To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Charles Hoseason, Nick Lait and Councillor Montague.

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Members are requested to declare any interests orally at the start of the meeting and again immediately before consideration of the matter. Members are reminded to specify the agenda item number to which it refers and whether the interest is of a personal or prejudicial nature.

Members are also reminded of the requirements of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 that they should declare and not vote on specified matters if they are two months or more in arrears with their Council Tax payments.

Beverley Sanders declared a personal interest in item 6, by virtue of her role as Director of the RET Twickenham Trust.

To consider and approve the minutes of the last meeting on 8 February 2012 – attached.

The minutes from the 8 February 2012 were agreed and the Chairman authorised to sign them.

This report seeks to confirm the appointment of a Parent Governor

Representative of the Committee, following interviews held with shortlisted

candidates.

Report of the Head of Democratic Services attached.

Juliet Cassidy was confirmed as a Parent Governor Representative, for a maximum of four years.  She was welcomed onto the Committee.

This item is an opportunity the newly appointed Parent Governor Representative to declare their interests (subject to their formal appointment by the Committee).

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Members are requested to declare any interests orally at the start of the meeting and again immediately before consideration of the matter. Members are reminded to specify the agenda item number to which it refers and whether the interest is of a personal or prejudicial nature.

Members are also reminded of the requirements of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 that they should declare and not vote on specified matters if they are two months or more in arrears with their Council Tax payments.

There were no further declarations of interests.

This report sets out progress against the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP) priorities selected in 2011-12 and the proposed CYPP priorities for 2012-13.

The Cabinet Member for Schools, the Strategic Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Children’s Services, and the Head of Culture and Service Improvement were present for this item.

The Head of Culture and Service Improvement introduced the item to the Committee:

The report detailed the progress made against the 2011-2012 CYPP priorities and the proposed priorities for 2012-13. Each year, priorities would be selected based on the feedback from inspections. The Council had tried to keep the list relatively short and ensure the priorities focused upon improving services for young people.

The following points were made in response to questions from the Committee:

In relation to tackling risky behaviour, the Committee asked who had been appointed to the Steering Committee for Sexual Health. The Head of Culture and Service Improvement agreed to provide an update.

The Head advised the Committee that there was a national programme to improve the number of health visitors and the Council intended to increase its recruitment figures. There was also a need to improve the number of people working in support of health visitors. The Council would be implementing a training programme for visitors but they were awaiting confirmation that they would receive government funding for development. No new trainers would be recruited until the funding could be confirmed.

Counselling services for disabled children focused upon working with individuals to address their emotional health. This included play-therapy to help children to articulate their emotions. So far, this service had proved very successful. The Committee asked that an update be provided detailing the experience and qualification backgrounds of people delivering the therapy.

Counselling services for school-aged children, provided by the CYPP, were free to families.

The Committee requested that the Head of School Effectiveness deliver a presentation on the alternative service delivery model for schools, at the next convenient meeting date, titled: Education Richmond:  a new model for school improvement.

It was the Councils intention to help organisations proposing free schools, by meeting with them, in order to make the application process accessible to all.

The Council was developing strategy to help identify the cohort most likely to be caught up in risky behaviour.  In addition, they would produce an intervention plan.

To improve the number of children being immunised, schools would contact families, before their children start at schools, to remind them that the immunisation was due. The Council would work towards identifying the cohort who were not having their children immunised.

In order to improve the educational outcomes for vulnerable children and young people in schools the Council would be working with parents to achieve better outcomes. This would include targeting individual schools where underachievement was identified.

The Committee noted that there had been a slight increase in Not in Education, Employment and Training (NEET), which had given the reasoning for Priority 5: Increasing young people’s participation in education, employment and training. It was hoped that colleges and sixth forms would expand to deliver literacy and numeracy training for those already in employment.

It was RESOLVED: That the Committee note the report.

This report gives details of the Council’s forward procurement activity for the next three years.

The Assistant Director of Commissioning, Corporate Policy and Strategy; the Head of Procurement and Director Education, Children's Services and Culture were present for this item.

