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 matters referred from the Youth Cabinet.

A request for four or five Scrutiny Panel Members to be involved in working groups to respond to these Government consultations:

·         Financial Support for 16 to 19 year olds in Education or Training

·         Inspection 2012: Proposals for inspection arrangements for maintained schools and academies from January 2012  

FOR MONITORING

(1) The Scrutiny Panel received the resignations of co-opted member of Mrs. Tracey Guest and Mr. Michael Burn; it was agreed that letters be sent to Mrs. Guest and Mr. Burn thanking them for their services to this Scrutiny Panel.

(2) The following Members were appointed to the scrutiny review panels shown:-

(i) Financial Support for 16 to 19 year olds in Education or Training – Councillors Fenoughty and Kaye;

(ii) Inspection 2012: Proposals for inspection arrangements for maintained schools and academies from January 2012  - Councillors Buckley, Fenoughty and Kaye.

(3) The Chairman stated that this meeting was the last one of the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel in its present form and thanked Members and officers for their contributions to its role and function.

FOR DISCUSSION

Further to Minute No. 103 of the meeting of the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel held on 18^th February, 2011, consideration was given to a report presented by the Performance and Quality Manager providing an overview of the progress made since the update in February 2011. The action plan identifies a Red-Amber-Green rating and a direction of travel for the areas of improvement, and key risks and issues to meeting the stretching targets set for this Council and its strategic partners. Two additional actions have been added in relation to work around lessons learned from intervention seminars which have been attended and the actions from the recent Adoption Inspection. There are now thirty five individual actions covering the key performance measures (including the three social care indicators) in addition to the operational targets around Staying Safe, Enjoying and Achieving, Leadership and Management and Capacity Building, Performance Management, and Recruitment and Retention and the Children’s Services Assessment recommendations and two actions following the meeting held with the Department for Education in December 2010.

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

:     social care indicators;

:     recruitment/retention of social workers and the costs of employing agency staff;

:     review of assessments and clearing the backlog of assessments;

:     continuing improvement in the use of the common assessment framework;

:     out-of-area placements of looked after children;

:     early intervention and prevention;

:     comparison with the Council’s statistical neighbours.

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

(2) That the progress being made against the targets set in the Notice to Improve be noted.

(3) That the Scrutiny forward plan shall include a review of:-

(i) the quality and quantity of contacts, referrals, initial and core assessments; and

(ii) the recruitment and retention of social workers and the impact throughout South Yorkshire.

Further to Minute No. 82 of the meeting of the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel held on 12^th January, 2009, consideration was given to a report presented by the Strategic Leader, Attendance and Parenting describing the current situation in schools regarding support from the Children and Young Peoples Services Anti-Bullying Strategy and Anti-Bullying Development Officer. The strategy supports schools to develop systems and policies where learners feel safe and able to report any concerns regarding bullying.

Details were also provided of the progress being made against the recommendations of the scrutiny review of bullying in schools.

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

- schools’ commitment to the Anti-Bullying Standard;

- the reporting and recording of bullying incidents;

- identifying and defining bullying;

- the role of the local authority as advocate of the child.

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

(2) That this Scrutiny Panel expresses the view that consideration must be given to the long term financial implications of the further development of the anti-bullying strategy in Rotherham.

FOR INFORMATION

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Senior Director for Schools and Lifelong Learning, concerning the implications of the Education Bill 2011 for Rotherham’s schools, children and young people. The supporting documents included with the report were:-

(i) a summary of “The Importance of Teaching. The Schools White Paper 2010”;

(ii) Sustaining School Improvement in Rotherham from April 2011;

(iii) School Improvement Partnership Model (April 2011);  and

(iv) the draft Memorandum of Understanding between the Borough Council and schools.

The presentation to the meeting and the Scrutiny Panel’s subsequent discussion included the following salient items:-

- the new schools system – academies, trust schools and free schools;

- the role of school governors;

- the key challenges of the Education Bill 2011;

- future vision : the Rotherham school improvement partnership model (with funding from the Dedicated Schools Grant);

- the principles of Transforming Rotherham Learning;

- the criteria of and role of ‘teaching schools’;

- training for teachers.

Resolved:- (1) That the report and supporting documents be received and their contents noted.

(2) That the Council’s Scrutiny process shall continue to monitor the implementation of the arrangements, as now reported, to ensure they deliver improved outcomes for children and young people in the Rotherham Borough area.

MINUTES

Further to Minute No. 114(1) of the meeting of the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel held on 18^th March, 2011, consideration was given to a report presented by the Senior Scrutiny Adviser concerning ‘Safe and Sustainable’, the NHS review into the future of children’s congenital heart services in England. This review has made recommendations to change the current service model. Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees are being consulted as part of the statutory consultation process.  Discussion took place on the proposed national quality standards of care and it was noted that the consultation period would last until 1^st July 2011.

The report detailed the four options for the number and location of hospitals which are to provide children’s heart surgical services in the future.

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

(2) That further progress be reported to Elected Members in due course.

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel held on 18^th March, 2011 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes of the meeting of the Children and Young People’s Trust Board held on 9^th March, 2011, be noted.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Safeguarding and Developing Learning Opportunities for Children held on 15th March, 2011 and on 6th April, 2011, be noted.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes of the meetings of the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee held on 11^th March, 2011, 25^th March, 2011 and on 8^th April, 2011 be noted.