Agenda item

RESOLVED:

To note the report and the attached Risk Register.

8.1  The Group Director, Children and Families introduced the report   highlighting the following:

  Children’s Services

·  A new risk related to Child Q. Revision of the partnership relationship largely through the Children’s partnership. Work to ensuring that all agencies with children have a safeguarding first agenda;

·  Cyber-attack had an impact on Children’s services;

·  On 4 April there had been a return to the Mosaic system. Recording now complied with statutory requirements.

·  A move to a front door approach to help children at an earlier stage;

·  High cost of placements in Children’s homes;

·  High financial pressures

Education:

·  Green Paper – Special Educational Need and Disabilities – large financial pressure and a number of strategies had been developed;

·  There had been a restructure of the service to ensure improved outcomes for children and a better use of resources;

·  Improvement plan for service provision. There had been an improvement in assessing children who require education and care plans;

·  A strategy was in place in relation to unregistered educational settings;

·  Falling numbers in reception;

·  High financial pressures

9.1  The Chair expressed concerns at the pressures in relation to the

Council’s ability to maintain standards in service provisions in particular around SEND provision and EHCF. He expressed concern that incoming resources did not match need and the associated long term implications in a variety of settings.  He considered that the Audit Committee would want to receive updates on these matters.

9.2  The Group Director for Children and Education told the Committee that the service’s ambition was to provide support at an earlier stage and making optimal use of schools to ensure that children get the help that they need rather than relying on private providers and non-maintained independent sector. It was confirmed that this was a national pressure. A SEND strategy was in place.  

9.3  Councillor Gordon was encouraged to hear of the SEND Strategy and steps taken, referring to the ongoing crisis in SEND provision. She stressed that parents need to be reassured that they are in receipt of the full range of opportunities for their children. Councillor Gordon referred to the fact that school exclusions was the subject of a Scrutiny Panel report and was a risk for the individuals including around reputational damage.

9.4  The Group Director for Children and Education told the Committee that the current system of EHCP seem to set the local parents in opposition to the Local Authority in seeking help and the aim was to take the matter forward with compassion for children and parents and that children could access the curriculum in a way that assisted children in accessing the curriculum, maximising their opportunities. The recent Government Green paper focused on a number of current issues in education A comprehensive action plan had been produced in respect of school exclusions with the Anti-Rascism plan focusing on outcomes for the Boroughs black and mixed heritage boys, over represented in school exclusions with a level of influence rather than direction looking at creative ways of including the child’s voice in the solution.  

9.5  Councillor Smyth highlighted the following:

·  the partnership working around the Child Q case and considered that taking the safeguarding first approach should have been taken earlier. He asked if the Police formed part of the partnership working;  

·  In relation to exclusions, the Council should look at the wording ‘Enhanced Nurture Units’ as used in Glasgow at present;

·  School place planning referred to financial pressure on secondary schools and the treat to long term viability. He asked for clarification on this matter.

9.6  Jacquie Burke highlighted that:

·  Confirmation that the Police formed part of the partnership working referred to. She considered that ‘safeguarding first’ was paramount and this should be revisited;

·  In regard to exclusion the Council had a good pupil referral unit with an outreach approach and that the Council was part of a Department for Education pilot in regard to this;

·  That the Council was seeking have a schools on Estates strategy with planning on the basis of what is known of falling rolls with financial implications with possible necessity for school merger. As yet there had been no modelling carried out.  

9.7  Councillor Lynch referred to the need for training for members on the

  workings of safeguarding in the Borough.

9.8  Councillor Gordon agreed with the importance of safeguarding training and that there was a need for focus on this area, considering ways to mitigate costs

RESOLVED:

To note the report and the attached Risk Register.