Agenda and draft minutes

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Venue: Lancashire Fusiliers Room, Bury Town Hall

Contact: Chloe McCann 

Items
No. Item

1.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members of this group are asked to consider if they have any interest in

any of the matters on the Agenda and if so to formally declare that

interest.

Minutes:

Councillor Whitby declared she is a Chair of Governors at Mersey Drive Community Primary School.

 

2.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Minutes of the meeting held on 03rd October 2019 are attached.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 03 October 2019, be approved as a correct record.

 

3.

MATTERS ARISING

Minutes:

There were no matters arising.

4.

Briefing from the Assistant Directors for Early Help; Education and Inclusion and Safeguarding pdf icon PDF 82 KB

A presentation from Sandra Bruce, Assistant Director (Early Help & School Readiness), Tony Decrop, Assistant Director (Social Care & Safeguarding) and Julien Kramer Interim Assistant Director (Education & Inclusion) will be presented at the meeting. Presentation attached.

 

Minutes:

All members began by introducing themselves and their background.

 

It was agreed that all members have read and digested the PowerPoint and the meeting would consist of questions to the attendees; Sandra Bruce, Assistant Director (Early Help and School Readiness, Tony Decrop, Assistant Director (Social Care and Safeguarding) and Julien Kramer Assistant Director (Education and Inclusion).

 

Following questions and answers the following themes emerged:

 

Early Help and School Readiness

 

Sandra Bruce advised that there is a long term legacy which takes time to change culture.  But it is envisaged one year is how long it will take to establish the new way of working.

 

Councillor T Tariq, Cabinet Member for Children and Young people advised that referrals and re-referrals should be reduced as part of the impact from the restructure. He informed members that the Council have integrated our Troubled Families Team (SCIL) and our Place Based Teams to synthesise our offer to families locally.

 

Sandra Bruce advised that Bury pitched for the Stockport Family Model as part of a Greater Manchester incentive. This model involves linking teams around schools. Bury has three hubs over the six townships.

 

Discussions on the waiting times for crisis support was discussed. Sandra Bruce advised that Children’s and Adults Mental Health is reshaping and the vision is to link Mental Health workers with schools and into localities.

 

School Exclusions

 

The issue of school exclusions was discussed. Julien Kramer advised that schools have now been offered pastoral support to try and reduce the prevalence of permanent school exclusions. This is because there is greater awareness of the detrimental impacts a school exclusion may now have on a young person’s life and future.

 

Questions arose regarding the impact of not excluding some students may have on the quality of education other students receive and the teachers are able to give. Members were informed that in this case alternative provisions are explored. This may be courses that provide life experience and opportunities to gain alternative qualifications.  This is a key aspect of the Local Authority working better with partners to look at holistically supporting students to gain the best outcome for them as individuals. There was also reference to the ‘Red Box’ project which invites qualifying young people the opportunity to participate in work experience which attaches itself to many successes such as securing paid employment at the end.

 

Social Care and Safeguarding

 

Tony Decrop informed members that successful implementation of children’s social care and safeguarding is determined by a reduction in referrals and re-referrals due to better support being in place before this point. Tony also advised members of the committee that Bury Council are putting in place policies and support systems to be a ‘Fostering Friendly’ Council which seeks to remove any stigma or incorrect prejudice relating to fostering young people and children.

 

The scope of the restructure for the family contact service based a Victoria Children’s Centre was discussed. It was agreed that modernising the system to consider alternative places for contact between birth  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

FUTURE MEETING DATES

9th April 2020 – Lancashire Fusiliers Room

Minutes:

Future items to appear on the agenda were discussed and decided.

 

It was agreed:

 

The next meeting will focus on data:

 

1.   Permanent exclusion figures (for the last five years) including analysis on age and if possible School.

2.   Managed moves

3.   Home Schooling

4.   Persistent absences

5.   MASH and Referrals