Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M D Boles, A P Maughan and R Wootten.

Apologies for absence were also received from Mrs P J Barnett (Parent Governor Representative) and Miss A E I Sayer (Parent Governor Representative).

Councillor M A Whittington advised that he had an adopted son aged 22 and, although he was not receiving services available up to the age of 25, he was eligible to them.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 26 April 2019 be agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Chairman invited the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services; and Chief Officers to provide updates to the Committee.

The Chairman on behalf of the Committee extended thanks to Councillor R L Foulkes (previous Chairman of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee) for all his work with the Committee.

The Committee was advised that Councillors Mrs W Bowkett and C Matthews had been on a successful visit to the Skegness Academy, which had been beneficial in continuing to develop relationships between the Council and the Academy. 

The Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services encouraged members of the Committee to attend the FAB (Fantastic! Amazing! Brilliant) Awards, which were the annual celebration of achievement event for Looked After Children and Care Leavers.  The Committee noted the event was due to be held on 21 June 2019 at the University of Lincoln.

The Committee was also advised that the results of the Ofsted inspection held in May 2019 for Children's Social Care Services would be published on Tuesday 12 June 2019.

(To receive a report from Sally Savage, Chief Commissioning Officer, Children's Services, which invites the Committee to consider future commissioning arrangements for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), which is due to be considered by the Executive on the 9 July 2019)

Consideration was given to a report from Sally Savage, Chief Commissioning Officer, Children's Services, which invited the Committee to consider future commissioning arrangements for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

The Committee was advised that the views of the Committee would be reported to the Executive at its 9 July 2019 meeting, as part of the consideration of this item.

Attached at Appendix 1 to the report was a copy of the Executive report, which included a copy of the Commissioning Plan for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

The Chief Commissioning Officer provided the Committee with background information behind the commissioning review; current commissioning arrangements; the CAMHS review findings; the benefits of commissioning CAMHS for the council; and the budget required to fund CAMHS from 2020/21, details of which were shown on page 22 of the report.

It was reported that the Lincolnshire's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy was due to be published shortly and that CAMHS was a key part of the local offer that would help to successfully deliver the strategy. It was noted that all recommendations made as part of the CAMHS review were in line with the proposed Strategy.   

The report highlighted that the recommended commissioning option was to enter into two Section 75 agreements with Clinical Commissioning Groups and Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) from 1 April 2020 onwards to continue existing arrangements for CAMHS.

It was reported that Lincolnshire had one of the highest performing CAMHS in the country and that preventative services such as Healthy Minds Lincolnshire and online counselling were resulting in lower referral rates to CAMHS locally.  The Committee noted that the recommended option as detailed on page 18 had been based on the current service performance.  Information relating to alternative options considered was detailed on page 18 of the report

The Committee was asked to consider the four recommendations as detailed on page 18 of the report and agree any additional comments they wished to make to the Executive in relation to this item.

It was noted that the joint investment from both the Council and Clinical Commissioning Groups had a huge impact on children and young people's mental health services.

During discussion, the Committee raised the following points:-

·         Page 21 - Needs Summary – The Committee was advised that the target for access to the service for 2019/10 was 35%.  The Committee was advised further that this target had been set by NHS England; and if the commissioners wanted to make sure that young people who needed support had access to it then there would need to be enough capacity within CAMHS and other emotional wellbeing services to ensure that was delivered.  To be counted it was clarified that a young person would have needed to have accessed the service, received treatment and then exited the service.  It was noted that there was a cost incurred if a young person was inappropriately referred;

·         Page 23 – Council Funding Implications (paragraph 1.21 of main report)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

(To receive a report from Matthew Clayton, Admissions and Education Provision Manager, which asks the Committee to consider proposals to change the age range at Market Deeping Community Primary School from 3 to 11 to 4 to 11, which is due to be considered by the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services on 21 June 2019.  Martin Smith, Interim Assistant Director of Education will be in attendance for this item)

Martin Smith, Interim Assistant Director of Education presented a report which asked the Committee to consider proposals to change the age range at Market Deeping Community Primary School from 3 to 11 to 4 to 11 which was due to be considered by the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services on 21 June 2019.  It was noted that the views of the Committee would be reported as part of the consideration of the item.

Attached at Appendix 1 was a copy of the full Executive Councillor report and associated appendices for the Committee to consider.

It was reported that the Council had a statutory duty to maintain a sufficient number of early year's places in Lincolnshire and also sufficient school places to accommodate all pupils of statutory school age who live in Lincolnshire.

The Committee was advised that the proposal was to permanently change the age range at Market Deeping Community Primary School from 3 to 11 to 4 to 11.

In accordance with statutory guidelines on 23 January 2019 a four week period of consultation had commenced, which had closed on 20 February 2019.  A summary of the written responses were attached in Appendix A to the Executive Councillor report.

Following the period of consultation a Statutory Notice was published on 29 March 2019, which initiated a four week Representation Period up to 26 April 2019 when further written objections and comments were able to be submitted.   The Committee was advised that the process was now entering the final stage when the Local Authority, as decision maker must take the decision within 2 months from the end of the Representation Period (by 26 June 2019).

In conclusion, it was reported that the Local Authority believed that the proposal was in the best interests of local children and local parents as well as educational provision in the area; and that it supported the Council's aim of ensuring that as many children as possible reached their full potential.  It also enabled the Local Authority to fulfil its statutory duty of ensuring there were sufficient places to accommodate all pupils of statutory age in Lincolnshire.

