Agenda and minutes

Mr E A Britten – Church Representative (Catholic)

Mr A Graham – Church Representative (Church of England)

Ms J Ward – Parent Governor Representative (Secondary)

CO-OPTED MEMBERS (NON-VOTING)

Mr N Tones – School Staff Representative

Ms L Whitaker – Young Lives Leeds

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 25* of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded).

(* In accordance with Procedure Rule 25, notice of an appeal must be received in writing by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting).

There were no appeals against refusal of inspection of documents.

1.  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

2.  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

3.  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:

No exempt items have been identified.

There were no exempt items.

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

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

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

There were no declarations of interests made at the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Ragan, Cllr Howley, Cllr Senior, Helen Bellamy (School Staff Representative) and Kate Blacker (Co-opted Member)

Cllr Taylor attended the meeting as substitute for Cllr Ragan.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th March 2023.

A point of accuracy was brought to the Board’s attention under minute no.66 (Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership Update).  It was noted that the draft minutes would be amended to also reflect the attendance of Gill Marchant as Head of Safeguarding/Designated Nurse Safeguarding, Children and Families, Leeds Health and Care Partnership.

RESOLVED – That subject to amendment outlined above, the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th March 2023 be approved as a correct record.

To receive a report from the Director of Children and Families that presents an overview of Thriving: The Child Poverty Strategy for Leeds and the work that sits underneath the strategy.

The report of the Director of Children and Families provided an overview of ‘Thriving: The Child Poverty Strategy for Leeds’, and the work that sits underneath the strategy, including work that has occurred during the pandemic. The report also provided an update on each of the workstreams in terms of recent activities, outcomes and next steps.

In attendance for this item were:

·  Councillor Fiona Venner - Executive Member for Adult and Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships

·  Councillor Jonathan Pryor -  Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education

·  Julie Longworth - Director of Children and Families

·  Shaheen Myers - Deputy Director Learning

·  Ruth Terry - Chief Officer Social Work

·  Farrah Khan - Chief Officer Family Help

·  Dave Clark - Chief Officer Learning Improvement

·  Val Waite - Chief Officer Learning Inclusion

·  Julie Devonald - Head of Service, Workforce Development and Change

The Executive Member for Adult and Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships and the Director of Children and Families gave a brief introduction to the report and particularly highlighted the following:

Ø  While the report reflects figures from 2020 showing that 24% of children (36,496) in Leeds were living in relative low-income families, it is anticipated that the updated statistics expected to be published by the end of March 2023 will show an increased figure.

Ø  The recently published Joseph Rowntree Foundation UK Poverty report acknowledges that the temporary £20 uplift to Universal Credit had helped some families. However, it also highlights that the subsequent removal of this at a time when the cost-of-living crisis was also having an impact, has resulted in more families now struggling.

Ø  The Joseph Rowntree Foundation UK Poverty report also showed that one in six (18 per cent) children were living in persistent poverty, which meant spending at least three out of the last four years in poverty. It was noted that for young children, that is nearly their whole life.

Ø  In Leeds the birth rate is fast growing, and the Council has a moral imperative to ensure that no child lives in poverty.

Ø  Leeds would continue to provide Breakfast Clubs and Healthy Holidays to ensure that children did not go hungry.

Ø  Under the workstream around providing financial health and inclusion support directly to families, particular reference was made to the positive work being undertaken through the Gypsy and Traveller Energy Support Pilot Project, particularly for those families living on LCC settled sites and engaging with the Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (GATE).

Ø  Reference was made to the workstream around housing and provision, with Children’s Services and Housing working together on various issues including support for renters.

Ø  The importance of maintaining the new workstream around improving access to green spaces for children to access and play.

Ø  The Barnardo’s report in October 2022 evidenced that families had cut back on food spending in the last 12 months with one in five parents saying they had struggled to provide sufficient food due to the current cost of living crisis. 26% of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.

To receive a report from the Director of Children and Families that presents an update on the refreshed 3A’s plan.

