Minutes:
The Portfolio Holder gave an update to Members on work being undertaken across the Children, Education & Families Portfolio since the Committee’s last meeting in February 2018.
The Portfolio Holder began his update by welcoming Councillor Nicky Dykes as the new Executive Assistant for the Portfolio.
Since the last meeting the agenda across the Portfolio had been busy. A number of service areas had been monitored over the last two years and this had necessitated a number of visits to services to review both progress and the well-being of staff. Since the last meeting the following service areas had received a visit from the Portfolio Holder:
The Portfolio Holder remained impressed with the passion and commitment of all the staff delivering services to vulnerable young people in the Borough. The Portfolio Holder recommended to the Committee that it may be helpful during the course of the year for Members to focus on the Care Leavers side of the work that was undertaken by the Local Authority.
Since the last meeting two Ofsted Monitoring Visits had taken place; one focusing on Early Intervention and one focusing on Vulnerabilities - Gangs, Missing and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Feedback from the Early Intervention visit had been extremely positive with Inspectors praising the work of the Service and highlighting the Service as an area of best practice. It had been noted earlier in the Portfolio Holder’s update that the Independent Chairman of Bromley Safeguarding Children Board had described this particular service as “the Jewel in Bromley’s Crown”.
It was noted that issues around Gangs and CSE was an area of growing concern both locally and nationally. Whilst the outcome of this monitoring visit, which had taken place in June 2018, remained embargoed, the Portfolio Holder reported that the feedback received from Inspectors had been positive.
As the Local Authority now looked towards the full Ofsted Inspection, which was expected to take place later in the year, there was now a focus on ensuring the sustainability of the improvements that had been made resulting from the Children’s Service Improvement Plan.
In addition to the Ofsted Monitoring visits, the Department for Education (DfE) had also been working with the Local Authority. Mark Riddell MBE, National Implementation Adviser for Care Leavers, had spent some time working with the Local Authority and had provided some positive feedback. The Local Authority and its Partners had also been involved in focus groups with representatives from the DfE.
In terms of Education, representatives from the Local Authority and met with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) concerning Bullers Wood. A revised planning application had been submitted and the appeal from the previous planning application was awaited.
A number of schools had also received good Ofsted Inspection outcomes.
Addressing the issues that had recently appeared in the press concerning the Independent School Darul Uloom, the DfE had been the main driver in taking the school to Court. Two teachers had since been removed from the school and following this the Court had found no reason to close the school down.
A number of internal Boards continued to regularly meet to oversee service development including: SEND Governance Board; the Corporate Parenting Board, the Children’s Service Improvement Governance Board, and the YOS Management Board.
The Portfolio Holder reported that he continued to meet with both the Living in Care Council (LiCC) and the Bromley Youth Council (BYC).
The Portfolio Holder had also attended the very successful Care Leavers’ BBQ and the LinCC Bowling Challenge.
The Portfolio Holder concluded by thanking the former Mayor, Councillor Kathy Bance, for highlighting the role of Corporate Parents in her departing Mayor’s speech at the recent Annual Council.
The Chairman noted that the Portfolio Holder had referred to a number of Boards operating across his Portfolio and requested that a structure chart be provided to the Committee.
Action Point 2: That a structure chart of Boards operating across the Children, Education & Families Portfolio be forwarded to Members of the Committee.
In response to questions from the Committee the Portfolio Holder addressed the following issues:
Update on Catholic Education in Bromley
The Portfolio Holder reported that the Government were due to be issuing guidance containing a proposal to create a route for opening new faith schools that were not eligible under the 50% criteria. Further guidance and detail on the new proposals was awaited. Officers had been due to meet with the Diocese in July but the meeting had been cancelled and would be rearranged.
The proposals appeared to indicate that any new school would be 90% Government funded (with 10% of the funding coming from the Diocese).
In response to questions surrounding the issues of whether the schools would in fact be 100% funded and whether land contributed by the Diocese would be included in any 10% contribution, the Director of Education stated that further guidance would be issued by the Government in July and the guidance should address these issues. Currently contributions of land were not eligible to be included in any Diocese funding contribution and therefore the guidance would need to address this specific point.
Early Intervention in Relation to Gangs and the Impact of the Closure of Youth Courts Across London
There was a school programme concerning gangs which fell under the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Enforcement. Secondary Schools had indicated that they appreciated the programme and feedback was good. The Local Authority was working in collaboration with the Police who were very engaged with the new Borough Commander particularly sighted on the issue.
In terms of the response of the Local Authority, the Director of Children’s Social Care reported that a new Missing Exploitation and Gang Affiliation (MEGA) Panel had been brought together which combined the work of the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and the MAP meetings . The new MEGA Panel identified children that were at risk and looked at the support that would be required to reduce risk. There was a clear need to reach out to young people and work with them. The Director of Children’s Social Care also reported that sustainability of interventions needed to be reviewed as well as opportunities for closer working with other London Boroughs.
