Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Chris Pierce.

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Nicky Dykes.

The Chairman led Members in thanking Jane Bailey, Director: Education who had recently left the Local Authority for her excellent contribution to education in Bromley.  The Chairman also welcomed Gillian Palmer, Interim Director: Education to the Local Authority.

There were no additional declarations of interest.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 28^th June 2017, be agreed and signed as an accurate record.

Report CSD17118

The Committee considered a report setting out matters outstanding from previous meetings, as well as matters outstanding from previous meetings of the Care Services PDS Committee relating to the scrutiny of Children’s Services.

The Portfolio Holder confirmed that letters raising concerns identified by the Select Committee on elective home education and the 50% admissions figure for faith schools would be sent to Lord Agnew and the Prime Minister following the meeting.  The Portfolio Holder would also follow up outstanding matters relating to requests for Members to receive the minutes of the Children’s Service Improvement Governance Board and contribute towards an online resource being developed to assist teachers in identifying young carers.  The Deputy Chief Executive and the Interim Director: Education would provide responses to the recommendations developed as part of the first report of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee 2017/18 on the Children’s Services landscape in Bromley.

In response to a question from the Chairman, the Deputy Chief Executive reported that the Schools Partnership Board had been replaced by a Schools’ Executive Group that included representation by Head Teachers from primary, secondary and special schools and would meet on a termly basis.

RESOLVED that matters outstanding from previous meetings of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee and Care Services PDS Committee relating to the scrutiny of children’s services be noted.

To hear questions to the Committee received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Wednesday 11^th October 2017 and to respond.  Questions must relate to the work of the scrutiny committee.

Six oral questions were received from members of the public and these are attached at Appendix A.

To hear questions to the Portfolio Holder received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Wednesday 11^th October 2017, and to respond.  Questions must relate to the work of the Portfolio.

Four oral questions and one written question were received from members of the public and these are attached at Appendix B.

Report CSD17133

The Committee considered its work programme for the 2017/18 municipal year.

The Vice-Chairman advised Members that there were places available on the scheduled visit to Harris Girls’ Academy Bromley on 19^th October 2017.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The work programme 2017/18 be approved; and,

2)  The nomination of Councillor Mary Cooke to the Education, Children and Families Budget and Performance Monitoring Sub-Committee be approved.

The Portfolio Holder gave an update to Members on work in progress across the Education, Children and Families Portfolio.

Work to deliver the Children’s Service Improvement Plan was ongoing, with a continued emphasis on recruitment and retention and the delivery of the ‘Caseload Promise’.  A highly successful social work practice week had recently been held which provided an opportunity for Members and senior managers to get a first-hand view of issues and practice in social work.

The final report of the Commissioner for Children's Services in Bromley had been published and was very positive about the progress made by the Local Authority and its partners in improving children’s services across Bromley.  The Portfolio Holder offered his thanks to all Members, Officers and partners for their work in delivering wide-ranging improvements across the service.

There had been a number of Ofsted Inspections of Bromley schools with Chislehurst C.E. Primary School, Trinity C.E. Primary School, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and St Philomena’s R.C. Primary school all being rated as ‘Good’.  Work to increase the number of school places across the Borough was ongoing and planning applications for Langley Park Primary School and Bullers Wood School for Boys had recently been approved.  Approved academies looking for sites in the Bromley area included the Science, Health and Wellbeing (SHaW) Futures Academy and Harris Sydenham Academy.  The Chairman requested that an updated list of Bromley schools seeking to expand be provided to Members following the meeting.

Work was underway to review A Level and GCSE performance at schools across the Borough for the 2016/17 academic year and this would be provided to Members when available.  An issue around performance-based exclusions in relation to AS Level results at St Olave’s Grammar School had been reported in the national media, and the Local Authority had written to the new Chairman of the Governing Body raising a number of concerns.

In response to a question from the Chairman, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that a review of special educational needs transport had been completed and the findings of this review would be reported to the Education, Children and Families Select Committee when available.  The Chairman requested an update on the Independent Travel programme for children and young people with special educational needs be provided to Members following the meeting.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder update be noted.

