Agenda item

A report outlining the themes for the interview is attached.

5.1  The chair welcomed Councillor Victoria Mills; Cabinet Member for Children and Schools for her annual interview with the scrutiny sub committee is scheduled for 23 February 2015. Members of the committee chose  eight  themes to structure the interview around:

• Looked After Children & children in need, including preventing children being brought into care and supported housing for young people in need

• Schools: working with, Places,  Attainment and holding to account

• Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision within the Borough, especially for Mental Health / Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD) and how the council is managing the transition from SEN Statements of Special to Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.

• Lewisham Southwark College

• Children and Young People’s health: Obesity, Teenage pregnancy statistics and strategy

• Safeguarding:  Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)  and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

• Early years/nurseries

• Youth services  & Young People that find our services impossible or difficult to access

5.1  The chair asked the cabinet lead what was going well and also how she had found the transition of responsibilities from her previous portfolio for economic wellbeing to her new one for children and schools. The chair commented that her previous portfolio was cross cutting and smaller, whereas her new portfolio is much larger, and asked if there was a cross over on promoting training and skills. The cabinet lead responding that she was pleased with the successful outcomes and huge work on school places to ensure people have choice. There has also been investment in Looked After Children and the number of children taking being into care is on a downward trend; there is a big piece of work of supporting children to stay at home and be supported.

5.2  A member commented that there are good schools, but a black hole for Lewisham Southwark College, which is performing abysmally. The cabinet lead responded that the council is working with sixth forms to improve the diversity of the offer. Since the poor Ofsted in 2013 the council have done a great deal of work going forward with college and have been clear that the offer from the FE College should look like. A member commented that officers have reported that the local 6ths forms are very academic and so do not cater for young people on a vocational path. The cabinet lead agreed that the borough does need a strong Further Education provider and there are practical restrictions that prevent some 6^th Form offering more vocational courses, but where local 6^th Forms can provide a broader curriculum the council are encouraging this.  The cabinet member offered to provide a written response on setting out what the council want from a Further  Education provider

5.3  The cabinet lead was asked about the lack of adequate services for Southwark children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD). The cabinet lead said the borough has four specialist workers from CAMHS, and there have been no exclusions at primary school. The member mentioned his position as chair of governors at Beormund Primary EBD school and said there is a Southwark problem with providing enough places for local children.  Local schools are not able to provide sufficient places for local children as they are full with children from outside the borough.

5.4  A member noted there is a growing problem of children and families moveing out of the borough to access suitable and bigger housing, and then children travelling a long distance back to schools. Some families are refusing to leave hostels as they do not want to disrupt their children’s education. The cabinet member undertook to flag up this concern up with the housing department and asked what support would be helpful. One member suggested  transport and help with transition, another member said the main issues is the availability of housing and asked if it was possible to prioritise families with children in Southwark schools.

5.5  A member raised the theme of early years and nursery provision and asked about the councils work on this. The cabinet lead responded that the council have commissioned an independent Childcare Commission, who will be publishing their report and recommendations next week. A member asked if there was room for optimism and the cabinet member said the council is looking forward to developing the council plan for two nurseries. She remarked that it is however a challenge to square quality and cost, and added that this is a national challenge. Both the Liberal Democrats and Labour are committed to protect funding for the under 5s, as this is such an important area. The GLA are also looking at other interrelated issues.

5.6   The theme of Youth Services was raised and the cabinet member indicated that she would be interested to know who suggested that theme. She reported that there had been a big investment in Youth Services and an increasing uptake of services and this is down to a devolved budget. She offered to provide a written response with figures and geographical locations of services, however the chair said that she would rather sit down and have a meeting.

5.7  A member asked what the council is doing to address FGM, and particularly in the West African community.  Rory Paterson , Director of Children’s Services, responded by saying the council has developed quite a close plan with Lewisham, however the partnership heard recently that a bid had not successful, and instead a bigger proposal from GLA and Barnardos won.  The council are also working closely with Guys and St Thomas – and are receiving referrals from maternity. Social Services are also are picking up the signs from schools and universal services. The council needs to develop social worker referral pathways. Officers are also attending coffee mornings at Guy's & St Thomas Hospital to meet with women survivors. A member asked if the service is engages with faith and community groups and the director said that was very much part of the bid, and the partnership still want to take that forward.

5.8  A member asked how the council will ensure the provision of sufficient school places. The cabinet lead responded that the provisional place planning show that there is a surplus at primary school places, so there is some flexibility, however this masks some needs south of the borough. She explained that the council have been dealing with this through temporary places but these are to be extended to permanent places. We have a massive investment of 100 million pounds. Come 2019 there will be pressure at secondary school – the council is waiting the outcome of bids for the Dulwich Hospital site.

5.9  The committee raised concerns with levels of childhood obesity and a recent report indicated that 44 % of children are either over-weight or obese on leaving primary school. The cabinet member agreed it was a great concern and that it is a problem that often starts in early years with 1 in 3 children entering school over-weight. The council’s healthy school meals, free fruit, support for breast feeding, and targeted support are some of the ways the council is working to reduce childhood obesity.  She added that the council do need a clear strategy in place and this will come to cabinet in due course.

5.10  The cabinet member ended the interview by referring to recent report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on poverty that the chair had flagged up, and indicated that she agreed it was very important.