Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

Sir David Carter, National Schools Commissioner, and John Edwards, Regional Schools Commissioner for East Midlands and Humber, will be presenting at the Children and Young People’s Board meeting to discuss the future priorities for the National Schools Commissioner and working with the Regional School Commissioners.

The Chair welcomed Sir David Carter, National Schools Commissioner, to the meeting of the Children and Young People’s Board. Sir David gave a presentation on the future priorities for the National Schools Commissioner and working with the Regional School Commissioners.

Sir David emphasised that the role of all those involved in the system needs to be clear and that local authorities need to be included in this. He raised the importance of schools having effective partnerships with local authorities. He also emphasised the importance of place based leadership and the value of local intelligence which local government can provide to the education system. Sir David raised the importance of transparency in the system and highlighted the role peer challenges can play in improving schools.

In the discussion which followed, the following points were raised;

·         Following a query regarding the availability of data on school exclusions, Sir David informed the Board that this will be shared with local authorities.

·         Regarding a query on regional school commissioner responsibilities Sir David emphasised that they would continue to have a role in interventions in failing schools, but oversight of the largest Multi Academy Trusts  would remain with national schools commissioners.

The Chair expressed his thanks to Sir David for speaking with the Board. He also expressed a view that it would be important in future for the Secretary of State to emphasise the role of Councils in education, so that local government has clarity around this.

Donna Molloy and Ben Lewing are attending the Children and Young People’s Board from the Early Intervention Foundation to give a presentation on their work around social and emotional skills, links to child mental health and tackling parental conflict.

Donna Molloy, Early Intervention Foundation, gave a presentation to the Children and Young People’s Board on their work around social and emotional skills, links to child mental health and tackling parental conflict. In particular Donna drew attention to where their research evidenced the ways in which inter-parental relationships impacts on outcomes for children. It was highlighted that reducing parental conflict was not a focus for services at present and there wasn’t yet a culture of early intervention on this issue.

Donna also emphasised the value of early intervention in supporting social and emotional development. In particular detailing the 3 types of approaches to early intervention in schools including universal classroom-based interviews, whole school interventions and targeted interventions. 

Donna detailed future work in this area including a joint programme with the Education Endowment Foundation providing resources for schools, a new national programme focusing on culture change in services, centrally funded workforce development and evidence based interventions to target parent relationship functioning to improve child outcomes as well as continuing to emphasise schools role in local action to improve children’s mental health. Donna asked if the Children and Young People Board would support this work.

In the discussion that followed, the following points were raised;

·         A view was expressed that the evidence from this work would be useful in supporting the LGA’s Bright Futures campaign, and that joined up work around this would be beneficial.

·         The need for future work around children and young people’s mental health in schools was emphasised and supported.

·         It was suggested that the evidence from this work ties in with other work focusing on the impact of domestic violence and would benefit from some joined up working on this subject.

Action

Officers to work with the Early Intervention Foundation on areas of common interest

LGA Bright Futures task group to meet again after the summer break, to take stock of progress over the past year and consider next steps for the campaign.

Samantha Ramanah, Adviser, introduced the report updating the Children and Young People Board as to the current activities in relation to the LGA’s work related to children’s health issues.

Decision

The Children and Young People Board noted the update in the report.

The Chair introduced the report providing an overview of the issues and work the Board has overseen during last year.

Decision

The Board noted the Children and Young People Board achievements for 2017/18.

The Board agreed the note of the previous meeting.

Following their detailed presentation to CYP Board in January 2018 and the discussion at the CYP Board in March 2018, Newton Europe will deliver a confidential briefing on the final report from their research into variations in children’s services spending.

Luke Tredigo, Newton Europe, gave a verbal update on the findings of their research into children’s services spending. In particular he highlighted five factors largely outside of a council’s control which causes inevitable variation in children’s services spend, these being deprivation, crime, unemployment, disposable household income and the size of the 0-25 demographic. Luke also detailed variation in financial reporting and variations in practice that their research had identified.

In the conversation which followed, the following points were raised;

·         A view was expressed that it was useful this research evidencing deprivation was one of the biggest factors in determining the amount of pressure on children’s services and as a consequence variation in spend. The Chair emphasised that this would be important in challenging government assumptions that variation in spend were suggestive of inefficient practice, rather than an inevitable result of variable local circumstances.

·         It was suggested that revenue outturn returns could be standardised and used as further evidence alongside this research.

·         It was emphasised that the LGA should also work to demonstrate that local government can spend additional funding to the best effect.

·         The Chair emphasised that it would be important to be clear local government do understand the need for further improvements in some children’s services departments, and is actively working towards this through a sustained programme of sector-led improvement

·         The Chair also raised that this work highlights some issues around consistency of practice, albeit at a smaller order of magnitude than external pressures, and suggested that a narrative around this will need to developed.

·         A view was expressed that quality of practice would continue to be important for children’s services performance.

Action

Officers to incorporate feedback from the Children and Young People Board into this work.

The Chair gave a confidential update to the Board on progress made in developing the LGA’s national programme of children’s improvement support, focussed on support for corporate and political leadership across children’s services. In particular the Chair raised that the Minister has been persuaded to fund the sector-led improvement work over the next two years for a total of £2.09 million, while an initial £70,000 has been allocated to develop the pilot phase of an LGA delivered programme of sector-led improvement for the early years sector, driven through peer challenge and support. It was also raised that these programmes will be tested over the summer. The Chair also emphasised this would be discussion at the Children’s Improvement Board.

Decision

The Children and Young People Board noted the update.