Issue - meetings

Report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People is attached.

Councillor L Smith Cabinet member for Children and Young people provided an overview of the recent Ofsted inspection, with thanks formally recorded to the committee and staff for their dedication and hard work. A special note of appreciation was extended to Jeanette Richards for her leadership throughout the journey.

The discussion opened with questions around consistency across teams. Concerns were raised about the variability in practice and the challenges posed by workforce stability, recruitment, and agency costs. Despite training efforts, the impact has been inconsistent, and there was recognition of the need for stronger support for team managers. It was noted that a training support framework has been developed for social workers, and while quality assurance has highlighted good practice, consistency remains a priority.

Jeanette Richards Executive Director for Children and Young People acknowledged the progress made but emphasised that more work is needed to ensure consistency between team managers and practitioners. She described efforts to establish a structured approach, including reflective supervision, which has been well received by the workforce. Supervision reporting is at good levels, and dip sampling has led to additional learning and development opportunities for team managers.

There was a collective expression of gratitude to the leadership team, with congratulations offered to all involved. The conversation then turned to future priorities. While many children are now receiving the services they need, there are still limitations. The question was raised about whether the focus should now be on managing the current system or identifying areas for further progress.

It was suggested that the submission of a new plan presents an opportunity to refocus efforts, particularly on early help and ensuring stability amidst broader social care changes. The importance of doing the basics well and aligning children’s services with the education strategy was highlighted as key to improving outcomes.

Joanne Burns reflected positively on the improvements seen in early help and frontline collaboration but noted ongoing difficulties in recruiting staff with the right skills. She asked whether a model based on clusters or communities of care could be planned for the future. It was shared that early help pilots had received mixed feedback, and reforms are underway to strengthen partnerships, including bringing health partners into schools.

Jeanette added that nationally, there are concerns about developmental outcomes for children post-lockdown. Locally, a Best Start and Early Help Board has been established, and additional health visitors have been recruited. While family hubs are being publicised, more work is needed to develop the offer and ensure awareness.

Wendy Young Head of Service for SEND spoke about the development of communities of practice, linking with the educational psychology service and increasing school engagement. The aim is to improve integration and align with the ICB, offering a wraparound approach for schools. Statutory assessment and review teams have been extended to include attendance and virtual schools, with many schools also managing SEND needs. There was discussion about how to better engage with schools and primary care settings, and how to ensure schools know where  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74

Report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People is attached.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People presented a report summarising the result of the recent Ofsted inspection of Children’s Services and the resulting change in the type and frequency of future inspections. The Ofsted outcome was a move from the previous overall judgement in November 2021 of ‘inadequate‘ to a new judgement that services ‘require improvement to be good’. Members noted that the report praised the progress made and graded the leadership provided by the council and within Children’s Services as ‘good’.

Councillors extended their thanks to officers for their work, in particular senior officers Lynne Ridsdale and Jeanette Richards, as well as the cross-party support of the Childrens Improvement Board, Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee and Members more widely. Councillor Smith was also thanked for her passion and leadership as Cabinet Member. In response to Member questions, Councillor Smith advised that the outcome would hopefully give staff confidence to know we were on the right track and the validation to keep going. it was noted that the action plan would come before Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee at their next meeting, and was underpinned by service plans. Quarterly meetings with the DfE would continue along with a yearly inspection programme.

Decision:

Cabinet noted the outcome of the recent Ofsted inspection of Children’s Services and the time-horizon for future engagement.

Reasons for the decision:

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Alternative options considered and rejected:

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