Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Shiva Tiwari and Co-opted Members Reverend Guy Pope and Samir Qurashi.

There were no declarations.

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair to announce the following: ‘In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for twelve months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes’.

Any Other Announcements

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair made the following announcement: “In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for twelve months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.”

Ofsted visit

The Executive Director for Children and Learning stated that Ofsted had visited Camden children’s services on week the commencing 30 November week for a two-day focused visit to review Camden’s work with children subject to children in need and child protection plans. The visit was not graded, however Camden would be provided with a narrative letter which would set out any learning points for the Council. The feedback from the visit was positive, particularly noting the commitment, passion, and the conscientiousness of Camden’s social workers.

Requests to speak at the Committee on a matter within its terms of reference must be made in writing to the clerk named on the front of this agenda by 5pm two working days before the meeting.

There were no deputations.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meetings held on 7 September 2023.

A Member noted that item 10, Camden Local Area Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy Update, should include the question asked about the gender trends of SEND provision.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2023, as amended, be agreed as a correct record.

There was no urgent business.

Report of the Head of Education Commissioning and School Organisation.

Over the last 5 years there has been a significant reduction in demand for school places within Camden and the wider London area. Forecasts of pupil demand have also been created in times of unprecedented change and challenge for families in Camden. Specifically, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have fundamentally altered people’s lives and changed patterns of migration within central London and Camden Borough specifically. The impacts of these have reduced the anticipated level of demand for school places. These factors also created a significant degree of uncertainty, and a less stable environment in which to plan ahead. Our modelling aims to account for these as best as they can, but they also rely on assumptions of future trends that can only be accurately assessed over time.

In response to these changing local demographics the Council has taken a proactive approach to school place planning. Since 2018 the Council, in partnership with its family of schools, has removed 10 forms of entry from our reception intake, responding to a 24% reduction in birth rates across the borough. These difficult decisions including four school closures, the most recent being the closure of St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School, ensure that our family schools remain both sustainable and responsive to the needs of their communities.

Forecasts up to 2021 indicated a significant ongoing decline in pupil numbers. At that stage the Council indicated some caution in those figures as potentially over-estimating the ongoing impact of reduced migration caused by both Brexit and the Pandemic. In September 2021 and 2022 entry in to the Boroughs Secondary and Primary Schools were above the forecast for those years and this is a positive position for Camden Schools. During this period Camden Schools also welcomed a large number of Afghan and Ukrainian Families as part of the Afghan resettlement programme and the Homes for Ukraine programme. Whilst a number of the pupils have relocated within the UK, a proportion have also settled within Camden and bolstered pupil numbers as a result. As the national position has stabilised and our local position has taken account of these trends our most recent forecasts indicate a more consistent position and now show an increase in pupil demand towards the end of the decade.

The forecast data does however still show supressed birth rates within London and Camden alongside the continued effect of reductions in families moving into Camden during the COVID period.

Primary:

The surplus over the reception year admission number is estimated to from 7% in 2023/24 to 13% by the middle of the decade before falling to 4% by 2032/33.

Secondary:

The Secondary Year 7 surplus is estimated to increase from 10% in 2023/24 to 21% by 2032/3. 

This level of anticipated surplus provision within both phases does require responses overtime to ensure the sustainability of our school offer.

Ensuring Camden has the right number of school places is both the Council’s statutory responsibility and aligns  ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Education Commissioning and School Organisation.

The Head of Education Commissioning and School Organisation summarised the report which provided the annual analysis and interpretation of information relating to both primary and secondary school provision in Camden. The review incorporated all underlying demographic data including the following: existing provision and capacity, actual registered births and fertility, the latest Greater London Authority (GLA) forecasts for births and their relationship to school rolls; and the additional pupils associated with new housing developments. This annual analysis was used to support informed decision-making about the future organisation of school places. It was noted that this year had seen an increase in numbers which marked the end of a depressive period reported in the previous year years, however ongoing stability should be taken with caution. Primary and secondary schools faced different challenges and were affected differently by key variables. The Council had to be active and innovative in making sure the system was stable going forward.

The Chair thanked officers for the report and invited questions and comments from the Committee. The following was discussed:

-       In the context of Form Entries (FE) reducing across Camden, it was acknowledged that any discussions on deciding which secondary schools FEs could be removed would need to be in partnership, transparent and clear on the outset. However, there would be different conversations with each school as those decisions were not simple and there were currently four secondary schools with 4FE, which meant they were already at a financially critical stage. It was confirmed there were different collaborate strategies in supporting this trend, for example the post-16 LaSWAP (La Sainte Union, William Ellis, Acland Burghley and Parliament Hill schools) Sixth Form Consortium.

