To receive a presentation from Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services on the challenges and achievements of the Children’s Services Department.
Minutes:
The Chair introduced and welcomed Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services who was in attendance to speak about the challenges and achievements of Children’s Services.
In addressing the Forum Mr Richardson said that he’d now been in post for just over 12 months. He explained that he’d arrived at a time when there were fundamental changes taking place to the Education Service in Leeds.
Referring to the establishment of Education Leeds, Mr Richardson said the work of Education Leeds had come to an end and the education services had returned to the responsibility of Leeds City Council bringing with it many new governance arrangements with clear responsibilities and accountability.
There was an ambition for Leeds to be the Best City in the UK. “Best City for Children” based on the UNICEF model of Friendly Cities and bringing with it economic regeneration.
First stage would be to seek the views of children, “what’s it like to be a child growing up in Leeds, likes, dislikes and how can things be done better?
Further challenges also include:
· Reducing the need to be looked after
· School attendance, pupils not in school
· Destinations, not in Education, employment or training (NEET)
· City wide partnership, outcomes based on accountability
· Restorative Practice – Doing things with people, as opposed to doing it for them (how we behave)
Mr Richardson said the education service in Leeds was divided into 3 operational area, 12 Area Committees and 27 clusters. The clusters were working well with good sound practices already in place. To tie all this together was the “Leeds Education Challenge”
Commenting on the most recent Ofsted report Mr Richardson said improvements had been made and the services had achieved the status of adequate. He said that although this was a significant improvement there was a good deal more to be improved upon.
Reg Hamilton asked how such improvements would be achieved.
In responding Mr Richardson said by fulfilling our statutory responsibility, through the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
Reg Hamilton asked if there was a review taking place
Mr Richardson said there was currently in place an internal checking system which was overseen by the Executive Board
On the future of the Leeds Admissions Forum, Mr Richardson said that the issue would be raised at a future meeting of the Children’s Trust Board, considering if the potential of the Forum had been fully explored, if it had, then the Forum should be retained.
In passing comment the Chair said it was a question of getting the balance right, not too much bureaucracy?
Paul Forbes asked how Children’s Services were going to cope with the lower levels of family income given the recent austerity measures.
In responding Mr Richardson said it was important to have all the facts and collection of data from the clusters would assist in providing solutions.
The Chair thanked Mr Richardson for his attendance and his thoughts about the future of Children’s Services in Leeds, commenting that it had been interesting debate learning about the achievements and aspirations of Children’s Services