Agenda and minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 13 June 2023, as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Resolved: - That the Minutes of the meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission, held on 13 June 2023 be approved as a correct record of proceedings.

To receive declarations of interest from Members in respect of items listed on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

Minute 102 (Rotherham Youth Justice Service Progress Report) was part exempt from the press and public. The Chair moved the following resolution:-

That under Section 100(A) 4 of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of such Act indicated, as now amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 (information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual/financial information).

Resolved:- That members of the press and public be excluded for part of this item.

To receive questions relating to items of business on the agenda from members of the public or press who are present at the meeting.

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

To receive communications from the Chair in respect of matters within the Commission’s remit and work programme.

The Chair advised that all the items regarding communication were covered on the agenda.

To consider any updates from the Corporate Parenting Panel.

The Corporate Parenting Panel met on 20 June 2023 and consideration was given to the following items during the meeting:

         •         An update was provided on the closure of the House Project, which included how many children the project had assisted to transition into independence and the next steps in the closure process.

         •         An update was provided on the outcome of the Staying Close funding bid and the feedback provided to the local authority by the Department of Education.

         •         An update was provided on the Corporate Parenting Panel Strategy, including the timescale for the revised strategy.

         •         An update was provided on the Regulation of Sixteen Plus and Dispersed Accommodation, including the relevant timescales, the next steps and potential challenges.

         •         An update was provided by the Looked After Children’s Council, which included an overview of its activities, including the VIP summer festival.

         •         The Performance Monitoring report was presented to the panel, which included trend data, graphical analysis and latest benchmarking data against national and statistical neighbour averages.

The next meeting was of the Corporate Parenting Panel was to be held on Tuesday 12^th September 2023.

The report includes the performance outturn for the reporting year April 2022 to March 2023 for Children and Young People’s Services. It includes areas of performance that are working well alongside other areas where a continued focus is required.

The Chair welcomed the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to the meeting. The Cabinet Member outlined that the report gave an overview of the performance outturn for the reporting year April 2022 to March 2023, for Children and Young People’s Services. It included areas of performance that were working well alongside other areas that required a continued focus.

The Chair invited to the meeting Helen Sweaton, Joint Assistant Director of Commissioning and Performance, Anne Hawke, Head of Service for Performance, David McWilliams, Assistant Director of Early Help and Family Engagement, Nathan Heath, Assistant Director of Education and Inclusion and Monica Green, Assistant Director of Childrens Services. The Chair invited Helen Sweaton and Anne Hawke to give the presentation.

The presentation gave an overview of the following content:

         •         A brief overview of the report highlighted that performance measures were considered against local targets including targets based on benchmarking measures, which were in line with statistical neighbours, national and regional colleagues and demand and activity.

         •         A review of existing measures was conducted throughout the last year to ensure a robust set of measures were in place. As a result of the review there was robust accountability and governance, such as monthly performance boards and quarterly quality assurance days.

         •         The report was the first Children's and Young Peoples Service Performance and Year End PerformanceOutturn Report since the new measures were put in place.

         •         The new format of the scorecard was discussed, an example was provided of the workshop held in March where the new format of the scorecard was provided in detail to members, to assist their understanding of the different iterations of performance.

         •         The new scorecard included 56 performance measures across the service, 22 of those targets could be benchmarked. Some measures were split into various indicators and had multiple components, which include a combination of a count, percentages and a family split.

         •         34 of the performance measures focused on specific activities and/or demand activities. 23 of the measures focused on the education service. The education service measures were separate from the benchmarking and activity measures, due to the timeline of the academic year.

         •         Progress against targets was discussed, this included highlighting that 37% of the measures were below thresholds during the year. 32% of measures were within the amber tolerance range and 31% were above target.

         •         The fluctuation in travel direction was in line with national benchmarking data and reassurance was provided that the service was aware of the fluctuation in travel directions. This was monitored regularly, with oversight provided when required.

         •         The performance data for Early Help and family engagement was discussed, it was advised that there were areas that worked well during the year, an example was provided that 89.3% of families were contacted within 3 working days of allocation, with a target set of 75%.