Report ED18033

The Committee considered a report setting out the draft Education, Children and Families Portfolio priorities and aims for 2017/18 which reflected the new Portfolio structure agreed in May 2017 and brought Education oversight in line with the financial planning cycle as opposed to the academic year.

The draft 2017/18 Education, Children and Families Portfolio Plan comprised two priority outcomes to secure the health, wellbeing and achievements of vulnerable children and provide the best possible service to deliver appropriate support to all children and young people.  These priorities were underpinned by four Outcome Statements and 35 Aims which defined the supporting Education, Social Care, Health and Housing action plans and measures.

In considering the Portfolio Plan, a Member queried why targets in certain areas appeared to be less ambitious than for 2016/17, and underlined the importance of ensuring there were clear measures in place to monitor performance.  The Portfolio Holder requested that Members provide details of any performance measures to be reviewed and would clarify targets within the plan following the meeting

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to agree the 2017/18 draft Education, Children and Families Portfolio Plan.

The Committee noted the minutes of the Education, Children and Families Budget and Performance Monitoring Sub-Committee meetings held on 18^th July 2017 and 26^th September 2017.

The Chairman advised the Committee that the first report of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee 2017/18 had been considered at the meeting of Council on 25^th September 2017 where a motion to approve the recommendations had been carried.

RESOLVED that the first report of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee be noted.

The Committee received a presentation from seven representatives of the Living in Care Council about being in care, which included a short film created by children looked after that expressed their feelings and experiences about being in care and was used to support other young people on their journey into care.  The presentation also gave details of the work of the Living in Care Council, which was open to children looked after aged 11-21 years to consider issues impacting children looked after and work with Officers and Members to improve the care experience. 

Members were advised of the success of the Corporate Parent Fun Day on 30^th July 2017 which had been organised by the Living in Care Council in partnership with Officers and Members.  Over 200 people had attended the event which enabled children looked after to meet their Corporate Parents and Senior Officers.  Work was underway to plan a similar event for Summer 2018, and Councillors Peter Fortune, Kim Botting FRSA and Angela Wilkins would represent the Education, Children and Families Select Committee at a forthcoming planning meeting.  Members were also notified about a forthcoming initiative where Corporate Parents would live as a Child Looked After for a day and Councillor Mary Cooke agreed to participate.

In response to a question from a Member, the Vice-Chairman of the Living in Care Council advised that the key aim of the Living in Care Council was to continue to improve the care experience for all children looked after.  Members were invited to contact the Living in Care Council with any issues they wished to explore or to attend meetings of the Living in Care Council.

The Chairman informed the Living in Care Council that the support of children looked after was a key area within the future work programme of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee and that the Living in Care Council would be invited to contribute towards this review.  The Chairman was pleased to note an update on the progress of previous Chairs of the Living in Care Council who had moved on to higher education, training and employment and requested that similar information be provided for the wider membership of the Living in Care Council as it was important for Corporate Parents to be aware of the outcomes for young people as they moved towards independence.

The Chairman led Members in thanking Tia, David, Lola, Millie, Scott and Callum for their excellent presentation and the work of the Living in Care Council. 

RESOLVED that the presentation be noted.

The Committee received an update on the performance of the Bromley Youth Offending Service (YOS) and progress made since the recent inspection and as a result of other operational and strategic developments.

There were approximately 110 cases within the Youth Offending Service at the present time, 22% of which involved conditional cautions or triage.  The work within the Youth Offending Service was delivered by a team of senior officers and caseworkers, and was further supported by specialist colleagues including a part-time school nurse and those working in the areas of substance misuse, wellbeing and parenting consultation.  The current focus of the Youth Offending Service was on securing positive outcomes for young people that reduced levels of offending, the need for custody and the numbers entering the criminal justice system.  Bromley’s quarterly performance data for the October 2014 to September 2015 cohort showed a reduction of 7.6% in the rate of reoffending on the previous year, although the actual number of young people accessing the service had increased by five.