The Director of Children’s Social Care reported that the aim was to conduct return home interviews within 72 hours after the return of a missing child. The interviews were conducted by two Return Home interviewers independent of the case holding social worker but employed by the Local Authority. The improvements that had been made were contributing to the development of more comprehensive profiles which were assisting with the tracking of young peoples’ networks.
Barnardos also provided a 12-week intensive one to one session with vulnerable children and their families or foster carers.
In terms of proposals to close some Youth Courts across London and move more to Bromley; the Chairman noted that as a result of the proposals seven London Boroughs would be sending youth offenders to Bromley. Under the current arrangements the cases for youth offenders from different boroughs were heard on different days of the week, thus maintaining a separation between possible gang members from different boroughs. The Youth Court did not meet seven days a week and this could pose challenges in the future in terms of maintaining potential gang member separation. The Director of Children’s Social Care reported that representatives from the Council would be meeting with the Court in the next few weeks in order to set out the concerns of the Local Authority.
It was also noted that Lewisham Council had proposed to rehouse some of their young people near Streetwise in Penge. The Local Authority had already raised concerns about the proposals with Lewisham and the issue had been considered at the MEGA Panel. In addition to this the Police had raised concerns and wider discussions were taking place with Partners in Lewisham. It was noted that there had been a critical incident in Penge in 2017 and in light of this the issues were being escalated with colleagues in Lewisham.
In terms of driving improvement within the Youth Offending Service (YOS); the YOS Management Board continued to meet. There had been an increase in caseloads but this increase had been from a low base. The YOS Improvement Action Plan and recommendations were being worked through at good pace and attention was now turning to staffing.
Leadership of the Education Department
No appointment had been made following the recent recruitment round. Other options were being considered including offering an opportunity for secondment to Head Teachers.
Ofsted Monitoring Visits
The feedback from recent Ofsted monitoring visits had been pleasing. The voice of the child was reflected in the monitoring visits and at each visit Inspectors asked to speak to young people and their foster carers.
The LinCC and the Corporate Parenting Board (which was co-chaired by a young person) were the children’s voice and the main forums in which the Local Authority was held to account by young people. The Department had established a range of events for CLA of all ages and hearing the children’s voice was central to all the activity of the Portfolio.
One positive change that had been highlighted by the young people was the stability of the work force. The stability which was slowly being established enables relationship building. Schools had also provided positive feedback concerning consistency of social workers.
Areas for improvement included transition into adulthood and the support that is available. In addition the Director of Social Care acknowledged that whilst there had been considerable achievements in securing a more permanent workforce, there were still more to do and it was anticipated by the autumn we would have established around 90% permanent staff.
Schools Admissions
The Portfolio Holder reported that it was his understanding that it was still Harris’s intention to admit pupils from Harris Primary Schools to Harris Aspire.
The Director of Education reported that she did not have figures concerning the number of Bromley children who had been directed to Croydon schools. However, it was stressed that if a child had been directed towards Croydon it would be because it was their nearest school. The Director agreed to provide figures to the Committee following the meeting.
Action Point 3: That the Director of Education provide the Committee with details of the number of Bromley children directed to Croydon schools.
Planning Applications for Schools and School Place Planning
The Local Authority had received an assurance from the ESFA that Bullers Wood School for Boys would be ready for September. The planning application had been submitted and would be processed as quickly as possible. Provision of the school was the responsibility of the ESFA who had provided reassurance that the school would be ready. As a last resort, if there was any indication of any delay that would cause interruption to the new pupils, it was the Local Authority’s responsibility to find places for those affected however every effort would be made to ensure that the children would go to Bullers Wood. The Portfolio Holder again highlighted the disconnect between the Local Authority’s responsibility to provide more school places and the challenges from the Planning Committee. The Chairman expressed his concern about the time left to bring the former DHSS building at 1 Westmoreland Road into good order for the school to be open at the beginning of September and requested that Members of the Committee be kept updated in relation to its preparation and completion for the new school term.
Action Point 4: That the Committee be kept updated in relation to Bullers Wood School for Boys.
In terms of the supply of school places across the Borough: in the secondary sector, if all the plans materialised there would be ample places; in the primary sector overall across the Borough there was surplus. However there were some local pressures resulting from the more localised nature of primary education. The Portfolio Holder highlighted the need to review the manner in which place planning across the Borough was approached.
The Director of Education also gave the Committee an update in relation to the acadamisation agenda.
Primary Outreach Service
The Director of Education reported that the Service was coming to the end of its first term of operation. Positive feedback had been received and the impact of the Service needed to be analysed prior to any consideration of funding for the longer term.
Aeronautical College at Biggin Hill
A Member asked the Portfolio Holder about the use of monies in the Growth fund to support the proposed Aeronautical College at Biggin Hill Airport. The Chairman asked why having received a letter from the Council in June 2017 in support of the College and a commitment of up to £3m from the fund this had been transmuted into a proposed loan at 6%. The Portfolio Holder said that this matter was being overseen by the Chief Executive’s Department. The Chairman requested that the Chief Executive provide an update to the next meeting.
Action Point 5: That the Chief Executive provide an update to the next meeting concerning the Aeronautical College at Biggin Hill.
RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder update be noted.