The report of the Director of Children and Families provided an update on the refreshed 3A’s Plan which runs from August 2021 – August 2023 with information on each priority and each action’s KPI using the latest data available. A full list of the five priorities and fourteen actions linked to the Plan was appended to the submitted report at Appendix 1.

In attendance for the meeting were:

·  Councillor Fiona Venner - Executive Member for Adult and Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships

·  Councillor Jonathan Pryor Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education

·  Julie Longworth - Director of Children and Families

·  Shaheen Myers - Deputy Director Learning

·  Ruth Terry - Chief Officer Social Work

·  Farrah Khan - Chief Officer Family Help

·  Dave Clark - Chief Officer Learning Improvement

·  Val Waite - Chief Officer Learning Inclusion

·  Erica Hiorns - Leadership and Management Lead

The Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education and the Deputy Director Learning gave a brief introduction to the report and highlighted the following:

Ø  The 5 priorities of the 3A’s Plan are reading, attendance, SEND, wellbeing and transition. It was noted that nearly all of the KPI’s are on track to achieve their targets, with some of the KPI’s in relation to reading having already exceeded their targets.

Ø  A further refresh of the Plan will be undertaken during the Summer in engagement with school leaders and other stakeholders.

Ø  The work of Headteachers and teaching staff was recognised for the incredible work they are doing as well as their ongoing commitment and desire for continual improvement.

Responding to questions from Members the Board were provided with the following information:

·  It was noted that the pressures on head teachers currently are considerable.  As a result, the Children and Families directorate has retained the Head Teacher Support Service, which is working pro-actively with other teams across the Council to support head teachers.  An event providing primary head teachers with the opportunity to network, hear uplifting speakers and to make contact with key local authority officers has been planned for October. Updates on this would be provided in future.

·  It was noted that as part of the inspection framework it was now the role of school governors to support school leaders and it was important to embed this aspect as part of the school governor meeting. It was noted that round table events would be offered to Chair of Governors to look at a package of support for school leaders. It was recognised that wellbeing and support was required for both school leaders and teaching staff during school inspections.

·  It was suggested that the Strategy includes more emphasis around Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in terms of young people acknowledging that school is the start of life-long learning opportunities.

·  It was noted that the funding associated with the national Catch-Up programme remains ongoing. This consists of subsidised tutoring via the National Tutoring Programme and the Recovery Premium, a sum of money allocated to support schools in education recovery and which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

To receive a report from the Head of Early Help Services which provides details of the work that has been undertaken since March 2022 to progress the new model of youth work delivery in Leeds.

The Head of Early Help Services presented a report which detailed the work that has been undertaken since March 2022 to progress the new model of youth work delivery in Leeds.

Attending for this item were:

·  Councillor Fiona Venner - Executive Member for Adult and Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships

·  Councillor Jonathan Pryor Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education

·  Councillor Jane Dowson - Deputy Executive Member

·  Julie Longworth - Director of Children and Families

·  Ruth Terry, Chief Officer Social Work

·  Farrah Khan - Chief Officer Family Help

·  Paul Money - Chief Officer Safer, Stronger Communities

·  Liz Jarmin – Head of Locality Partnerships

The Deputy Executive Member explained that she was attending on behalf of the Executive Member for Communities (Cllr Harland), who had sent her apologies. The Deputy Executive Member and the Director of Children and Families then gave a brief introduction to the report and highlighted the following:

Ø  There is a plan for Locality Youth Work teams to move from the Children and Families Directorate structure to the Safer, Stronger Communities Services from April 2023 to strengthen locality working, including links with Community Committees. It was noted that there will still be close relationships with the wider Children and Families Partnership including early help, statutory social work and broader youth service projects.  It was highlighted that the following areas of responsibility would also remain within the Children and Families Directorate:

·  Return home interviews after a child has been missing.

·  The Pathways Team, who have a statutory duty to offer support to young people who are not in education, employment or training.

