To approve the Children and Young People’s Plan 2019 – 2024.

Council considered a report by the cabinet member for children and families containing the children and young people’s plan 2019-2024 for approval. The cabinet member children and families proposed the children and young people’s plan 2019 – 2024 and made the following comments:

·         The Plan was an overview; the priorities outlined in the Plan would be taken forward with actions plans that would be completed following its approval;

·         Tribute was paid to the involvement of the previous cabinet member and support provided in the transition to the new administration;

·         A wide consultation had informed the Plan which had consisted of engagement events with children and young people, partners and other stakeholders;

·         The Plan set out a vision and contained priorities to: keep children and young people safe; keep children and young people healthy including physical and mental health; childhood development and educational attainment; and enabling community participation and the involvement of children and young people;

·         There were challenges faced by the council including reduced funding, the number of looked after children, the cost of special education needs and the recruitment of social workers. There were however a number of positive elements including children’s enjoyment of living in Herefordshire, improvements in educational attainment and jobs and development opportunities that were available.

·         The role of members as corporate parents was highlighted.

Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst seconded the Plan and explained that it provided a sense of direction for the future of services for children and young people in Herefordshire. She explained that the action plans would bring the vision contained in the Plan into reality. The involvement of children and young people in the production of the Plan had been essential.

Council made the points below in the discussion that followed:

·         The risk to children’s health services posed by the potential merger of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups.

·         The importance of pastoral care in schools and the need to provide assistance and support to schools to realise an effective level of service. It was felt that provision of pastoral care was inconsistent between schools which needed to be reviewed.

·         The children’s scrutiny committee had considered the Plan and agreed with its priorities and focus. The issue of transport for children in remote rural communities had been identified and the need to ensure that a robust monitoring framework was established to assess the success of the objectives in the Plan and the action plans. 

·         It was important that all partners with areas of responsibility in the Plan were notified once the Plan was approved and that schools were involved in the formal launch of the Plan.

·         It was suggested that the detailed action plans should include mentoring as a method to assist children and young people to achieve their potential.

·         It was important that in five years time a review of the Plan was undertaken to establish if it was achieving its aims.

·         It was noted that there was a small proportion of children and young people in the criminal justice system. It  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17

To recommend the Children and Young People’s Plan 2019-2024 for approval.

The cabinet member for children and families presented the report and highlighted the following:

·         The children and young people’s plan had been developed with children and young people and partners

·         The plan builds on the achievements and challenges of the previous plan

·         The latest data from the children’s integrated needs assessment, Ofsted and other sources had been used.

·         The matters of concern included children and young people’s mental health and the high numbers of looked after children (LAC). 

·         The positives were the increasing achievement in education in schools; the opportunities of the university and the cyber security centre.

·         The plan is an overarching framework within which the partners will work to address challenges and bring about changes.   There are delivery plans and action plans which underpin the framework so not all the detail or the issues being worked on is set out in this overarching plan. 

In discussion of the report, the cabinet members noted that:

·         Issues of peer on peer sexual abuse were being addressed by council staff, schools and others in a variety of ways.   It was stressed that it was being taken seriously and that the council was promoting  the use of national guidance.   There had been a range of briefings for safeguarding leads, head teachers, practitioners. 

·         the consultation with children and young people was positive and hopefully that could be a model which could be followed.

·         there was awareness of the issues with some schools have issues with parked cars and there would be work undertaken with officers to look at increasing the number of 20 mph limits around schools.   

·         Encouraging children to walk would be positive for their health and the environment.  

·         Herefordshire had on average comparatively low levels of deprivation  (14% against 20% nationally).   These issues will be addressed in every way the council could.  

·         They were keen to encourage the schools and the wider community with regard to the climate emergency. 

·         Children and young people had clearly demonstrated that they wanted to have an influence which should be encouraged. 

·         The loss of youth groups /  centres had caused issues.  The cabinet member would like to look at the possibility of reinstating them. 

·         There would be regular partnership meetings to review the plan and there would be regular updates considered by children and young people scrutiny committee and health and wellbeing board.   

·         It was an overarching plan which had broad statements which made it flexible enough to act on emerging issues through the life of the plan.

The chair of the children and young person scrutiny committee commented that the plan was a strategic document.   The committee had subsequently held spotlight review into obesity in children and dental decay.   As a result of this the chair, the NHS, public health and HealthWatch would be attending a meeting with MPs to look at dental decay issues faced by Herefordshire in terms of its rural nature.   The possibility of a mobile dental service for rural areas was also being considered as a possibility.     The children  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71