(1)       In the interest of transparency Councillor Bacon disclosed an interest in Minute as 16 she was a Unison Member.

(2)       In the interest of transparency Councillor Mullaney disclosed an interest in Minute 16 as she worked in the early years sector.

(3)       In the interest of transparency all those who were school governors disclosed an interest.

Action:           City Solicitor

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2018 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Fatima Butt/Jill Bell – 01274 432227/4580)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2018 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic Director or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

(Fatima Butt - 01274 432227)

There were no appeals submitted by the public to review decisions to restrict documents.

The Committee is asked to note any referrals and decide how it wishes to proceed, for example by incorporating the item into the work programme, requesting that it be subject to more detailed examination, or refer it to an appropriate Working Group/Committee.

No referrals had been received.

In January 2018, the Secretary of State for Education published the delivery plan for the Bradford Opportunity Area. The plan was developed by the local partnership board. The board brings together local education providers, voluntary sector education and community organisations, employers, Department for Education (DfE) and Bradford Council. The board is led by the independent chair, Anne-Marie Canning MBE, Director of Social Mobility and Student Success at Kings College, London.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services will present Document “D” which reports on the Bradford Plan and its four priorities for action over the next two years and subsequent targets for improvement.

The report confirms activity and investment to date, underway, and programmed for the next academic year and beyond. Highlights include: £1.5m for school improvement in at least 25 underperforming schools, with 4 schools already receiving support; just under £1m to establish and run a Centre of Applied Educational Research, leading work to overcome health barriers to learning; and a new £480,000 investment on parental engagement in children’s learning.

Recommended-

That the progress be noted.

                                               (Kathryn Loftus – 01274 434590)

In January 2018, the Secretary of State for Education published the delivery plan for the Bradford Opportunity Area. The plan was developed by the local partnership board. The board brought together local education providers, voluntary sector education and community organisations, employers, Department for Education (DfE) and Bradford Council. The board was led by the independent chair, Anne-Marie Canning MBE, Director of Social Mobility and Student Success at Kings College, London.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services presented Document “D” which reported on the Bradford Plan and its four priorities for action over the next two years and subsequent targets for improvement.

The report confirmed activity and investment to date, underway, and programmed for the next academic year and beyond. Highlights included: £1.5m for school improvement in at least 25 underperforming schools, with 4 schools already receiving support; just under £1m to establish and run a Centre of Applied Educational Research, leading work to overcome health barriers to learning; and a new £480,000 investment on parental engagement in children’s learning.

Members were informed that the programme had 4 key priority areas which were strengthening school leadership and the quality of teaching, parents and place: literacy and learning, improving access to rewarding careers and removing health barriers to learning.

It was reported that Appendix “A” provided a breakdown of key investments and achievements that had taken place and the future work planned across the four priority areas.

A representative of DFE who was working with the Bradford Opportunity Area Programme spoke about the positive way Bradford worked with its partners. He felt the programme was promising and would deliver the goals of the four priority areas; there was a development plan in place on how the programme would work which went up to July 2020.

The Chair of the Bradford Opportunity Area Board spoke about the positive work of the Board and its Membership.  She reported that Bradford was huge compared to other opportunity areas and that there was plenty of backing and support from the wider community. She asked Members to talk about the Opportunity Area Programme in the Wards they represented.

Members commented on a number of issues which included:

·         What was the feedback from the 21,000 young people aged 13-18 that had accessed “meaningful encounters” with employers, through the Careers and Enterprise Company’s work to link schools and employers?

·         In terms of the Board what checks and balances were in place and how did they consider whether a programme was value for money?

·         What was the breakdown of schools and funding in Keighley West and would like to receive information on the young ambassadors?

·         It would be useful to have information on the life skills programme for all wards.

·         Was the programme linking into the voluntary sector and hard to reach young people?

·         Was the work linked to Children’s Centres? Children’s Centres were already aware of vulnerable families, where these children being picked up by the programme?

·         Was there capacity to provide the system-led school support programme?  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

The Committee has asked for regular updates to be provided on the work of the Schools Forum.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services will submit Document “E” which reports that the last update was presented to the Committee on 11 April 2018. The Schools Forum had met three times since, most recently on the 19 September 2018 and section 3 of the report provides further details on the most prominent matter of National Funding Formula as well as updates on items of interest to the Committee.

Recommended-

That the information provided in the update (Document “E”) be noted.

