills and twitter.

·  The positive steps that have been taken to share good practice, including a funding bid by the teaching schools to facilitate this and the inclusion of Academies.

·  The level of engagement with private and voluntary early years settings. The Board felt that this warrants further investigation and a further meeting with the Early Years Representative on the Board and Children’s Services was required.

·  The sufficiency of places for 2 year olds across the City.

·   The challenges for summer born children.

·  Targeted partnerships and school to school support to improve learning and focus on vulnerable learners. The support provided by the LI team to help schools with self-evaluation and reviewing effectiveness.

·  Inner East Development Project, the Arooj Collaborative and the Ethnic Minority Hub Partnerships, support for Gypsy/Roma/Traveller children and the requirements to ensure that vulnerable groups are making good progress.

·  The use of programmes such as Talk Matters and Oracy to improve English in schools.

·  The acknowledgement of the important role that parents/carers have in improving attainment outcomes for children and the need for strong engagement.

·  Governor support including traded packages of services, communication methods, governor forums, conferences and briefings. It is hoped that links with Cluster partnerships will be strengthened through governor partnerships.

·  Peer challenge which identified strengths and also areas for development such as raising awareness of city aspirations, deploying national and local leaders of governance and improving awareness of safeguarding.

RESOLVED – That the documented information provided and presented verbally be noted.

To receive the report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development outlining the work programme for the 2014/15 municipal year.

A report was submitted by the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which detailed the Scrutiny Board’s work programme for the current municipal year.

The draft Scrutiny Board (Children and Families) work schedule for 2014/2015 and the Executive Board minutes for 17 December and 11 February were appended to the report.

RESOLVED – That the revised work schedule be approved.

Thursday, 19 March 2015 at 9.45am (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.15am)

Thursday, 19 March 2015 at 9.45am in the Civic Hall, Leeds. (Pre meeting for Board Members at 9.15am)

(The meeting concluded at 12.15 pm)