Agenda item

5.1  The chair welcomed Councillor Lisa Rajan and noted the tabled written answers to the questions submitted. Members were asked if they had any follow up questions.

5.2  Members indicated that that they would like to ask some supplementary questions on teenage pregnancy. Councillor Rajan first updated the sub-committee by commenting that she had just received the latest figures for teenage conceptions and that therehad now been a reduction of 22 % on the 1998 base rate and Southwark now had the sixth highest rate in the country; Southwark was previously the third highest. A member asked if we had the highest rate a few years ago? Councillor Rajan responded that yes Southwark was the highest, then the third, now the sixth. A member asked what this fall was attributed to? Councillor Rajan said that the council had looked a good practice in Hackney and other Boroughs. The report tabled went into more detail.

5.3  There was a comment on using peer educators to reduce conceptions. A scrutiny report had identified this as a positive method for reaching young people. Councillor Rajan said that she had spoken to the youth council and they were doing this, but it was not the biggest emphasis. Various methods were used to communicate with young people; the internet, peers support, leaflets etc. People liked to be reached in different ways.

5.4  A few questions were then posed about the last section of question 1on obesity. A member commented that there appeared to be lots of initiatives to reach children, but asked what was being done to reach parents and grandparents? Councillor Rajan replied that there was a national campaign; “Change for Life” and questionnaires had been sent out to parents and the information was being used. Parents were sent information on healthy eating and snacks and reward charts.

5.5  Another member commented that she was most concerned with secondary schools as many young people stopped off at fried chicken shops. Councillor Rajan replied that the council was training to promote a whole council approach through licensing and planning. It was a social thing as well; stopping off for a drink after school in a cafe.

5.6  Councillor Rajan commented that children were given cut up apple and carrots when they left school. Children also got an opportunity to wrap up unfinished food from lunch to take home. Members commented that children seemed to need food at the end of the day and welcomed provision to meet this need as this appeared to be a trigger time.

5.7  Members commented that they would have liked to have seen something in the report about increasing the 2 hours spent playing sport as this was not enough. It was noted that schools had banned machines selling fizzy drinks etc to reduce the amount of calorie intake however members would like to see more sport provision. Councillor Rajan commented that Southwark Superstars was about providing more sports provision.

5.8  A member commented that when she was at school they did cross country running, which she hated, but in retrospect it was effective. Young people now want to look like Kate Moss, or the boys want a 6 pack, but then they go and eat junk food at fast food outlets. Councillor Rajan was asked about the programme to increase sport from 2 hours. She responded that she agreed there should be more sports in schools; however the council could have more influence by encouraging children out of school. The walking to school programme was good.

5.1  There was a comment about take up of school meals and concern that more affluent children were not using these which then impacted on those children who received free school meals.

5.2  A member suggested that cooking should be prioritised in the school curriculum and offered all the way through, from nursery age. Councillor Rajan agreed that this was a skill that needed to be taught and re learnt in school.

5.3  Councillor Rajan said that the council also wanted to work more with Children’s Centres on weaning and in antenatal care- focusing on the under-fours so that they were not overweight by the time they start school.

5.4  Members then moved on to Question 2 about the restructuring of the Youth Service with members asking if councillors had been involved in devising the new area youth plans.

5.5  Councillor Rajan answered that she had asked the youth area managers to contact all the local members. A member confirmed that they had contributed to the discussion and been impressed with the layout.

5.6  Members moved onto Question 5 regarding the development of youth councils and the election of representatives onto community councils. A member asked if the youth champions would attend the community councils? Councillor Rajan responded that they might do. It depended how the meetings were constructed and how attractive these items were to young people and the champions. This was being left up to the community councils and the youth council to decide what worked best for their local area. Cleaner, Greener, Safer was usually a popular item, however the council was allowing the youth councils to establish themselves and devise their preferred ways of working. The emphasis was on training and then from May they could steer their own path. The council did not want to dictate; rather empower.

5.7  Members asked Councillor Rajan if she had taken time to consider the recommendations in the sub-committee’s scrutiny report on youth provision in Southwark? Councillor Rajan confirmed she had a copy and had considered it.

5.8  The sub-committee moved on to question 7 and commented that it would be good to meet the new independent chair of the children’s safeguarding committee. Councillor Rajan welcomed this and also suggested that the sub-committee take time to consider the annual safeguarding report, due in September, and that this might be a good time for the new chair, Chris Davies, to come to scrutiny.

5.9  A query was raised on question 11 concerning recruitment and retention of Southwark social workers. The member asked if this was at crisis point. Councillor Rajan replied that no, not in Southwark, but a level of anxiety had been maintained and that the council aimed to reduce poaching. Southwark had recruited a number of high quality master degree students from America. Young people came here for the experience, and the Americans were particularly well trained.

5.10  Members raised concerns about Americans moving on. Councillor Rajan responded that that they were on permanent contract, but it was a concern. The service was also looking at expanding the provision of key worker housing to retain people in inner London.

5.11  There were wider issues of increasing the status and reversing the trend of baby P, because these had had the effect of social workers moving away from more sensitive areas. Southwark was looking forward to the social work task force raising the professional status through the introduction of a royal college. It was anticipated that this would increase ongoing training and the quality of degrees.

5.12  A member asked a supplementary query on question 13 and enquired about the number of families who had received counselling because they had been affected by the Sumner Road fire. The chair responded that he understood that thirty-three families had been affected. A large number of people had lost everything, obviously losing a life was the worst, but it had been traumatic for many families.