Minutes:
The
Committee scrutinised the following matters:
Cabinet
Board Proposals
7.1 Children and Young People Services Development Plan 2016/17
The Committee received the Children and Young People
Services Development Plan 2016/17, as detailed within the circulated report.
Officers highlighted that the Plan had been called
several different names and wanted to clarify that it was the Children and
Young People Services Strategic Improvement Plan. The Plan had been set out in
the Corporate Format and there was some information missing from the Corporate
Measures and this information would be completed.
Members were informed that the Service was outward
facing and it was explained that the priorities were outlined in an accessible
and concise format. The Service’s vision continued to be “achieving quality,
supporting families and effectively managing risk”. It was noted that the
Service had delivered on its priorities for 2015/16. The number of looked after
children continued to be reduced in a safe way. There were workforce challenges, however, currently there was only one vacancy
across the Service, which was a good achievement.
Members queried what was classed as an unplanned
departure under the Corporate Measures. It was explained that it referred to
employees who had left the service because they had a new job.
The Committee asked how mothers with young babies
were referred to the Service. It was explained that there were two main routes,
the first was they would already been known to social services and a social
worker would be working with them and the second was through the Team Around the Family and early intervention services.
Following scrutiny, it was agreed that the report
be noted.
7.2 Children and Young People Services 1st Quarter
(2016-17) Performance Report
The Committee received the Performance Management
Information for Children’s Services for the 1st Quarter period
(April 2016 to June 2016), as detailed within the circulated report.
Members were informed that there had been an introduction
of a new suite of Welsh Government Statutory Indicators for Children and Young
People Services. However, the previous priority indicators would continue to be
monitored by the Service.
It was highlighted that there had been some fluctuations in
figures due to school holiday times and the Service expected to see the figures
to level out again. For example, there had been an increase in the number of
child protection cases as fewer reviews took place during holiday times.
Members highlighted that the Looked After
Children team had the highest average caseload per worker and asked if this was
a concern. Officers explained that 16 to 17 cases was
not considered to be too high and the cases did not tend to be as intensive as
those held by other teams.
Following scrutiny, it was agreed that the report
be noted.
7.3 Quarterly Performance Management Data 2016-17 – Quarter 1
Performance (1 April 2016 – 30 June 2016)
The Committee received the quarter one performance
management data, complaints and compliments for the period 1 April 2016 to 30
June 2016 for Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning Directorate, as detailed
within the circulated report.
Members were informed that there had been a rise in the
number of statements of special education need and new statements issued within
this period. Officers explained that this was a positive development that was
due early intervention programmes. There were also more children being de-statemented and a report would be brought to a future
meeting regarding this. The Committee highlighted that there had been a spike
in the number of statements in year 6 and 7. Officers explained that this had
been recognised and noted that primary schools met pupils’ needs in a different
way. Data on this area would be included in the report to be brought back.
It was highlighted that attendance had been covered
earlier on it the meeting and work was also being undertaken with schools to
ensure that inset days were spread across the school year, as this could have
been the reason from some absences at the beginning of the school year. The
Committee highlighted that this would also be of benefit to the pupils.
It was noted that there had been a small decline in the
number of contacts with the Youth Service during this period and it was
explained that this tends to be the case during the summer term. In the last
financial year there had been school council elections and this had been the reason
for better performance when comparing with the same time period the year
before.
It was noted that there had been positive performance in
regards to complaints and compliments.
Following scrutiny, it was agreed that the report
be noted.
7.4 Annual Progress Report on Young People who are Not in
Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
The Committee received the report on outcomes and progress
made with young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
or those young people at risk of becoming NEET, as detailed within the
circulated report.
Members were informed that a lot of Neath Port Talbot Youth
Service’s work with NEET young people was funded through various external
funding streams and there was some degree of risk with continued funding.
Members asked if representations could be made for the Service to know the
levels of grant funding they would be receiving each year earlier on. Officers
explained that this had been flagged with Welsh Government.
The NEET Provision within the Service was spread
across separate teams that work closely together to support young people, this
included Keeping in Touch Workers (KIT) and Families First Youth Workers. The
Service worked in close partnership with Job Centre Plus to support young
people to overcome any barriers they have to entering employment. The Service
had mobile provision (the Rolling Zone) that was used as an outreach resource
for young people who were NEET and required additional support. It was noted
that the average attendance this year had dropped and this was mainly due to
KIT workers now referring all young people from Communities First areas on to
the Communities First Cluster teams.
It was highlighted that early intervention was an important
part of this work. Members were provided with case studies that gave them
examples of the positive outcomes resulting from the work undertaken. Members
asked if the Service linked in with Social Services and it was confirmed that
they did, mainly through the Team Around the Family.
Members requested the numbers of young people as well as
the percentage in regards to the improvement in reducing the number of year 11
NEET young people from 4.4% in 2013 to 3.6%. Officers informed the Committee
that 3.6% related to 56 young people.
Youth workers were also trained as Emotional Literacy
Support assistants to assist with supporting the emotional needs of their
pupils. The Families First team had developed a
Transition Programme for young people in Year 6 and 7 and was having positive
results. It was noted that there were concerns regarding transition from
secondary school to further education and work was also being focussed in this
area.
It was highlighted that a lot of engagement work
had been undertaken and there was an engagement strategy in place. There had
been more effective working with Career Wales recently and improvements to data
available. Career Wales had developed a five tier model of engagement for post
16 young people. It was explained that the higher the tier the less work was
required with the young person, for instance tier 5 required less intensive support than tier 3. It was highlighted that young people in
tier 1 were not known to the services and this group was very difficult to
target. Members queried this tier and it was explained that young people in
this tier were known about but there was no information available about their
education or employment status. Members queried what tier 0 referred to and it
was explained that it related to young people who had moved out of the County.
Following scrutiny, it was agreed that the report
be noted.