Southampton City Council
Councillors:
51
Wards:
17
Committees:
23
Meetings (2025):
154
Meetings (2024):
93
Meeting
Children and Families Scrutiny Panel - Southampton
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Thursday, 8th August 2024
5:30 PM
Thursday, 8th August 2024
5:30 PM
End:
Thursday, 8th August 2024
9:30 PM
Thursday, 8th August 2024
9:30 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Confirmed
Date:
08 Aug 2024
08 Aug 2024
Location:
Conference Room 3 - Civic Centre
Conference Room 3 - Civic Centre
Meeting Attendees
Officer
Executive Director - Wellbeing (Children and Learning)
Robert Henderson
Expected
Officer
Steph Murray
Expected
Officer
Team Manager, People
Stuart Webb
Expected
Secretary
Democratic Support Officer
Ed Grimshaw
Expected
Committee Member
Appointed - OSMC
Rob Sanders
Church of England
Apologies
Committee Member
Catherine Hobbs
Roman Catholic Church
Apologies
Committee Member
Councillor Satvir Kaur
Apologies, sent representative
Secretary
Joni Goodman
Present, as expected
Agenda
1
Apologies and Changes in Panel Membership (If Any)
To note any changes in membership of the Panel made in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.3.
Minutes
It was noted that following receipt of the temporary resignation of Councillors Kaur and Allen from the Panel, the Monitoring Officer acting under delegated powers, had appointed Councillors Mrs Blatchford and Cooper to replace them for the purposes of this meeting.
6
Minutes of the Previous Meeting (including matters arising)
To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings held on 18 July 2024 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.
Attachments:
- Document Minutes of Previous Meeting 31 Jul 2024
Minutes
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2024, be approved and signed as a correct record.
7
Early Years and Childcare
Report of the Executive Director, Children and Learning, providing an overview of Early Years and Childcare Services in Southampton.
Attachments:
- Document Early Years and Childcare 31 Jul 2024
Minutes
The Panel considered and noted the report of the Executive Director, Children and Learning, providing an overview of Early Years and Childcare Services in Southampton.
The Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and the Service Manager for Early Years were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.
The Panel discussed a number of points including:
The ability of the Early Years sector in Southampton to meet the extended childcare entitlements. The equity of provision across the city. The service’s gathering and utilisation of intelligence to support the sustainability of early years provision. The provision and targeting of places for disadvantaged children. The awareness and additional resources required to address SEND requirements within early years provision. Workforce recruitment and retention issues and the plans in place to mitigate these challenges. The resilience of the sector and ability to respond to any future variations.
The factors that have resulted in the comparative strength and success of the early years sector in Southampton
The Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and the Service Manager for Early Years were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.
The Panel discussed a number of points including:
The ability of the Early Years sector in Southampton to meet the extended childcare entitlements. The equity of provision across the city. The service’s gathering and utilisation of intelligence to support the sustainability of early years provision. The provision and targeting of places for disadvantaged children. The awareness and additional resources required to address SEND requirements within early years provision. Workforce recruitment and retention issues and the plans in place to mitigate these challenges. The resilience of the sector and ability to respond to any future variations.
The factors that have resulted in the comparative strength and success of the early years sector in Southampton
8
Repeat Child Protection Plans - Analysis
Report of the Executive Director, Children and Learning, outlining the work undertaken to understand why some families come back to Child Protection Planning for a second or subsequent time.
Attachments:
- Document Repeat Child Protection Plans - Analysis 31 Jul 2024
- Document Appendix 1 - Repeat CP Plan Analysis Briefing Paper.docx 31 Jul 2024
Minutes
The Panel considered the report of the Executive Director, Children and Learning, providing analysis to understand why some families come back to Child Protection Planning for a second or subsequent time.
The Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and the Deputy Director, Children and Learning, were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.
An overview was provided setting out current levels of repeat child protection plans, issues raised by the analysis and action in train to improve outcomes, including the implementation of the Family Safeguarding Model.
The Panel discussed a number of key points as follows:
The limitations of previous social work practice in Southampton and the legacy that this has created. The importance of good handovers between social workers to support effective decision making.
The engagement of key partners in child protection plans. The actions taken to reform practice that provide assurance that the number of repeat child protection plans will continue to reduce. The delivery of the recommendations outlined in the analysis and the proposed review in 6 months’ time to identify if progress has been made.
RESOLVED
i) That, to reinforce the message about the value of good practice, the analysis of repeat child protection plans is circulated to all social workers.
ii) That, reflecting concerns raised in the analysis relating to the impact of changes in social worker, the service undertakes an audit on the quality of handovers provided by social workers.
iii) That the scheduled follow up analysis of repeat child protection plans is provided to the Panel when it is available.
The Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and the Deputy Director, Children and Learning, were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.
An overview was provided setting out current levels of repeat child protection plans, issues raised by the analysis and action in train to improve outcomes, including the implementation of the Family Safeguarding Model.
The Panel discussed a number of key points as follows:
The limitations of previous social work practice in Southampton and the legacy that this has created. The importance of good handovers between social workers to support effective decision making.
The engagement of key partners in child protection plans. The actions taken to reform practice that provide assurance that the number of repeat child protection plans will continue to reduce. The delivery of the recommendations outlined in the analysis and the proposed review in 6 months’ time to identify if progress has been made.
RESOLVED
i) That, to reinforce the message about the value of good practice, the analysis of repeat child protection plans is circulated to all social workers.
ii) That, reflecting concerns raised in the analysis relating to the impact of changes in social worker, the service undertakes an audit on the quality of handovers provided by social workers.
iii) That the scheduled follow up analysis of repeat child protection plans is provided to the Panel when it is available.
9
Annual Conversation with Ofsted and Progress of Post-Inspection Improvement Plan
Report of the Executive Director, Children and Learning, introducing the service’s update to Ofsted at its annual engagement meeting.
Attachments:
- Document Annual Conversation with Ofsted and Progress of Post-Inspection Improvement Plan 31 Jul 2024
- Document Appendix 1 - SCC Annual Engagement Meeting presentation.pdf 31 Jul 2024
- Document Appendix 2 - Ofsted Annual Engagement Meeting letter.pdf 31 Jul 2024
Minutes
The Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and the Deputy Director, Children and Learning, provided the Panel with an overview of the annual meeting with Ofsted and the progress to date in relation to the post inspection improvement plan. The meeting with Ofsted was reported as helpful in relation to assessing improvement against the specific recommendations made.
There remain specific ongoing areas of improvement that the Panel discussed including:
The proposed new Safeguarding Partnership involving Adults and Children Safeguarding. The quality and effectiveness of support to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Housing, education, employment and training for care leavers. Identification, assessment and support for children in private fostering arrangements.
RESOLVED
i) That an all-members briefing is scheduled to inform councillors about the changes that have been undertaken across Children’s Services and Learning.
There remain specific ongoing areas of improvement that the Panel discussed including:
The proposed new Safeguarding Partnership involving Adults and Children Safeguarding. The quality and effectiveness of support to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Housing, education, employment and training for care leavers. Identification, assessment and support for children in private fostering arrangements.
RESOLVED
i) That an all-members briefing is scheduled to inform councillors about the changes that have been undertaken across Children’s Services and Learning.
10
Children and Learning - Performance
Report of the Scrutiny Manager recommending that the Panel consider and challenge the performance of Children’s Services and Learning in Southampton.
Attachments:
- Document Children and Learning - Performance 31 Jul 2024
- Document Appendix 1 - Children and Learning performance report .pptx 31 Jul 2024
- Document Appendix 2 - Children and Families Glossary updated 2023.docx 31 Jul 2024
Minutes
The Cabinet Member for Children and Learning, the Strategic Performance Manager and the Deputy Director, Children and Learning, provided the Panel with an overview of current performance across Children’s Services and Learning.
The Panel noted the steady improvements across a number of indicators but outlined their expectations that, as part of ‘Building for Brilliance’, performance relating to timeliness of visiting and supervisions will consistently be at 90% and above and that, given the increasing stability, reducing number of children in the safeguarding system and the capabilities of the workforce, the Panel will be holding the service to higher standards moving forward.
The Panel noted the steady improvements across a number of indicators but outlined their expectations that, as part of ‘Building for Brilliance’, performance relating to timeliness of visiting and supervisions will consistently be at 90% and above and that, given the increasing stability, reducing number of children in the safeguarding system and the capabilities of the workforce, the Panel will be holding the service to higher standards moving forward.
11
Monitoring Scrutiny Recommendations
Report of the Scrutiny Manager recommending that the Panel considers the responses to recommendations from previous meetings and provides feedback.
Attachments:
- Document Monitoring Scrutiny Recommendations 31 Jul 2024
- Document Appendix 1 - Monitoring Appendix.docx 31 Jul 2024
Minutes
The Panel received and noted the report of the Scrutiny Manager which enables the Children and Families Scrutiny Panel to monitor and track progress on recommendations made at previous meetings.
Previous Meetings
Future Meetings
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