Verbal update
Minutes:
The Chair reported that, due to the change of date of the meeting, the Leader of the Council had not been able to attend. Councillor Amin, the Deputy Leader, had been asked to cover on his behalf, in her capacity as Deputy Leader. However, she was new to her role and would therefore just be covering issues relating to the Children and Families part of her portfolio. The Leader had been invited to attend the next meeting of the Committee.
The Deputy Leader reported as follows:
a. It had been a turbulent time for children and young people. Headteachers and school staff had worked hard to prepare schools for their reopening. School attendance had been steady so far and in line with levels elsewhere. The attendance of more vulnerable groups was being monitored and was also steady. A small number of cases of Covid had been recorded in schools. Learning was taking place either virtually or face-to-face. Risk assessments had been undertaken and were regularly updated. The Assistant Directors for Schools and Learning and for Public Health were working with schools and had provided regular briefings;
b. Action was being taken to ensure that more vulnerable children continued to have face-to-face contact with social care staff. New ways had also been developed of working with children so that they could continue to be supported. Staff were being supported;
c. There was a particular challenge in ensuring that all children had access to the IT equipment that was needed for them to learn effectively at the current time and there was evidence of a “digital divide”. It was also felt that there needed to be clear guidance on what children should be learning and the progress that they should be making, including national standards for access. The Children’s Commissioner and Ofsted were currently looking at these issues.
The Committee expressed concern that, whilst it was possible to access privately run face-to-face services for children under the age of two, Children’s Centres were only providing them for children who were considered vulnerable. The Cabinet Member stated that all maintained Children’s Centres were open and, in particular, those with nurseries attached. It was difficult for Children’s Centres though as many parents were anxious about using them at the moment. It was also challenging because of the young age of children which meant that they found it hard to understand matters such as social distancing. Eveleen Riordan, Assistant Director of Schools and Learning, stated that all Children’s Centres had undertaken risk assessments. Although all maintained centres had been open, one of had needed to close due to a positive Covid-19 test. It was agreed that additional information would be provided to the Committee regarding Children’s Centres, the processes that had been undertaken prior to their reopening and the services that were currently being provided. (Action: AD for Schools and Learning).
In answer to a question, Beverly Hendricks (Assistant Director for Safeguarding and Social Care) reported that domestic abuse remained a key priority and was a major source of referrals to Haringey Safeguarding Children’s Board (HSCB). At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, HSCP widened its reach to include ensuring support from the Fire Service. The Food Alliance had also been able to discreetly deliver cards with contact details for the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) to families where there were concerns. In particular, concierges were able to maintain a watching vigil on any families regarded as vulnerable. A Covid-19 team social care team had been established and vulnerable women who had not been in recent contact with services identified. Measures had been taken to reach out to these women so that they had points of contact. In addition, Homes for Haringey were working closely with children’s social care and this included signposting any families that were new to the borough to services.
In answer to another question, Ms Hendricks stated that she felt that services worked well with families when they became aware of domestic abuse. The concern was where families were not known to social care and especially those who were new to the borough.
In answer to a question regarding co-production relating to SEN travel provision, the Cabinet Member stated that an independent report on this and other relevant issues had been published. This had been produced by Amaze, who were an organisation that had particular expertise on these issues. Consideration was being given to how the actions arising from the report could be taken forward, including co-production and how a new parent carer forum could best be set up, but this had been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. She would be able to provide an update when she next attended for Cabinet Member Questions.
The Cabinet Member reported that 200 laptops had been available by the Department for Education (DfE). In addition, the Council had made laptops available for vulnerable children. Lots of schools had also provided children with laptops and some parents had applied to charities for them. However, the number of laptops that had been made available was not near to what was needed. Further work was being done to see how more could be obtained. Schools were also exploring means of delivering learning that did not require laptops. It was a national issue though and many authorities were facing similar challenges.
She reported that national research had shown that children had, on average, lost out on three months of learning due to the lockdown. However, the loss of learning was different for each individual child. Schools were now working very hard to ensure that children caught up and vulnerable children were not further disadvantaged. Ms Riordan reported that additional funding from the DfE to assist schools in helping children to catch up had arrived. It could only be used for tutoring though. The emotional and mental health of children and young people was particularly important at the moment and the initial emphasis within schools was to settle young people back into schooling. Progress that had been made when children were learning at home had varied greatly. Some had kept up very well whilst other children had barely accessed learning during lockdown, despite the best efforts of schools. Schools were still not operating as normal and there was considerable disruption. Haringey had collaborated in a study of the learning that had been lost. This included reference to what had been lost, what had worked well and what action needed to be taken now to enable children to catch up. The most critical fact in learning was the quality of teaching, irrespective of whether this was done on-line or face-to-face.
The Cabinet Member reported that a programme of half term activities had been put in place. In respect of travel buddies, she reported that the contract with an external organisation had been terminated during the summer. The Council was keen to retain them and action had been taken to ensure that all of them had been paid. It was nevertheless recognised that longer term arrangements needed to be made and appropriate processes followed.
Ms Riordan reported that eligibility for free school meals had been increasing. Schools had undertaken work to identify additional children who were eligible but who had not claimed. As a result of the last exercise, more than 300 children had been identified and this had also enabled schools to bring in an £280,000 this year and for the next five years through the Pupil Premium. Once the necessary data became available for this year, another check would be undertaken. There was likely to be a significant increase in eligibility due to the pandemic and lockdown. The DfE had made it clear that free school meals would not be available during the October half term. However, many schools had food or clothing banks that families could access if need be. In answer to a question, the Cabinet Member stated that schools were aware of the increased vulnerability to Covid-19 that existed amongst people from BAME communities and were providing additional support where necessary.
In response to a question, Ms Riordan stated that the different amounts that primary and secondary schools received as their budgets arose from an agreement that had been made in 1988 over class sizes for secondary schools. This has set a maximum class size of 27 and schools had received an adjustment to their budgets in response to this. Any change to this agreement was likely to be difficult. However, there was a commitment to look at the differential.
Ms Riordan reported that schools had found the need to move to on-line working challenging but some had responded well. There was a lot of learning and development work taking place with schools and this was being led by Haringey Education Partnership (HEP). Examples of good practice from schools was being shared widely.
In answer to a question regarding potential cuts to Children’s Centres, the Cabinet Member stated that there was currently a £300k overspend. There had been discussions on the setting up of a review on how Children’s Centres might best function and, in particular, reach a wider group of families. Ms Graham stated that services were reviewed on a regular basis as part of the budget process and there were budgetary pressures that needed to be resolved. A review would look at a range of issues, including how the cost to the authority could be reduced through actions such as maximising working with partners. Whilst suggestions were being developed, no decisions had been taken. The Committee expressed concern at the possibility of there being cuts to the Centres as this was likely to have a disproportionate effect on the most disadvantaged children in the community.
In answer to a question, Ms Riordan reported that Riverside School had been closed for a day due to a case of Covid-19 in a co-located school. Following a risk assessment, it had been re-opened. As it was a special school, the risk assessment had to be tighter than that undertaken for other schools.
RESOLVED:
That the Assistant Director for Schools and Learning be requested to circulate further information to the Committee regarding the processes that had been undertaken prior to the reopening of Children’s Centres and the services that were currently being provided within them.