Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest made at this meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public or the press.

There were no issues to report at this meeting.

FOR MONITORING

(1) A number of scrutiny reviews were near to completion and the reports would be available in the near future:-

-     the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum (study by the Youth Cabinet);

-     closure of schools during severely inclement weather;

-     corporate parenting arrangements (review by the Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel).

(2) National No Smoking Day on Wednesday, 10^th March, 2010 – Scrutiny Panel members were invited to make pledges either to give up smoking themselves or, for non-smokers, to help others to quit smoking.

(3) Scrutiny Panel Members would be invited to attend a visit to STEPS (Support Therapy Education Prevention Service) at Chatham House, Rotherham on Friday, 9^th April, 2010.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Director of Children and Young People's Services Community Services containing information on the progress of the production of a Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy for Rotherham. The report stated that prevention/early intervention and integration was one of the work streams agreed with the Department for Children, Schools and Families as an area for improvement following the Ofsted unannounced inspection in August 2009 and the resulting notice to improve for Rotherham’s Children and Young People’s Services.

Members noted that key developments are:-

-     completion of the continuum of needs, developing the risk factors which identify a child or family as being vulnerable in some way;

-     the Prevention and Early Intervention Framework;

-     a key Children’s Centre in each Learning Community to be used as a base for meetings about concerns about vulnerable children and families;

-     Learning Community School early intervention meetings;

-     extending the Youth Support Early Intervention Teams working with slightly older young people who remain at risk;

-     refreshing the Common Assessment Framework;

-     establishing multi-agency Early Intervention Panels;

-     developing ‘Think Family’ methods of working;

-     embedding the Parenting Strategy within prevention and early intervention work;

-     the need to reallocate resources to prevention and early intervention work;.

The Scrutiny Panel discussed the following issues:-

-     relevant national performance indicators;

-     the Common Assessment Framework;

-     making use of appropriate voluntary sector services;

-     ensuring that organisations continue to work together, signing up to the strategy and making best use of available resources, in support of vulnerable children and families;

-     Sure Start provision;

-     support for schools in dealing with vulnerable pupils.

-     ensuring that there is a ‘common’ terminology across different strategies, particularly in relation to tiers of intervention;

-     how the Council works and communicates with agencies outside the Borough area.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the strategy to reallocate resources to prevention, by early support and intervention with children and families, as described in the report submitted, is noted and supported.

(3) That a copy of the most recently revised edition of the Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy for Rotherham be provided for all Members of this Scrutiny Panel.

(4) That a progress report about the Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy for Rotherham be submitted to a meeting of the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel in six months’ time.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Children and Families Special Needs Manager concerning the Young Carers Service in Rotherham, which is provided by Barnardo’s. The report stated that the initial three year contract with Barnardo’s, due to end on 31^st March, 2010, has been extended until 30^th April, 2011. Preparations are currently underway to ensure that the Joint Carers Strategy and the Young Carers Commissioning Strategy are refreshed and updated to inform a competitive tendering process for a new contract from April, 2011.  Between 1st April, 2009 and 31st December, 2009 Barnardo’s were in contact with 83 Young Carers, exceeding the terms of their contract and a significant increase on the numbers in 2008. The Healthy Schools Enhancement Model is currently in its pilot phase and work to raise awareness about Young Carers will form part of this pilot. The 2009 Lifestyle Survey indicates that there are still a significant number of Young Carers who are not engaged with the service provided by Barnardo’s. 

The Rotherham Joint Carers’ Strategy 2008-2011 was appended to the report submitted.

The Scrutiny Panel’s discussion of this issue included the following salient issues:-

-     the impact upon resources of future reductions in public expenditure;

-     the need to identify accurately the number of young carers in Rotherham (eg: liaison with adult social services; health services);

-     the inclusion of a priority dedicated to young carers, within the Rotherham Joint Carers Strategy.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That this Scrutiny Panel supports:-

-     the development of a Young Carers Commissioning Strategy;

-     the refreshed Joint Carers Strategy, responding to the needs of Young Carers;

-     the commissioning of a Direct Service provider to deliver the Young Carers’ Service from April, 2011;

-     the development of a local Memorandum of Understanding to ensure an integrated approach by Children and Young People's Services and Neightbourhoods and Adult Services to support young carers;

(3) That a further report be submitted to a future meeting of this Scrutiny Panel, after the commissioning of Service Providers for April, 2011.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Principal Catering Officer concerning the research, undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University, into the factors influencing the take up of school meals in Rotherham schools.  The report outlined the research methodology, highlighted key issues found, the conclusions reached and proposed action that partners from Education Catering Services, Healthy Schools and the NHS Rotherham Public Health Obesity Team intend to implement to address these issues.

Members noted that Communities for Health funding was secured for this research, the basis of which included two specific questions:-

i)  What factors influence school meals take up in Rotherham?

ii) What are the solutions that can be implemented to increase the take up?

The research had been undertaken by the Centre for Education Inclusion Research at Sheffield Hallam University between September and December 2009.

The research used a combination of pupil surveys, focus groups (pupil and staff) and interviews with parents, teachers and staff. A total of 15 schools (11 primary and 4 secondary) were involved, with a total of 979 pupils surveyed.

Attached to the submitted report was a draft action plan to address the recommendations of the research. The action plan was prepared jointly by NHS Rotherham Public Health Obesity Team, Healthy Schools and Education Catering Services.

The Scrutiny Panel’s discussion of this issue included the following salient points:-

- take-up of school meals;

- choice of menu – pupils’ use of different coloured wrist bands in primary schools;

- preference for the use of plates, instead of flight trays, for serving meals;

- length of lunch breaks in schools;

- different types of service of meals – eg: cafeteria-style or service at tables;

- vulnerable children for whom the school meal may be the main meal of the day;

- health promotion and the healthy schools initiative.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That there be acknowledgement of the wider implications of the report to existing Local Area Agreement targets and priorities such as National Indicators numbers 52, 56, 57 and PSA 12.

(3) That the contents of the action plan, as now submitted, be noted.

MINUTES

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Performance and quality Manager outlining the performance of the Children and Young People's Services’ Directorate at the end of the third quarter 2009/10 (December 2009). The report provided analysis against targets, direction of travel against previous performance and, where possible, comparisons with the statistical neighbour local authorities and national data.

Members noted the positive direction of travel across all themes, with 66% of indicators improving or maintaining top performance since the previous report. Actions were being taken to improve those indicators currently not meeting target.

Discussion took place on the inspections of the Authority’s Children’s Homes.

It was also noted that Scrutiny Panel members were welcome to attend the performance clinics.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the Performance Report and the accompanying Assessment and performance table be received and the performance noted.

(3) That the recommendations regarding performance clinics be noted.

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel held on 5^th February, 2010 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services, held on 2nd February, 2010, 10th February, 2010 and on 24th February, 2010, be noted.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes of the meeting of the Children’s Board held on 3^rd February, 2010 be noted.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes of the meeting of the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee held on 29th January, 2010, be noted.