With regard to future service provision, the reviewed and updated Youth Offending Service Operational Improvement Plan was based around seven key priority areas comprising reducing reoffending, protecting the public, protecting the child or young person, ensuring that the sentence is served, governance and partnership arrangements and the effectiveness of YOS interventions and had been approved by the Youth Offending Service Governance Board on 11^th October 2017.  Bromley Youth Offending Service had also been successful in a recent bid to NHS England to develop a Forensic Service Pilot Scheme in recognition of the high proportion of young people entering the youth justice system identified as having complex needs that required significant levels of specialist intervention and support.  The scheme would enable these young people to access specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) as well as other wellbeing support services from across a range of agencies, and support would also be provided to their families and carers where appropriate. The Forensic Service Pilot Scheme would initially be funded for one year, but an application could be made for further funding if the scheme was successful.

In response to a question from the Chairman, the Head of Youth Support and Youth Offending Services confirmed that there was no CAMHS worker seconded to the team; however a Bromley Y worker was based in the team for two days a week and the Youth Offending Service was also able to refer young people directly to CAMHS where a need was identified.  The part-time school nurse worked one day a week and a bid was being developed to provide additional capacity. The Head of Youth Support and Youth Offending Services provided a case study example of a young person within the Youth Offending Service who required a range of support relating to their mental wellbeing, and noted that undiagnosed mental health or wellbeing issues could be a cause of challenging behaviour in some young people.

A Member queried how the Youth Offending Service delivered  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

(A)   DANIEL TAEGTMEYER - BROMLEY CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP

(B)  HILARY ROGERS – JOINT COMMISSIONER, LBB

(C)   CLAIRE ELY – DIRECTOR, BROMLEY Y

(D)   BEVERLY MACK - ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, OXLEAS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

The Committee had been provided with a range of written evidence in advance of the meeting.  This included a report outlining the tiered approached to Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS) in the Borough, overviews of the support services provided by Bromley Y and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, a submission from Impact Multi Academy Trust, and an article from The Times newspaper dated 18^th September 2017.

The Chairman was pleased to welcome Daniel Taegtmeyer, Head of Integrated Commissioning and Transformation (Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group), Dr Jenny Selway, Consultant in Public Health Medicine (LBB), Claire Ely, Director (Bromley Y), Ernest Noad, Chairman (Bromley Wellbeing Service), and Beverley Mack, Associate Director and Stephen Whitmore, Director: Children and Young People’s Services (Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust) to the meeting.

Daniel Taegtmeyer, Head of Integrated Commissioning and Transformation (Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group)

The Head of Integrated Commissioning and Transformation advised Members that the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group worked in partnership with the Local Authority and a range of strategic and voluntary partners to support the delivery of the referral and treatment pathway for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).  There had been an increasing demand for emotional wellbeing and mental health needs services over recent years.  It had been projected at a national level that approximately 10% of the 0 to 18 years population had diagnosable emotional wellbeing and mental health needs which equated to a potential cohort of 7500 children and young people in Bromley.  The key challenge was to identify how children and young people could be supported to keep mentally well and to ensure that the pathway to access services enabled the right care to be provided in the right place at the right time to those requiring support. 

The children and young people’s emotional wellbeing and mental health referral and care pathway in Bromley had undergone a significant redesign in 2014/15.  Previously based on a structured model of tiers, the single point of access model established a clear treatment pathway to meet the needs of children and young people with emotional wellbeing and mental health needs, strengthening service pathways across a range of partners and providing additional capacity.  The early intervention emotional wellbeing service delivered by Bromley Y was launched in December 2014 and worked to triage referrals, providing interventions where appropriate and referring service users to other specialist services such as CAMHS, Bromley Children’s Project or substance misuse services.  The CAMHS Transformation Plan had been developed to invest additional resources in the local system to increase capacity and help address key issues including waiting times as well as improving access to a range of specialist services including those for eating disorders and autism spectrum disorder.

In considering a range of information provided regarding the social and complexity factors identified in children and young people accessing the wellbeing service and specialist Oxleas CAMHS services, the Head of Integrated Commissioning and Transformation confirmed that this information was collected and collated by separate organisations.  The Chairman underlined the potential to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

The Committee agreed that a further meeting of the Select Committee be arranged once the provisional report had been drafted to enable Members to contribute to the report before it was presented to the next meeting of Council.