The Committee will receive a presentation on the night from the Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services.

The Committee received a presentation highlighting a number of key aspects of Children’s Services including the risk to children and young people in relation to child sexual exploitation; domestic violence and mental health; unaccompanied asylum seeking children adoption and fostering; quality and timeliness of social care assessments and interventions; and an update on the stability of the social care workforce.

The questions and comments from Members on the report may be summarised as follows:

The Committee:

• Asked what work is being undertaken with families to build parents’ confidence so that they can support their children’s communication, language and literacy skills at home.  Also what is being done to ensure children join reception classes with the building blocks for learning?  In response it was noted that early help is not consistent in the Borough.  Therefore, there is a need co-ordinate this help and to pull in specialist support to provide the needed wrap around care e.g. to provide children with a strong foundation for success in the classroom and beyond;
• Noted that the relationship between schools and children centres needs to change to have a focus on the journey of the child and the transitions from one setting to another;
• Noted regarding attendance it is about instilling good habits in children’s and parents minds e.g. when a child starts in reception the parents need to see the importance of attendance and to stress that to their child;
• Noted the frustration of LBTH staff caused by the poor reliability of the existing IT infrastructure and their concerns about the systems being fit for purpose e.g. those systems used by LBTH can communicate with each other so that information can be shared;
• Noted that there also is a culture change required to work collaboratively not just the IT but that staff talk to each other so as to minimise the fragmentation and any unnecessary duplication;
• Noted that LBTH are looking at how to work out the churn of families in and out of the Borough and manage the development of the provision of school place planning - secondary and primary provision.
• Was advised that there is an issue with the new national funding formula for schools that has been brought in to tackle wide variations in per-pupil funding rates across the country;
• Noted the recognition of the importance of co-producing from 0 to 25 and to hear the voice of those who are engaged e.g. there are examples where the young people s passion and belief has been used effectively to developed services;
• Noted the Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Schools had made a number of comments recently regarding primary school children wearing the Hijab.  In response it was noted that the presentation had been drafted before Ms Spielman’s announcement but her view on this was not one that would necessarily be shared by schools and LBTH;
• Enquired how have cuts had affected the delivery of children’s services with particular reference to the Shadwell Children’s Centre.  In response it accepted that there was need to brief Councillors on the nature and content of the development of provision within Tower Hamlets (e.g. a stronger offer including health as well).

ACTIONS:

• How have cuts affected the delivery of services? Suggestion that Shadwell Children’s Centre is little more than an office.