·  Life Coaches – with children on the edge of care, supporting those who are not in education, employment or training and support in relation to adolescent mental health.

Ø  Six out of the eight posts for the Life Coaching Team had been recruited to, with the team expected to be at full capacity around May 2023.  Reference was also made to the investment of Youth Working in Training posts and providing them with an opportunity to complete the Level 3 qualification in youth work as part of their job.

Ø  The progress made since March 2022 linked to the new Life Coaching Service, locality-based youth work delivery, delivery of the enhanced youth work offers through the commissioning of Third Sector organisations and developments in relation to the youth work quality assurance framework.

Ø  It was recognised that youth work is essential for every child growing up in the city to support them to become active citizens in the city. With partnership working this ensures delivery at a local level in the community and helps young people to reach their potential, keeps them safe from harm, and promotes community respect and community resilience.

Responding to questions from Members the Board were provided with the following information:

·  When the posts for Life Coaches were set up it was the aim that they would focus on adolescent mental health as there had been an increase of adolescent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.

To receive a report from the Head of Democratic Services which presents the 2022/23 end of year statement for the Scrutiny Board (Children and Families) for the Board’s consideration and approval.

The Head of Democratic Services, as designated Scrutiny Officer, will provide an annual report to Council setting out how the authority has carried out its overview and scrutiny functions during the preceding twelve-month period. As such, this year’s Annual Report will collate highlights of the work of all five Scrutiny Boards over 2022/23.

Each Scrutiny Board now produces an end of year statement to complement the broader Scrutiny Annual Report. The 2022/23 end of year statement for this Scrutiny Board had therefore been provided for Members’ consideration and approval.

The statement document followed a standardised format to provide details of the Board’s full work programme for the last municipal year, including links to the associated agenda packs, minutes and webcast recordings, as well as including a statement from the Chair that reflected on the key priorities for the Scrutiny Board over the last year.

RESOLVED - To endorse the end of year statement for the Children and Families Scrutiny Board

To receive a report from the Head of Democratic Services which presents a draft work schedule for the 2023/24 municipal year for Members’ consideration.

The Principal Scrutiny Advisor explained that as this was expected to be the Board’s final formal public meeting for the municipal year, a draft work schedule for the new municipal year had been set out in Appendix 1 of the report for Members’ consideration.  This included preliminary future meeting dates and reflected known items of scrutiny activity, such as performance and budget monitoring, as well as other identified areas of work that the Board had already recommended for the successor Scrutiny Board to pursue in the new municipal year.

RESOLVED - That the contents of the work schedule of the successor Scrutiny Board for 2023/2024 be noted.

The Chair took this opportunity to formally thank all Board Members for their contributions to the work of the Scrutiny Board and particularly acknowledged the valuable contributions made by Cllrs Ragan and Forsaith to the work of Scrutiny over the years as both would be retiring from the Council in May.

The Chair also paid tribute to Kate Blacker and Jackie Ward for their contributions to the Scrutiny Board as the statutory parent governor representatives over the years. While both were no longer eligible to reapply as a statutory co-opted member, it was noted that they had expressed an interest to return as non-statutory co-opted members in the new municipal year.  The Chair therefore gave his support for this to be explored further with the successor Chair and Board.

The Chair relayed his thanks to the Executive Members, officers and partners who helped to facilitate the work of the Scrutiny Board, as well as acknowledging the support provided by scrutiny and governance officers.

Finally, the Chair explained that after five years of chairing the Children and Families Scrutiny Board, he would no longer be continuing in this role and therefore passed on his very best wishes to the new successor Chair and Board.

The next meeting of the Children and Families Scrutiny Board is provisionally scheduled for Wednesday 7^th June 2023 at 10.00 am (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 am).

RESOLVED – That the next meeting of the Children and Families Scrutiny Board is provisionally scheduled for Wednesday 7th June 2023 at 10.00 am (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 am).

The meeting concluded at 12:35pm