         •         87.6% of Early Help assessments were completed within 45 days during the year. It was noted that the service was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 101.

This report provides a summary of progress made by Rotherham Youth Justice Service against the following:

• The Action Plan submitted to the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in January 2021 following the HMIP Inspection in September 2020.

• Progress against the ‘Areas for Consideration,’ from the Youth Justice Board (YJB) Sector Led Improvement Peer Review, undertaken in March 2022.

• An update on the actions within the Youth Justice Service Plan 2022-23 Action Plan.

• Key Priorities for the Youth Justice Plan 2023-2024

The accompanying presentation will also highlight recent performance and focus on an area of good practice.

The Chair advised that as the item contained restricted information and as resolved in Minute 97, that the Panel would go into private session for the consideration of this item.

The Chair welcomed the service user and support worker to the meeting. The Chair invited the support worker to introduce the service user and discuss their journey within the Youth Justice Service.

The support worker outlined the circumstances that led to the nine-month referral order being applied. It was advised that the service user had engaged well with the service and completed all required offence specific work. There was a good working relationship between the service user and support worker. The service user had made great achievements since beginning the referral order, such as sitting their GCSE examinations and applying for further education.

The Chair thanked the service user and support worker for attending and invited questions, this led to the following points being raised during discussions:

         •         The CHANCE group had been established with the aim of making services friendlier for children and young people.

         •         The Youth Justice Service were hopeful that the service user present would work with the service to help them share experiences and provide suggested areas for improvement.

The Chair reconvened the meeting in open session.

This report provided a summary of progress made by Rotherham Youth Justice Service against the following:

 •         The Action Plan submitted to the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in January 2021 following the HMIP Inspection in September 2020.

 •         Progress against the ‘Areas for Consideration,’ from the Youth Justice Board (YJB) Sector Led Improvement Peer Review, undertaken in March 2022.

 •         An update on the actions within the Youth Justice Service Plan 2022-23 Action Plan.

 •         Key Priorities for the Youth Justice Plan 2023-2024.

The Chair invited David McWilliams, Assistant Director of Early Help and Family Engagement and Chair of the Rotherham Youth Justice Partnership Board, Zulfiqar Shaffi, Youth Justice Service Manager and Abigail Henser, Senior Family Support Worker and Programme Facilitator to introduce the report and give the presentation.

The presentation gave an overview of the following content:

         •         The three action plans provided showed that all 81 actions had been completed, with robust evidence and scrutiny provided such as the Evidence Challenge Panel, CYPS Performance Assurance Board and the Safer Rotherham Partnership. The Challenge Panel was multi-agency. The Evidence Challenge Panel was multi-agency and provided scrutiny by challenging the action plans. The outcomes of the Evidence Challenge Panel were provided to the Children’s Services Performance Management Boardwhere the evidence and progress was scrutinised. The service also reported to the Safer Rotherham Partnership on a quarterly basis where progress to the action plans was discussed.

         •         The first-time entrance (FTE) was defined as young people who received a youth conditional caution or court order. Rotherham had a reduction of 21% percent, compared to the same period in 2021. Rotherham’s FTE was lower than the national and regional Police Crime Commissioner (PCC) area, and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.

To consider and approve the Commission’s Work Programme.

The Committee considered its Work Programme and the chair provided the following update:

           •         The Work Programme was circulated to members for comment and was considered at Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

           •         The item on Domestic Abuse was yet to be scheduled on the work programme.

           •         The Work Programme would be added to the agenda for each meeting for comment and refinement.

Resolved: - That the Work Programme for 2022/23 be approved.

For the Chair / project group leads to provide an update on the activity regarding sub and project groups of the Improving Lives Select Commission.

There Chair advised that there were no updates to provide.

To consider any item(s) the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair advised that there was no urgent business.

The next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission take place on 12 September 2023 commencing at 10.00am in Rotherham Town Hall.

The next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission take place on 12^th September 2023 commencing at 10am in Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved:- That the next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission take place on 12^th September 2023 commencing at 10am in Rotherham Town Hall.