                                              (Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

The Committee had asked for regular updates to be provided on the work of the Schools Forum.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services submitted Document “E” which reported that the last update was presented to the Committee on 11 April 2018. The Schools Forum had met three times since, most recently on the 19 September 2018 and section 3 of the report provided further details on the most prominent matter of National Funding Formula as well as updates on items of interest to the Committee.

It was reported that 4 more primary schools had converted to academies and as at 1 September 2018 there were now 116 maintained schools, 20 more schools were looking at converting to academies their conversion would take place in 12 months time and the majority of secondary schools would be academised.

Members were informed that as in 2018/19, the Schools Block in 2019/20 was ring-fenced but there was flexibility to transfer monies to the High Needs Block; up to 0.5% (which was £2.1m for Bradford) subject to the School Forum’s approval after consultation with all schools, without the need for Secretary of State approval (transfers greater than 0.5% required Secretary of State approval). The Service did not enact a transfer in 2018/19.

Resolved-

That the information provided in the update (Document “E”) be noted.

On the 3 April 2018, the Executive agreed to implement the Family Hubs model for delivering prevention and early help to babies, children and young people from October 2018.

The Strategic Director Children’s Services will submit Document “F” which provides an update on implementation since April 2018 with a specific focus on area based planning.

Recommended-

That the report (Document “F”) and progress to date be noted.

                                                            (Jim Hopkinson – 01274 432904)

On the 3 April 2018, the Executive agreed to implement the Family Hubs model for delivering prevention and early help to babies, children and young people from October 2018.

The Strategic Director Children’s Services submitted Document “F”  which provided an update on implementation since April 2018 with a specific focus on area based planning.

It was reported that the new Family Hubs model, to be led by Family Hubs Area Advisory Networks and four 0-19 area teams, would provide:

·      Co-ordination and an information network across universal and targeted support in a cluster area;

·      Focused work which built family relationships and improved children’s outcomes;

·      Reduced family poverty and support social mobility;

·      Co-location of key teams, particularly with the 0-19 children’s public health service.

Members were informed that Under the Family Hubs model the Service would continue to provide the following services district-wide:

·         Early Help Gateway (including Families Information Service and SEND Local Offer) which would be a single point of contact for advice on prevention and early help linking together on-line and phone based advice, information and referral routes;

·         Oversight of educational support, including children missing from education (Education Safeguarding service);

·         Specialist behaviour support and inclusion for children and young people with special education needs and disabilities;

·         Short breaks for disabled children and young people;

·         Intensive Family support/Family Group Conferences to prevent children and young people coming into care.

It was reported that each of the four area Family Hubs Prevention and Early Help Teams would be made up of:                         

·         1 x FTE (full-time equivalent) Family Hub team manager

·        2 x FTE Senior Family Key Workers each supervising 7 x FTE Family Key Workers (14 x FTE in total).

·         1 x FTE Senior Prevention Worker supervising 7 x FTE Prevention Workers and 1 X FTE Access & Take Up Worker

·         Business Support Officers

Members were informed that each area would also be supported by key workers (‘one worker, one family, one plan’) provided under the Families First and Stronger Families projects lead by Barnardos.

Members made the following comments:

·         were staff confident working with different age ranges where at one time they would only be dealing with a certain age range?

·         How was the service ensuring that families continue to receive the same support worker in the new model?

·         How was the service ensuring the retention of staff?

In response to Members comments it was reported that:

·         there was an online self assessment training tool which each worker would access and self assess themselves in the various areas; each team would have a mix of workers in them who are used to dealing with various age ranges.

·         Workers would continue supporting the families they were working with; some workers had taken voluntary redundancy and families supported by these workers would be moved to other workers.

·         Recruitment and retention of staff requiring a Level 3 Qualification had not been a problem for the Service.

Resolved-

That a further report be submitted to the Committee in 12 months time which includes:

·         The current  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

The report of the Chair of the Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Document “G”) presents the Committee’s Work Programme 2018-19.

Recommended -

That the Work programme 2018-19 continues to be regularly reviewed during the year.

(Licia Woodhead – 01274 432119)

The report of the Chair of the Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Document “G”) presented the Committee’s Work Programme for 2018-19.

A Member of the Committee requested that the Schools Forum report on Place Planning be submitted to Members of the Committee.

It was reported that the School Travel Service report scheduled for the 10 October would now be moved to the December meeting of the Committee.

Members were informed of a joint meeting of the Children’s Services and Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee which would take place on the 5 February 2019 to consider the Mental Health of Young People.

Resolved-

That the Work Programme 2018-19 continues to be regularly reviewed during the year.

Action:           Overview and Scrutiny Lead