To receive a presentation by the Cabinet Member (Children and Young People) informing the Committee of policy issues affecting this programme area and the main priorities.

The Committee received a presentation by the Cabinet Member (Children and Young People).

A report had been prepared by the Cabinet Member (Children and Young People) outlining the issues affecting the programme area and highlighting some of the specific challenges for 2006/07.

In presenting his report the Cabinet Member highlighted in particular:

• The need to demonstrate that improvements had been made following the Joint Area Review.  This would include showing there was a strong determination to ensure that the improvements already made on safeguarding were being sustained and that progress had been made on filling social work vacancies.
• That Herefordshire’s priorities have been agreed by the Partnership Board and these had been mapped against the Herefordshire Plan ambitions and Herefordshire Council’s objectives. A map of the priorities was included at Appendix 1 to the report.  While the Children & Young People’s Plan had been published it would need to be a flexible document as further strategies and regulation may arise from the education green paper at the end of the year.
• Overall the school accumulated balances had reduced following reports that government may enable a proportion of unspent budgets to be recouped.
• The Annual Performance Assessment (APA) of the Council’s Children’s Services, attached to the report at appendix 2, will give the Services a benchmark for demonstrating the improvements in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment CPA) scores.

The Committee noted the report by the Cabinet Member. The following is an outline of the responses or comments made during the ensuing questioning of the Cabinet Member.

• Arising from concerns over the effect on surrounding primary schools and one high school, the Leader of the Council had requested a meeting with the Secretary of State concerning the proposal for a Steiner Academy.  An area of concern was the use of capital funding.  While it was acknowledged that funding would be from different capital streams, it was considered that funding could be better put to clearing some of the backlog of maintenance in County schools.  A further concern was that a Steiner Academy would not be obliged to meet the many national achievement targets.
• Responding to questions on improving dental health of children (JAR – being healthy) the Director of Children’s Services reported that improvements were being driven by the Primary Care Trust through school engagement; better access to clinics and an increased number of dentists signing up to the NHS contract.  The possibility of water fluoridation had been considered by the Health Scrutiny Committee.  It was suggested that the Director of Public Health be invited to a future meeting to discuss child and young people’s health care issues.
• The Director of Children’s Services confirmed that the realigning and confirming of thresholds within the Child Concern Model for social work involvement had taken place.  While the number of referrals was likely to increase the system would be monitored to identify any trends.
• Efforts were being made to address both the number of vacancies in various areas e.g. social workers and occupational therapists, and the balance between agency and full time employees.
• Responding to questions on the JAR priority “increase the percentage of babies who are breast fed…” the Committee noted that this work would have been undertaken through Children Centres, however, currently work was being targeted at certain areas.

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member for his report and response to the Committee’s questioning.