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 and young person scrutiny committee would also be undertaking a number of spotlight reviews, one of which would be peer on peer sexual abuse.

Group leaders were invited to express the views of their group.     There was support for the plan and the hard work of the officers, partners and previous cabinet member were appreciated.    The plan was a work in progress and the challenge would be to make this a county plan which was delivered in a realistic way.  

The relatively high number of looked after children were commented on and the director for children and families confirmed that this continued to be an area of focus.  There had been a number of children and young people’s reviews and a number of cases would be going to court for a decision on whether they should be in family based arrangement rather than continue as looked after children.   It was stressed that any decision would be in the best interest of the children or young people concerned. 

That:

(a)       the draft Children and Young People’s Plan 2019-2024 at appendix A be recommended to Council for  approval.