Children, Families and Education Committee update
The Children, Families and Education Committee for Wirral Council met at Wallasey Town Hall on Wednesday 16 October 2024.
The full agenda for this committee meeting is available on the council website - the meeting was also live webcast and can be watched back online via the link on the agenda.
Items on the agenda included:
Youth Justice Annual Plan
Full details can be found in the committee report
Members of the committee received the report providing an introduction to the Wirral Youth Justice Service (YJS) Strategic Plan 2024-2025.
The Youth Justice Board (YJB) is a non-departmental public body for overseeing the youth justice system in England and Wales. The preparation and submission of an ‘Annual Plan’ is linked to the terms and conditions of the Youth Justice Board grant award. This award contributes to the funding of youth offending teams and services across England and Wales.
The Wirral Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2024-25 links to the Wirral Plan against priorities and delivery of the following:
- To deliver high quality efficient universal services to all residents
- To prioritise those with the greatest needs
- To deliver council services within the means of the council budget
- To be prepared to innovate and face the future
- To work across communities with community, voluntary and faith organisations and partners to improve all residents’ life chances
Members of the committee noted the contents of the report and recommended the Youth Justice Service’s Strategic Plan for 2024 -25 be approved.
Council Plan Performance Report for Quarter 1 2024-25, theme: early help for children and families
Full details can be found in the committee report
Members reviewed a quarterly performance report in relation to the Council Plan: Wirral Working Together 2023-27. The report relates to the committee’s key theme of the Council’s plan which is ‘early help for children and families’.
Children's Services Performance Report
Full details can be found in the committee report
This report provided the latest performance information for the Children’s, Families and Education Directorate. The committee reviewed the report.
SEND Improvement
Full details can be found in the committee report
In light of recent industrial action, Director of Children’s Services Elizabeth Hartley read out a statement ahead of the SEND Improvement report being presented to members. You can watch this on the webcast here: Children, Young People & Education Committee - Wednesday 16 October 2024, 6:00pm - Start video at 0:56:08 - Wirral Council Webcasting.
Members received an update on the improvement programme for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for the local area.
The committee noted the progress of the Local Area SEND Partnership Board tackling system improvement as required by the Department for Education’s (DfE) Improvement Notice.
Independent Reviewing Service Annual Report
Full details can be found in the committee report
This Annual Report of Activity, from Wirral’s Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) service, required since March 2010. The purpose of the report, is to evaluate the extent to which Wirral Council has fulfilled its responsibilities to its Children Looked After for the period 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024.
This report provided an overview to the Children Young People and Education Committee for scrutiny and comment. This report is aligned to the Wirral Plan 2021-26 priority: Working together for brighter futures for our children, young people, and their families by breaking the cycle of poor outcomes for all regardless of their background.
Members reviewed the report and approved it for publication.
Early Years Wrap Around Childcare Programme Update
Full details can be found in the committee report
This report covers key updates on the childcare wrap around programme. The government has announced approval of Wirral’s delivery plan and budget spend for financial year 2024 to 2025. The government have yet to announce a decision on the budget allocation for financial year 2025 to 2026. Funding allocation notifications have been sent to schools with partial provision and work is ongoing with schools that don’t currently have an offer. Currently two schools have accepted the offer provided to them.
The committee noted the report and advised they would receive a further update following further rollout of the wrap around programme.
Youth Service Statutory Duty Development
Full details can be found in the committee report
This report details a review of the youth services provided for children and young people in Wirral, setting out headline changes in the last year and identifying themes for continuous improvement. The report assesses Wirral’s offer against Section 507b of the Education Act 1996 Statutory Duty.
Section 507B requires local authorities to, so far as reasonably practicable, secure access for all qualifying young people to a sufficient quantity of, and facilities for, ‘youth services’ - educational and recreational leisure-time activities, for the improvement of their wellbeing.
The report is aligned to Wirral Council’s Plan priority, working for brighter futures for our children, young people and their families and it is aligned with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy Priority 3 which supports the best start in life for children and young people.
Members noted that the Council is fulfilling its duty to provide a youth offer.
Work Programme
Full details can be found in the committee report
The Children, Young People and Education Committee, in co-operation with the other Policy and Service Committees, is responsible for proposing and delivering an annual committee work programme. This work programme should align with the corporate priorities of the Council, in particular the delivery of the key decisions which are within the remit of the Committee.
This report provides the Committee with an opportunity to plan and regularly review its work across the municipal year.
Members noted and approved the proposed Children, Young People and Education Committee work programme for the remainder of the 2024/25 municipal year.
