The Strategic Director, Children’s Services will submit Document “AF” which reports on the contingency plans in place that will allow education to take place and continue whether there is or is not a further or extended COVID19 local lockdown across the District.

The report will also outline the additional funding approved by Executive in June 2020 to support the post Covid recovery for education.

Recommended-

That the contents of the report (Document “AF”) be noted and the delivery of the Post Covid Educational Recovery Programme be supported.

                                                                        (Marium Haque – 01274 431078)

Officers from Bradford Councils Children’s Services explained the contingency plans that were in place which would allow education to take place and continue whether there is or is not a further or extended COVID19 local lockdown, across the District.

The report also set out the additional funding approved by the Executive in June 2020, to support the post COVID recovery for education.

Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny members were keen to understand if Bradford Council was actually considering a local circuit break, for instance like extending the half term holidays.

In response, officers from Bradford Councils Childrens Services stated that any such decision would be taken by Government and Public Health and that Children’s Services would then respond.

Members then wanted to know that if there was an additional lockdown, how far was Bradford Council is distributing appropriate Laptops, to those that needed them, as well as those children who do not even have the internet and equipment to Young Carers.

Officers indicated that at the moment they were in the early stages of laptop roll-out and were looking more in the long term and providing devices to a wide range of children, including the pre-school sector.  Furthermore, part of the strategy also related to providing internet access and equipment to Young Carers.

Members were also keen to explore in terms of managing the outbreak, why different advice had been given to staff about having a COVID19 test.

In response, officers highlighted that all schools across the District had been given clear advice and that they were also working with colleagues in Public Health.  Moreover, testing advice is being communicated consistently and is being understood.

Members questioned officers about schools that are financially struggling and the measures that are in place to ensure that money is being used in the right way.  As well as this, members wanted to understand why only Maths had been identified and why not English;  as if a child cannot understand in the first place, they will struggle with the rest of their work.

Officers stated that they would be starting with Maths first and then would be moving to English, specifically looking at comprehension, text and question analysis.

In relation to mental health, members indicated that there appeared to be insufficient support for mental health capacity and that whether five Therapeutic Officers were enough to meet the enormous demands of schools across the District.

In response, officers highlighted that they had the support from the entire Counselling Support Service, through the Clinical Commissioning Groups. 

There are also mental health projects which are for those children that will require something over and above, for instance more specialist and support, which is unique to their circumstances.

In addition to this, members were keen to understand what the process for this was and who decides which groups have additional vulnerabilities.

Children’s Services officers replied by saying that discussions take place with the school, family and health services, to determine the support required.

Resolved-

That the contents of the report (Document “AF) were considered and that the Post Covid Educational Recovery Plan including the action plan be presented to the next meeting of this Committee which:

·         also includes more detailed information on the £1.2 million additional capital funding committed to support post covid recovery for the provision of digital devices

·         and detailed information of the £715,000 revenue funding which has been identified to provide tuition programmes and the creation of a small team of education therapeutic officers.

Action:           Strategic Director, Children’s Services

                                                                        (Marium Haque – 01274 431078)