Agenda item

To receive a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development on potential sources of work for the Scrutiny Board.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report on potential sources of work for the Scrutiny Board.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Children and Young People’s Plan 2011- 2015, Refresh 2013

-  Best Council Plan on a page

-  Table of Scrutiny Inquires and Statements Relating to Children and Families.

-  Draft Scrutiny Board (Children and Families) work schedule for 2014/2015

Sandra Pentelow, Principal Scrutiny Adviser, presented the report and responded to Members’ queries and comments.

The following representatives were in attendance:

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

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-  Gail Webb, Head of Learning Improvement, Children’s Services

-  Andrea Richardson, Head of Early Help Services. 

Nigel Richardson advised the Board that the Children and Young People’s Plan is due to be refreshed, however confirmed that there is no significant change to the current plan in terms of the main obsessions and priorities. Once completed, the updated version of the Children and Young Peoples Plan will be shared with the Scrutiny Board.

The Chair invited all Board Members to have an input in relation to their own preferred sources of work for the Scrutiny Board.

In summary, the following sources of work were put forward for consideration:

·  Impact, development and management of the Youth Offer since the devolution of responsibility and budgets to Community Committees.

·  Learning Improvement Service, role, relationships, effectiveness, capacity and sustainability.

·  Repeated removal of children to be looked after and breaking the cycle.

·  Support services to adults and the impact on the child.

·  Ongoing tracking following the Reducing NEET Inquiry, with an additional focus on supporting Care Leavers into positive destinations and NEET by geographical area.

·  Review of the Children’s Trust Board in accordance with the Board’s Terms of Reference.

·  Kinship Care services and support.

·  Adult Mental Health and the effect on children and young people.

·  Supporting Adults to be better parents.

·  Child and adolescent mental health provision and support.

·  Basic Need – Sufficiency of School and Early Years Provision across the City.

·  Narrowing the attainment gap in Early Years.

·  School Transport.

·  Update on the implementation of Infant free school meals, free school meal take up and how this links to the poverty strategy.

·  The relationship of SILCs with Mainstream Schools and Clusters and preparing SEN young people for employment.

·  Implementation of the Children and Families Act.

·  Children and Young People’s voice and influence and the influence of Parents/Families across all council services.

·  Recruitment and retention of Social Services employees.

·  Child poverty and the work of the Children’s Poverty Group.

·  Staying safe in school, school bullying.

·  The use of pupil premium to improve outcomes for children.

The Principal Scrutiny Adviser informed Members that the Board would receive reports on the budget at the July 2014 and December 2014 board meeting.  Performance reports on a half yearly basis and recommendation tracking reports would also be scheduled into the annual work programme.

The Board was reminded that there were would be ad-hoc issues considered throughout the year and at the next meeting in July the Leeds Safeguarding Children’s Board would be presenting their draft annual report which may highlight further areas for Scrutiny work.

RESOLVED –

(a)  The contents of the report and appendices were noted.

(b)  That a number of the above issues discussed be part of the Board’s work schedule for the forthcoming Municipal Year.

(c)  That authority be given to the Chair of the Scrutiny Board (Children’s and Families), to update the work program and in conjunction with officers, to draw up inquiry terms of reference for subsequent approval by the Scrutiny Board.

(d)  Where required, that further consultation be undertaken with the Scrutiny Board regarding the priority of the topics identified for Scrutiny and for those areas deemed to be of the highest priority to be incorporated into the Board’s work schedule for the coming year.