Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer.

Appendix B - Cabinet Member - Education - Update Report – To Follow.

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer submitting the most recent update reports from the Cabinet Member – Children’s Social Care, and the Cabinet Member – Education, whose portfolios fell within the remit of the Committee.

The Cabinet Member update report – Children’s Social Care, attached to the report at Appendix A, outlined information on the following:

·       Children’s Social Care;

·       Youth Justice Service; and

·       Reframe – a New Intervention.

The Cabinet Member update report – Education, attached to the report at Appendix B, outlined information on the following:

·       Education Excellence;

·       Schools;

·       St Teresa’s RC Infant and Nursery School;

·       Sacred Heart Catholic College;

·       Savio Salesian College;

·       Exams, assessments and tests;

·       Attendance;

·       Inspecting Local Authority Children’s Services (ILACs);

·       Virtual School;

·       Update on Children Missing Education (CME) and Elective Home Education (EHE); and

·       Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Councillors Doyle and  Roscoe attended the meeting to present their reports and to respond to any questions or issues raised by Members of the Committee.

Members of the Committee asked questions/raised issues on the following:

·       Fees associated with the international recruitment of social workers.

·       Strategies used to support newly qualified social workers.

·       Parity of esteem between Overview and Scrutiny and the Cabinet.

·       Other partner organisations involved in the Improvement Board.

·       Investment in the Social Work Academy.

·       The impact of smaller caseloads for newly qualified social workers on existing social workers.

·       The possibility of apprenticeships.

·       Maintaining children with SEND in mainstream schools.

·       The correlation between school attendance and performance.

·       Fines for non-attendance of school in different areas of the Borough.

·       Inclusivity in schools.

·       Academisation of high schools and the relationship with the local authority education authority.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the update reports from the Cabinet Member – Children’s Social Care and the Cabinet Member – Education be noted;

(2)      the Head of Children’s Social Care be requested to submit a report on recruitment and support for newly qualified social workers to the Committee in 6 months’ time; and

(3)      information regarding attendance and sanctions be provided by the Head of Education to the Senior Democratic Services Officer for circulation to Members of the Committee.