Agenda item

To consider a joint report of the Executive Director of People & Integration and the Director of Education, Work & Skills.

The report presents the Year-End Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Children, Families and Education Portfolio. The Year-End Report focuses on delivery of the portfolio priorities from October 2023 to March 2024. It includes forecast performance and financial data (where this is available) for the portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to –

(1)  Consider the Year-End Portfolio Performance and Resource Report;

(2)  Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2023/24;

(3)  Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

(4)  Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

(5)  Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer contact: Gaynor Ward, Strategy and Performance Manager, gaynor.ward@stockport.gov.uk  (0161 474 3186)

Gill Dixon, CSS Manager (Specialist) Finance – Children’s Social Care

gill.dixon@stockport.gov.uk  (0161 474 3886)

Peter Hughes, CSS Manager (Specialist) Finance – Education & Schools

peter.hughes@stockport.gov.uk  (0161 474 3947)

The Executive Director of People & Integration and the Director of Education, Work & Skills submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) presenting the Year-End Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Children, Families and Education Portfolio. The Year-End Report focuses on delivery of the portfolio priorities from October 2023 to March 2024. It included forecast performance and financial data (where this was available) for the portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education (Councillor Wendy Meikle) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

Priority 1 - All babies and children are given the very best start in life by their parents and carers and start school ready to learn

·         Members welcomed the detail in the report and recognised how useful the information was for the Committee.

·         Clarification was sought relating to Quarter 4 and the ASQ3 results regarding the Healthy Child Programme and the national average. In response, it was noted that the national average was 81.3% with the Northwest being at 80.6% which was below the national average and it was being done well and children were being identified who needed more help so interventions were being put in place.

·         It was noted that the ASQ was a screening tool which would indicate whether some more assessments were needed to done in five domains of development e.g. finance, communication etc.

·         Members enquired about the family hubs uptake. In response, it was stated that there were no figures to date, but it was being monitored closely including the outreach and what was being asked for by families.

·         It was noted that the figures relating to the family hubs uptake would be circulated to the Committee following the meeting.

·         It was commented that the Nesta Innovation Partnership was a non- profit organisation with early years as their primary focus for the last three years.

Priority 2: All children and young people are well prepared for adulthood and engage in education, employment, and training

·         Clarification was sought relating to the persistent absences and how this  impacted on the children with the most needs including the eligibility for free school meals. In response, it was noted that there was an analysis being done to help prevent children from missing school, but there was an improving picture particularly for children with special educational needs.

·         Members enquired about the figures relating to fixed term exclusions and suspensions and whether schools were exchanging pupils to support this process. In response, it was stated that everything was being done to support schools and pupils through fixed term exclusions and suspensions and preventing the incidences from happening in the first place rather than sanctions.

·         It was commented that regarding CFE11 the Northwest was at 74.4% which was a big difference to the national picture. It was stated that out of the 14 secondary schools only two schools were below the national position, so there was a lot of work happening with schools working together

Priority 3: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

·         Members enquired about the timelines for assessments and diagnosis and what was being done to improve these. In response, it was stated that there were still real pressures on waiting times, but a better system was being put in place to better support children in school including changes to the autism service and reducing the timescales for assessing EHCPs. It was noted that over 70% of EHCP reviews had been completed last year and to date for 2024 the team were already up to 1500.

·         It was stated that there were approximately 600 requests per month for EHCPs and that progress will be reported back to the Committee in about 6/7 months.

Priority 5: Children and young people live safely and happily within their families, and where this is not possible, they are supported to have stable loving homes and achieve positive outcomes wherever they live

·         It was noted that there were currently 508 children in care to date including 35 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. This service does receive financial support, but it does not cover the costs.

·         Members were informed that parents attend child protection conferences and would meet with the safeguarding mediator regarding expectations and procedures and there was also a parent forum to support parents and changes.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.