Agenda item

(To receive a report from David McWilliams, Head of Service - Children's Services, which invites the Committee to consider a report on the Lincolnshire Strategic Partnership, Children and Young People's Plan 2013-16 which is due to be considered by the Executive Councillor for Adult Care and Health Services, Children's Services on 27 January 2014)

The Head of Performance Assurance presented a report, which provided the Committee with an opportunity to consider the latest version of the Lincolnshire and Young People's Plan for 2013/16, which was detailed at Appendix A to the report presented.  This was for pre-decision scrutiny prior to an Executive Councillor decision on 27 January 2014.

The plan was the strategic plan for services which supported children and young people in the county of Lincolnshire.  The Partnership's vision was "That every child in every part of the County should achieve their potential" and identified how the local authority and its relevant partners would work collaboratively and in partnership to improve the outcomes for every child, young person and family in Lincolnshire.  Data contained within the plan had been taken from past performance, needs assessments, consultation with local children and families and agreed priorities between partners.

It was noted that the statutory duty to produce a Children and Young People's Plan had been revoked in October 2010, but that local partnerships were free to publish their own strategic plan as they saw fit.  A list of the relevant partners involved in the plan was shown on page 18 of the report.  The relevant partners listed were not under any formal duty to 'have regard' to any voluntary plan.  However, the Children's Trusts' duty to cooperate remained in force and the Local Children's Trust arrangements were still underpinned by the 'duty to cooperate' under Section 10 of the Children Act 2004 and that currently there were no plans to repeal that duty.

In April 2013, the Strategic Partnership had come together to agree the four strategic outcomes, which corresponded to the Childs journey and transition into adulthood.  Full details were contained in Appendix A.

Note: Councillor Mrs L Rollings wished it recorded that she was a teacher at an Academy, and as Head of Support she was involved in combatting obesity. 

During consideration of the plan, the Committee expressed overall support for the plan and raised the following comments:-

·         Some members of the Committee found the vision of the plan not to be dynamic enough.  Officers welcomed any suggestions that members might have;

·         That troubled families needed to be monitored and that there should be an aspiration of zero exclusions.  Reassurance was given that work around risk assessments would be done and it was noted that the introduction of a programme 'Signs of Safety' would support risk assessments of children at risk of harm.  It was highlighted that Signs of Safety was already being used in the authority and considered to have wider application;

·         The inclusion of cyber bullying – Officers were happy to include this in the plan;

·         The need to ensure that the gap was being narrowed in relation to key stage 2, 3 and 4;

·         The inclusion of sexual exploitation – The Committee was advised that this matter would be dealt with by the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Board;

·         Health Visitor investment and reducing childhood obesity – It was highlighted that obesity work was being led through Public Health.  In relation to health visitors, more debate was to be had with colleagues in Public Health, with regard to the recruitment of health visitors;

·         The key vulnerable groups as identified by the Joint Lincolnshire Needs Assessment as detailed on page 30 of the report;

·         The totals did not add up correctly on page 43.  Members were advised this was because not all children were in school;

·         The Committee also felt that quarterly reports should be made available to the Committee to monitor the plan's progress;

·         Out of date figures pertaining to teenage pregnancies.  It was reported that these were the most up to date figures.  It was noted that now an information protocol was in place, more information would now be captured in a more timely way;

·         Looked After Children education figures.  It was reported that these figures were reported to the Corporate Parenting Panel and that the full figures would be made available to the Panel at the end of March; 

·         Health and Safety, and the need to keep children safe to and from school and promoting healthy eating;  It was agreed that further information was required concerning input from Public Health into Children's Services.  It was also noted that there was a specific obesity group which  reported to the Strategic Partnership;

·         Performance of Academies.  Evidence available suggested that some Academies had performed well, but some had not.  It was highlighted in the Annual Ofsted Report that sponsored academies were likely to make more progress that stand alone academies;

·         That the Early Help offer applied to all children;

·         The need for reassurance regarding how the 85 Actions were to be keyed into the main document; and

·         Analysis of secondary progress.  The Committee was advised that analysis was being done concerning 11+ achievements, and this was being looked at by a Strategic Board.

RESOLVED

That the Committee supported the recommendations to the Executive Councillor to adopt the Children and Young People's Plan, but highlighted that there was a need for the action plan to be tied into the main document and requested that the document be modified to incorporate references to the actions contained in the action plan.