The Assistant Director of Commissioning, Corporate Policy and Strategy introduced the report:

She asked that the Committee select procurements for scrutiny from the 3 Year Procurement Plan. The Chairmen from all four Scrutiny Committees would be meeting, in April, to finalise the procurements once selected. The Chairmen would decide which Committees were best suited to scrutinise the issues identified. This could also include cross-cutting issues for joint scrutiny.

The Committee noted that the Plan contained few items that were of relevance to Education and Children’s Services. It was felt that some background information on the procurements would help identify items of relevance.

It was RESOLVED: That a list of procurements relevant to Education and Children’s Services be provided to the Committee prior to the Chairmen’s meeting in April.

Update on:

The Council’s approach to tackling the causes of risk-taking behaviour in children and young people, including an assessment of identified gaps in the current provision and the services being commissioned to address these;

The development of the Primary Mental Health Worker Service for children and young people. 

The Strategic Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Children’s Services, and the Head of Protective and Preventative Services were present for this item.

The Head of Protective and Preventative Services introduced the report:

The level of Risky Behaviour in Richmond Borough was low compared to the national average. The Council intended to target the causes of risk-taking to maintain and further improve their record.

To tackle the gaps in service identified, the Council hoped to commission a training provision for universal service providers.

The following points were made in response to questions from the Committee:

The two secondary schools which were not yet involved with the U-Turn Project had felt it would have been disruptive to be involved, at that time. The Council would be encouraging them to participate.

In relation to outreach within community settings, the Committee were advised that workers would be targeting identified hotspots, within the borough, including parks, where they could make contact with young people: signposting and offering information leaflets.

Once cohorts had been identified, available services could be offered to individuals, which they could access both inside and outside of school. All services were completely voluntary.

The Committee asked that activities for teenagers continue to be promoted, especially via websites. They were advised that the Council intended to promote and invest in youth centres, which would include consulting the Young Peoples Panel.

In some instances, non-specialist workers would be trained to deliver low level, sexual health information. They would only be involved at the early intervention stage, and then refer young people to specialists.

The Council’s resources were limited, and every effort was being made to ensure that early intervention services were provided, which were essential in tackling risky behaviour.

It was RESOLVED: that the Committee note the report.

This report seeks to present the SEN Task Group’s findings of the review they have conducted into Richmond upon Thames, Special Educational Needs provision, and to make a number of recommendations on ways to further develop existing provisions.

Councillor Blakemore, the Director Education, Children's Services and Culture and Ofordi Nebokei: Scrutiny Officer, were present for this item.

Councillor Blakemore introduced the report: She thanked the Task Group Members for their hard work. Both the Clarendon and Strathmore school buildings were being recommended for improvements.

She highlighted the importance of providing post nineteen support, for young people with Special Educational Needs. They still needed help with interviews and identifying how the workplace could be adapted to accommodate them.

The following points were made in response to questions from members of the Committee:

The Committee agreed that the Borough’s local, high quality education services needed to be promoted to parents of SEN children, to negate them travelling outside the borough unnecessarily.

Committee members agreed with the reports findings regarding transition into the work place, especially post-19 provision.

There was a possibility that empty shops, throughout the borough, could be utilised for social enterprise, which would contribute to independent living.

The Director asked that the Committee work closely with the directorate to propose how to deliver the reports recommendations, in coming months.

The report would be presented to Cabinet on 24 May, to seek approval of its recommendations. It would then return to the Education Scrutiny Committee, in June, to discuss its implementation.

It was RESOLVED:

·         That the Committee note the report.

·         That the Cabinet Member for Adult services, Health and Housing attend the next normal meeting to discuss linking up the crossover of those with SEN to the workplace.

This report gives details of the proposed work programme for the municipal year 2012, as discussed with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee.

Report of the Head of Democratic Services attached.

It was RESOLVED:

·         That the sixth form consultation results be reported to the 13 June Committee meeting.

·         That the Head of School Effectiveness deliver a presentation titled: Education Richmond - a new model for school improvement, at the next convenient meeting date.

·         That a progress update on the implementation of the SEN Task Group’s findings return to the Committee in a year’s time.

·         That a list of procurements relevant to Education and Children’s Services be provided to the Committee prior to the Chairmen’s meeting in April.