Issue - meetings

Report CEF21018

The report presented the Children, Education and Families Policy, Development and Scrutiny Committee with the refresh of the Children, Education and Families Portfolio Plan 2021-22 and the Quarter 4 update. 

In opening the discussion, the Chairman noted that under Priority 5 “Voice of the Children” would be added in order to reflect the participation of young people in PDS meetings.

The Committee noted that whilst a young person’s representative had previously attended PDS meetings, following a review and discission with young people it had been decided that a more appropriate approach would be for the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and other Members (if they wished) to meet with young people prior to meetings to discuss agenda items.  The views of young people could then be reflected in Committee discussions through these Members.  The Chairman reported that the recent meetings with both the Living in Care Council (LinCC) and Bromley Youth Council (BYC) had been insightful and positive.

In response to a query concerning the use of virtual reality headsets the Head of Early Intervention and Family Support Services explained that this project was being led by the Fostering and Adoption Service and the headsets were a very useful training tool in providing an insight into the experience of a young person in care.  Options for wider application of the technology were also under consideration

The Committee noted that levels of exclusions from schools had previously been heavily scrutinised by the Committee.  Following increased partnership working with schools and a detailed review, the performance target for this area had moved from red to green and the Portfolio Plan needed to be updated to reflect this.

RESOLVED: That

1. The refresh of the Children, Education and Families Portfolio Plan 2021/22 be noted; and

2. Progress on the actions associated with the Children, Education and Families Portfolio Plan for the fourth quarter of 2020/21 be noted.