-       In relation to the cause of falling rolls, officers confirmed that the impact of falling pupil rolls works differently in primary and secondary schools, for example at secondary there was the role of parental preference. Ofsted ratings and mobility were factors, meaning some schools were more effective increasing their viability. Many external factors were out of the Council’s control. Additionally, it was confirmed that the birth rate measured the number of children born in Camden hospitals. By children reaching school age, children born in the borough may have moved outside of Camden due to a number of reasons.

-       In relation to private education, officers confirmed that the Council did not have individual data on whether children born in the borough went on to attend a private school, adding some data did not correlate to tell the full story.

-       In relation to SEND place planning provision, a Co-opted Member asked how the Council would plan for appropriate and sufficient provision of school places for children with different types and increasing demand of need, and how would any gaps in provision be identified. In response, it was confirmed that the Council was committed to SEND school place planning. A High Needs Block (HNB) subgroup had been established and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families.

The Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families here provides the Committee with their annual report for discussion, including updates on Camden Learning, free school meals, support for students with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) and our other children and family health support initiatives.

Consideration was given to the report of the Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families.

The Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families summarised their annual report, which covered the following areas in detail: schools and Camden Learning; improving the health of children and families (including school meals, physical fitness and activities); adult community learning and the virtual school; children’s services and safeguarding; mental health of children and families; support for students with SEND and the Children and Young People with Disabilities Service (CYPDS); corporate parenting and voices of families and children; Early Years; special update on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC); and the formal major decisions taken (in the last 12 months) and available forthcoming decisions. The Cabinet Member presented particular focus on the following areas: increasing school governor and school leadership diversity; falling school rolls; digital learning; post pandemic results and the disadvantage gap; social work; the Ofsted visit; RAAC; youth service plan; improving the offer to care leavers; healthy living in schools offer; and the SEND strategy.

The Cabinet Member thanked their Cabinet Officer, Nathan Koskella, for their support in preparing the portfolio report, and thanked the Committee for their vital ongoing input to the scrutiny process.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for the annual report and invited questions and comments from the Committee. The following was discussed:

-       In relation to attendance, a Member asked if the school attendance campaign was improving, which was a local and national priority. The Cabinet Member stated that school attendance was a priority and a part of the youth mission; currently there were 4,000 persistent absentees in Camden. As part of the work there was a back-to-school media campaign using the tagline ‘Every School Day Counts’. This involved posters in schools, leaflets for parents, bus stop posters and social media posts.  Parents attitudes towards attendance were eroded during the pandemic and the Council would be continuing to work in this area. Camden Learning has appointed three new officers who would work with schools to support them, with some schools funding those roles themselves.

-       In relation to Camden’s attendance campaign, a Co-opted Member stated that national research showed that the tagline ‘Every School Day Counts’ was not working, because parents perceived is as a hollow message, and asked why Camden was continuing to push the message despite the research. The Co-opted Member stated that they knew many parents who wanted nothing more than to send their children to school but needed support with their children’s SEND needs. In response, it was confirmed there were family support workers enlisted who would be providing proactive outreach to building relationships with families to address school absenteeism. It was noted this was a resource intensive approach, therefore wider campaigns had to form a large part of the attendance strategy; if there were more resources, additional money would be channelled into pastoral care. Officers stated that the Council recognised there were some families who faced significant challenges, where young people’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Young People and Culture.

This report provides the Committee with an update relating to the portfolio of the Cabinet Member for Young People and Culture.

Consideration was given to the update paper of the Cabinet Member for Young People and Culture.

The paper and verbal summary from the Cabinet Member gave updates in the following areas: Camden’s Youth Justice service - The Youth Justice Plan and priorities for 2023 – 2025; update on children looked after and disproportionality action plans; Youth Safety Steering Group; Detached Team; The London Borough Apprenticeship Awards; and the new MET for London community event - 5 September 2023.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for the update and invited questions and comments from the Committee. In addition to the paper, the following was discussed:

-       In relation to the MET for London Turnaround Plan, it was confirmed the London Plan would come before the MET Camden specific plan. One community crime fighting pledge was to ‘recruit additional Police Community Support officers (PCSO’s) and put them in local neighbourhoods to deliver the priorities for London’ and a Member asked if it was possible to ask the MET to hire more people from Camden who understood the area. In response, it was stated that a PCSO role was not always seen as a desirable job, and it was hard to find local people. This issue had been raised with the MET and for issue that to be considered in the local workshops and final report.

-       The Cabinet Member stated that Black History season was taking place until 12 December and there was a huge listing of mostly free events. The season hosted many challenging pieces of work and events were being held many spaces around the borough.

