Agenda and minutes

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

The Board received the following supplementary information that was subsequently made available on the Council’s website:

·  Information and data previously submitted to the October Board meeting as part of the Inquiry into ‘Preparing for the Future, Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabled Young People’. (Minute No. 42 refers)

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 disclosable pecuniary interests declared to the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were submitted by Co-opted Members, Mrs S Hutchinson, Ms K Jan and Ms T Kayani.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2015.

RESOLVED – That subject to the inclusion of Mr E A Britten under Minute No. 31, Apologies for Absence, the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2015 be approved as a correct record.

The Chair reported on concerns raised at yesterday’s full Council about a recent letter that had been submitted by Ofsted to the Council’s Chief Executive, which not all Elected Members had been made aware of.  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services, advised that a meeting had been requested with Ofsted to provide context to the information and data that had been submitted.  It was agreed that a copy of the letter together with the Council’s response would be circulated to the Board.

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting information as part of the Board’s Inquiry into ‘Preparing for the Future, Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabled Young People’.

 The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which presented information as part of the Board’s Inquiry into ‘Preparing for the Future, Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabled Young People’.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Updated Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Action Plan

-  School attendance by SEND children and young people in the 2014/15 academic year

-  Details of Personal Progress Courses

-  Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) consultation: inspection of local area SEND arrangements

-  Example of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

-  Outcomes from the ‘Make your Mark’ ballot

The following were in attendance:

-  Councillor Jane Dowson, Deputy Executive Member (Children and Families)

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-  Barbara Newton, Head of Service (Complex Needs)

-  Andrew Eastwood, Head of Service (Learning Improvement)

-  John Ashton, Targeted Service Leader (SILC Cluster and JESS).

The key areas of discussion were:

• Clarification sought regarding the role of Empowering Parents Improving Choice (EPIC).  The Board was informed that EPIC was a forum aimed at encouraging parental involvement in decision making and was linked to the work of other parent groups.
• An acknowledgement of the different approaches used by SILCs and mainstream education providers in tackling attendance.  The Board was informed about the attendance OBA event conducted by the SILC Cluster. The Board also considered development of a SILC cluster approach and the need to strengthen links with other key services.
• The difficulties associated with developing a ‘one size fits all’ solution to improving attendance when dealing with diverse needs.
• Concern that there was no statutory duty for governing bodies to have a SEND governor.  The Board was advised that it was common for governing bodies to merge the role of SEND with other duties, e.g. safeguarding.  In addition, LCC encouraged awareness of SEND by providing training for governors, which was led by senior inclusion and SEN improvement advisers.  The Board also sought confirmation regarding the number of governors that had received SEND training.
• The training and development of LCC Staff.
• The development of skills within the SILC Cluster through Education, Health and Wellbeing self-assessment and commissioning.
• The importance of making a distinction between physical and learning disability to ensure reasonable adjustments.
• The importance of SILCs developing workstreams that supported the whole family.
• Acknowledgement that some SEND children and young people had not accessed targeted support because they did not attend school in the area in which they lived. The formulation of the new SILC Cluster should have a significant impact to remove this issue.
• The added value of SILC Cluster support and guidance meetings.
• The important role of schools and early years in terms of identifying the right level of support for children and young people. The Board also sought clarification about how target setting was monitored and challenged.
• Clarification provided regarding the assessment process, particularly in terms of a multi-agency approach and family involvement.
• The joint Ofsted inspection framework and the improvement journey so far.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

To receive a report from the Independent Chair of Leeds Safeguarding Children Board presenting an executive summary of the Leeds Safeguarding Children Annual Report 2014/2015.

The Independent Chair of Leeds Safeguarding Children Board submitted a report which presented an executive summary of the Leeds Safeguarding Children Annual Report 2014/2015.

The following were in attendance:

-  Councillor Jane Dowson, Deputy Executive Member (Children and Families)

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-  Mark Peel, Independent Chair, Leeds Safeguarding Children Board

-  Phil Coneron, Manager of Leeds Safeguarding Children Board.

The Board wished to place on record its thanks to Jane Held and Bryan Gocke for their hard work and positive contribution to the work of Leeds Safeguarding Children Board.

The key areas of discussion were:

• Further work needed in terms of tracking transition from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services. 
• The important role of adult focussed services in relation to safeguarding.
• Lessons learned from Serious Case Reviews, particularly through development of the learning improvement framework and joint working with partners.
• Engagement with children and young people. The Board was informed about the work of the Student Leeds Safeguarding Board, which was tackling some challenging issues, including do you know who you are talking to online and child sexual exploitation.
• An acknowledgement of the increased demand for targeted youth services.
• Further information and data requested about the impact of parental alcohol, drug and substance misuse on children.
• A suggestion that a further update be provided in approximately 6 months’ time.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the information contained within the Leeds Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) Annual Report, be noted.

(b)  That a further update be provided before the end of the 2015/16 municipal year.

(Councillor A Lamb left the meeting at 11.58pm, Councillor K Renshaw at 12.02pm and Councillor Pat Latty at 12.10pm, during the consideration of this item.)

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development tracking the outstanding recommendations from the Board’s Inquiry into Private Fostering.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which outlined the progress made from the Scrutiny Inquiry in relation to Private Fostering.

The following were in attendance for this item:

-  Councillor Jane Dowson, Deputy Executive Member (Children and Families)

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-  Sarah Johal, Assistant Head of Service (Looked After Children).

The status of recommendations were agreed as follows:

·  Recommendation 2 – Achieved

·  Recommendation 3 – Achieved.

RESOLVED – That the above status of recommendations be approved.

(Councillor B Urry left the meeting at 12.20pm at the conclusion of this item.)

To agree the Board’s work schedule for the remainder of the municipal year.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which invited Members to consider the Board’s work schedule for the 2015/16 municipal year.

Sandra Pentelow, Principal Scrutiny Adviser, presented the report.

The Board was provided with a brief update on potential agenda items for the December Board, including, BESD / SILC provision consultation and Targeted Youth Services.  It was suggested that due to demands on the Board’s workload that Board Members be provided with potential working group dates (up to the end of January) to consider the next session of the Board’s Inquiry into ‘Preparing for the Future, Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabled Young People’.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the work schedule, as amended, be approved.

(b)  That the Principal Scrutiny Adviser suggests some potential working group dates (up to the end of January) to consider the next session of the Board’s Inquiry into ‘Preparing for the Future, Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabled Young People’.

(c)  That reference to health be included in the terms of reference for the Board’s Inquiry into ‘Preparing for the Future, Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabled Young People’.

Thursday, 17 December 2015 at 9.45am (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.15am)

Thursday, 17 December 2015 at 9.45am (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.15am)

(The meeting concluded at 12:30pm)