Issue - meetings

To consider;

·        The draft Corporate Parenting strategy; and

·        The outcomes of the recent OFSTED inspection on looked after children.

To consider how health and well-being of looked after children and young people is promoted and supported, including sexual and mental health and leisure opportunities. 

To receive evidence from Councillor Lorna Reith, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, and Councillor Rachel Allison, the Opposition Spokesperson.

To receive evidence from a range of services on how well supported looked after children are in finding employment, training opportunities and housing.  

To receive evidence from a group of foster carers and staff from Council’s fostering team on the challenges that face looked after children and how the Council and its partners respond to them.

To receive evidence on the following from the Children and Young People’s Service:

·        The educational performance of Haringey’s looked after children and young people (LACYP)

·        How these measure/compare these statistics against other children in Haringey and children living in comparable local authorities

·        How well LACYP who are in placements outside the local authority area perform

·        How the Council aims to raise attainment levels. 

The Panel commented that targets for the education attainment of children in care appeared to be relatively unambitious.  It was noted that the targets were nationally set as part of the local set of performance indicators and the Council was therefore unable to set higher ones. 

Attracta Craig, the Haringey Virtual School Head, welcomed this view by the Panel.  Her service had high expectations for young people and had submitted higher targets but these had been turned down.  They believed that young people could perform well.  Good grades at GCSE were very important and helped to keep young people out of the NEETs (not in education, employment and training) category.  The ages between 16 and 19 could prove challenging if young people had not secured 5 passes at A – C.  One of the reasons why young people might not do well was because of the frequent changes in their domestic arrangements and there was a close correlation between results and disruption.

69% of care leavers were in employment and training, although this did not necessarily mean that they would go on to do well.  A lot was now being done to address the educational performance of LAC and this focussed on the whole period of their education, up to 19 years of age.  One of the reasons why the virtual school was set up was to enable an overview to be taken.  The service had not previously realised just how important the years between 16 and 19 were.  The Panel were of the view that it would be useful for the service to consider what success might look like for each child.

It was noted that moving children during the year of their GCSEs could be particularly detrimental and was avoided wherever possible.  Consideration was being given to what could be done to support ‘A’ level performance.  There was currently a mismatch between birth dates relating to placements and the dates for ‘A’ Level exams which could lead to difficulties.  Whilst care ended at 18, exams took place the following June for most young people.

The educational performance of Haringey’s LAC was a success story.  Performance compared very well with that achieved nationally and in other London boroughs.  However, although the borough was doing very well, the aspiration was to do even better.  This would allow young people to be more successful and independent and to close the gap with other children.  Interventions that had taken place had proven to be effective. 

The Panel complimented the service on the excellent results that had been achieved.  It was noted that the number of LAC in Haringey was double that of some other boroughs. 

A number of tools were used to monitor progress.  Data was used and the progress of children was tracked.  It could nevertheless be challenging.  40% of LAC had been the subject of fixed term exclusion in the last academic year and schools could find them hard to handle.  However, there had only been 1 permanent exclusion.  There  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10

To receive a presentation on current Council policy in respect of 20 mph speed limits.

To receive a general introduction on corporate parenting from officers from the Children and Young People’s Service and in particular;

·        An overview of corporate parenting and the role of the local authority and how this role is promoted across the Council and amongst elected Members

·        Forthcoming challenges facing provision for children in care

·        Relevant performance and other statistical data