Agenda item

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 to go for support in times of crisis.

Joanne Burns sought clarification on the communities of practice model, asking whether it would involve groups of schools or individual ones. Wendy explained that each cluster area has a designated team representing schools, with universal, targeted, and specialist support available. The approach will be tailored to local needs, ensuring no child is left behind.

Jeanette emphasised the importance of everyone being part of the ecosystem, noting the upcoming launch on 29th September. The system will be monitored and adapted as needed.

The conversation moved to the post-inspection action plan. It was confirmed that work has begun and is progressing well. Meetings are taking place to shape the plan and drive continued improvement in children’s services. Jeanette suggested that the full improvement plan could be brought back to a future committee for scrutiny. It was agreed that the Ofsted improvement plan would be reviewed in January following its submission in November.

Reflecting on lessons learned since 2021, it was acknowledged that when the original plan didn’t work, it was recalibrated and relaunched. Cross-party collaboration was recognised as a key strength, and the importance of listening to children and young people was highlighted. Jeanette shared that the journey has been a privilege and that the broader reflection is one of collective endeavour and commitment to improvement.

The item concluded with a summary of key themes: appreciation for the team’s efforts, recognition of supervision challenges, interest in innovation including AI, and a renewed focus on early help. The committee agreed to revisit the improvement plan in a future meeting.

It Was agreed

·         The update be noted

·         Thanks to be extended to the Children and Young peoples department for their hard work and dedication

·         To bring back the improvement plan to a future meeting