-       In relation to the middle east conflict, a Co-opted Member stated that the Israel-Gaza war had been immensely triggering for some refugee families and was sparking re-lived trauma. They noted specifically that Islamophobia was on the rise. The Co-opted Member asked what the Council was doing to support those families and young people of those with backgrounds linked to the conflict and if there were any discussions on the topic in the Youth Charter. They also noted that Prevent speaking to families that could be triggering of trauma. In response, it was stated that the last Youth Charter was in September before the conflict began, but they were aiming for discussions. There were workshops with young people focussing on how the Police interacted with them. Camden was focussing on how to support communities during the middle east war and senior leaders were visiting residents and communities.  The aim was for young people to feel safe and feel confident to discuss issues safely and for schools to be safe.

-       In relation to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) health outcomes, a Member noted that BAME people were underrepresented in seeking and accessing health and wellbeing services. Some health professionals did not recognise that trauma presented differently on BAME people, who might have experienced traumatic events in their home country, and additionally may feel the need to conceal their trauma in the UK. GPs  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Report of the Director of Children's Prevention, Family Help and Safeguarding.

This report provides information about complaints made to the Children’s statutory services in the London Borough of Camden during the twelve months between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023. It is a statutory requirement to produce an annual report which is published on the Council’s website.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Children's Prevention, Family Help and Safeguarding.

The Director of Children's Prevention, Family Help and Safeguarding summarised the report. The Council had a single policy and procedure for managing complaints, which included the statutory Social Services complaints process, following the introduction of a new Council-wide system. The service focussed on resolving issues informally outside of the formal complaints procedure. It was noted that there had been a time-lag in complaints being responded to in 2021 due to a key colleague sadly falling ill. Based on the reports of young people and advocates, over the reporting period, the main issues identified were Housing, concerns about allocated social workers and personal advisors, and finance benefits and debt. The report covered the following areas: the complaints procedure; context - services users and provision; overview of complaints data; volume and performance data by service area; outcomes by service area; complaint source; types of complaint; case studies; learning outcomes; Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) cases and comments; Compliments; comments from the service; and the Coram Voice Advocacy Service Annual Report 2022/23.

The Chair thanked officers for the report and invited questions and comments from the Committee. The following was discussed:

-       A Member asked if service users were confident in the complaints process working fairly. In response, it was confirmed that it was a constant endeavour of the service to maintain a fair process and was always looking in how to improve systems. The low number of formal complaints could be accounted to the service offering proper opportunities for families to raise issues before the formal complaint stage. The service had invested in an advocate role which they were appointing soon and a named person to send complaints to. They would be procuring an advocacy contract in April.

-       In relation to the types of complaints based on the process and communication failures since the new complaints system had been in place for 1.5 years, it was confirmed that the new complaints system was Council-wide and there was a period to account for where colleagues were being trained on the new system and the allocation of complaints was not always accurate, slowing down the process. The delays and timely responses were now improving. There would always be some complaints, which was important for the service to learn and improve and be open to scrutiny and concern from families.

-       It was confirmed that the main issues affecting young people ages 17-25 were: the time it took to secure permanent accommodation; a young person not being ready to manage their own tenancy and tasks that came with independence; and issues of debt when starting work.

-       In relation to section 4.13, Children's Safeguarding and Social Work (CSSW) Summary, a Member asked if the corporate target was realistic for the service, due to the complexity of some cases, and if the targets would ever be achieved. In response, it was confirmed that despite the targets being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Report of the Chair of the SEND Provision Scrutiny Panel.

On 7 September 2023, the Children, Schools and Families (CSF) Scrutiny Committee agreed for the SEND Provision Scrutiny Panel to be established and agreed the terms of reference. This report asks the Committee to agree an amended terms of reference (Appendix A), recommended by the Panel following their first formal meeting on 4 October 2023.

Consideration was given to the report of the Chair of the SEND Provision Scrutiny Panel.

Councillor McNamara summarised the amendment to the SEND Provision Scrutiny Panel terms of reference, editing the key line of enquiry in relation to good value, recommended by the Panel following their first formal meeting on 4 October 2023.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

Report of the Executive Director Children and Learning.

This report sets out the work programme for the municipal year 2023/24 for the Committee’s consideration. The Committee will continue to be provided with an updated report on their future work programme at each meeting, for their consideration.

Consideration wasgiven tothe reportof the Executive Director Children and Learning.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

The Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee is asked to note the future meeting dates for the remainder of the 2023-24 municipal year:

-       19 December 2023

-       18 January 2024

-       26 February 2024

-       13 March 2024

The following remaining meeting dates of the municipal year were noted:

-          19 December2023

-          18 January2024

-          26 February2024

-          13 March2024 (additionalmeeting)

There was no urgent business.