During consideration of the proposal, the Committee raised the following comments:-

·         Links between School and Third Party Early Years Provider – The Committee was advised that there were good relationships between the school and Madcaps, the third party provider.  It was highlighted that as a third party provider, Madcaps had its own management arrangements, but it worked well with the school's governing body.  It was highlighted further that the school and Madcaps were reluctant to create a competitive arrangement, which could lead to age three provision not being sustainable in either cases;

·         Funding Implications – It was reported that there were no funding implications arising from the change of age range at the school.  The Committee was advised that it was understood that the funding position of Madcaps was strong.  It was noted that if there was a failure by Madcaps on the basis  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

(To receive a report from Sue Williams, Children's Service Manager, Education Strategy, which provides a summary of the purpose of the Service Pupil Premium)

The Committee gave consideration to a report from Sue Williams, Head of Educational Strategy, which provided a summary of the purpose of the Service Pupil Premium.

It was reported that the Service Pupil Premium was part of the Government's commitment to delivering the Armed Forces Covenant.  It was highlighted that the support was provided in a number of areas and that the premium supported pupils in publically funded schools.  Details of the criteria were shown on page 89 of the report.  The main aim of the premium was to offer mainly pastoral support to help pupil's access schools and to settle into schools.  Details of the sort of issues faced by service pupils were explained on page 90 of the report. 

The Committee was advised that the funding was a grant that was in addition to the Dedicated School Grant.  The Committee noted that the grant was paid quarterly to local authorities for maintained schools; and paid directly to academies and free schools by the Education and Skills Funding Agency.  It was noted further that the Service Pupil Premium was £300 per eligible pupil in Reception to Year 11. 

It was reported that based on the 2018/19 financial year there had been a total of 4,519 pupils known to be eligible for Service Pupil Premium.  Pages 91 and 92 provided the Committee with details of a Case Study for the Cranwell Primary School.

The Committee was advised that it was crucial, as seen in the Cranwell Case Study, to find out about service pupils as soon as they arrived, so that the school could plan appropriately to meet their needs and ensure that the appropriate support was provided.

During discussion, the Committee raised the following comments:-

·    The need for the Service Pupil Premium to be made available to other groups, e.g. a pupil of a parent working at an embassy abroad;

·    Flexibility of Grammar Schools in Lincolnshire with regard to entrants examinations;

·    Confirmation was given by officers that children of reservists on active service would be eligible to the Service Pupil Premium;

·    Some members of the Committee felt that the availability of the Service Pupil Premium need to be highlighted more.  The Committee noted that it was the individual families choice; and

·    Some concern was expressed relating to the viability of schools in the vicinity of RAF bases, should the RAF choose to re-locate.  Reassurance was given that the local authority worked very closely with the RAF; and that processes were in place to deal with such instances.

RESOLVED

          That the report on Service Pupil Premium be received.

(To receive a report from Sally Savage, Chief Commissioning Officer, Children's Services, which provides key performance information for Quarter 4 2018/19 relevant to the work of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee)

Consideration was given to a report by Sally Savage, Chief Commissioning Officer, Children's Services, which provided key performance information for Quarter 4, 2018/19 that was relevant to the work of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee.

The following Appendices were attached to the report:-

·         Appendix A – Council Business Plan Measures;

·         Appendix B – Complaints and Compliments report; and

·         Appendix C – Ofsted School Status Report.

The Committee was invited to comment on the content of the report.

During discussion, the Committee raised the following comments:-

·         Achievement of the thresholds in English and Maths – The Committee was advised that the target was set to be in line with the national average; and that the tolerance measure was set to -2 percentage points below the target; and 1 percentage point above the target.  Some concern was expressed whether tolerance measures should be applied to such an important indicator.  Officers agreed to discuss the matter further with the performance team;

·         Page 97 – Juvenile first time offenders – One member made a request for up to date information, as there was a six month time lag in the reporting of the data.  Officers agreed to look into the request made.  The Committee was advised that the benchmarking element was based on the average performance of Youth Offending Services within the Midlands Youth Justice Board region and that due to the time lag of information received, reported information presented was as up to date as it could be. It was noted that the data had to be comparable, as Lincolnshire was part of a larger group.  The Committee was advised that the diversionary project in conjunction with Lincolnshire Police was now showing some positive effects as there had been a reduction in the number of young people coming into the criminal justice system for the first time.  Officers agreed that the rationale behind the indicator would be a matter for further consideration;

·         Page 105 – Children who are subject to a child protection plan – One member enquired as to whether the increase in Quarter 4 was the start of a trend.  Officers reassured the Committee that this figure had already started to reduce;

·         Page 107 – Average time taken to move a child from care to an adoptive family – One member enquired whether the increase shown in Quarter 4 was the start of a trend.  The Committee was advised that there had been challenges associated with this performance indicator, one of which was being able to obtain court time.  It was noted that this was being looked into and that discussions had been held with the local judge with regard to this matter;

·         Customer Service Satisfaction Information - Concern was expressed that there seemed to be a theme of needing to improve communication.  Officers confirmed that there was still work to do, but on the whole the service was getting it right.  It was noted that training was being given to isolated members of staff;

·         Page 118 – Achievement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

(To receive a report from Daniel Steel, Scrutiny Officer, which provides the Committee with an opportunity to consider and comment on its work programme for the coming months)

Consideration was given to a report which enabled the Committee to comment on the content of its work programme to ensure that its scrutiny activity was focussed where it could be of greatest benefit.

Pages 133 to 135 of the report provided a copy of the work programme for the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee to consider.

Appendix A to the report provided a copy of the Forward Plan which advised the Committee of decisions relating to Children's Services from 1 June 2019.

The Health Scrutiny Officer presented the report and invited the Committee to comment on the proposed work programme.

RESOLVED

That the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee Work programme be agreed subject to the inclusion of the items put forward at minute numbers 5(3) and 8(2).