Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cooper, Leman and McNamara and Co-opted Members Zarin Bakhshzaad, Margaret Harvey, Sarah Jafri and Dr Rachel Wrangham.

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 reminded those present that the meeting was being broadcast live by the Council and was recorded and later made available on the website.  Those addressing the meeting were deemed to be consenting to having their contributions recorded and broadcast.

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.

There was no urgent business.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2024.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2024 be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Director of Education Commissioning and Inclusion and the Director of Relational Practice.

This report sets out the findings, key messages, and recommendations of the Young Inspectors inspection of the Virtual School for children looked after and previously looked after.

The main focus of the young inspection was:

• To find out about the experience of children and young people of the support they receive from the Virtual School.

• To identify main themes based on the feedback from focus group discussions with young people and members of the Virtual School staff.
• To develop recommendations for the Virtual Schoolbased on the feedback from these focus group discussions.

The conclusions that emerged from the Young Inspectors gave rise to six key recommendations for the Virtual School for children looked after and previously looked after.

The report also includes a summary of action taken to implement the Young Inspectors Report 2023 recommendations.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Education Commissioning and Inclusion and the Director of Relational Practice.

Elzbieta Chandrasena (Senior Development Officer Participation) and Young Inspectors Mary-Lynn, Nihad and Jenny, summarised the report. The report set out the findings, key messages, and recommendations of the Young Inspectors inspection of the Virtual School for looked after children and previously looked after.

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

·       A Member queried the differences between the recommendations this year and those from the previous year. Officers noted that the 2023 recommendations focused on the experiences of young people in social care meetings, with updates provided in Appendix 2. Several changes and improvements had been made, including strengthened advocacy for parents, giving them greater agency. Additionally, the 'Mind of My Own' app, launched in September 2024, had received positive feedback from young people. Jenny said she was impressed with the app, noting how helpful it could have been during their time in care, and highlighted its ability to engage young people and reduce the pressure of one-to-one meetings. Jenny was excited about the app's development and upcoming features, such as video and sign language support for young people with hearing difficulties, as well as the ability to customise language and fonts. They also mentioned a new feature allowing young people to update their feelings, with additional emotional options to be introduced. Officers stated that the app would be reviewed, with feedback gathered to improve its role in meeting preparations, engagement, and communication alongside professional conversations.

·       A Member said they were impressed by work of the Young Inspectors and their collaboration, as the Committee was each year, and encouraged them to continue and build on their achievements. They noted the app sounded impressive and looked forward to seeing progress next year. Officers highlighted the dedication of young people who often gave up their evenings and summer holidays to participate, while also benefiting from personal development and gaining insights into services. Nihad emphasised the value of teamwork, listening to different perspectives, and identifying shared areas for engagement. Mary-Lynn reflected on the experience as both enjoyable and meaningful and stressed the importance of providing a safe platform for young people to voice their concerns.

·       Mary Holder (Deputy Virtual School Head/Post 16 Education, Employment and Training) thanked the Young Inspectors for their work, recognising the time they dedicated to formulating probing and important questions. They emphasised that the Personal Education Plan (PEP) was the young person's meeting and noted that the Young Inspectors' recommendations provided valuable insights to enhance the PEP process. The Virtual School would address these recommendations and report back to the Corporate Parenting Board.

·       A Member noted that it was evident the Young Inspectors had found the process rewarding and had learned things they were unaware of during their time in care. A Member asked what they felt they most needed from the Virtual School  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of the Executive Director of Children and Learning.

This report sets out the annual report on corporate parenting and provides an overview of the achievement, progress and challenges in meeting the needs of Camden’s children in care and care experienced young who are placed both in borough and outside the borough. The report also sets out the priorities for 2025 and covers the period from December 2023 to November 2024.

Consideration was given to the report of the Executive Director of Children and Learning.

The Chair informed the Committee that a draft of the new Corporate Parenting Strategy, alongside a proforma asking for feedback, would be circulated to Committee Members in due course, ahead of its submission to Cabinet to be formally agreed. A proforma would allow opportunity for more structured views to be provided by Members.

Brenda Amisi-Hutchinson (Head of Corporate Parenting) summarised the annual report on corporate parenting which provided an overview of the achievement, progress, challenges, and 2025 priorities for Camden’s corporate parenting services in meeting the needs of Camden’s children in care and care experienced young people who were placed both in and out of borough.

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

·       A Member asked why the number of looked after children was higher in the summer months. Officers explained that this could be attributed to the end of the school year, with schools potentially managing challenges relating to young people, and that summer was safer for unaccompanied children to travel to the UK. Officers explained that another contributing factor was the rise in children entering care due to serious youth violence and child exploitation. The goal was to support families and help children remain in the home by offering more intensive support, such as frequent visits and dedicated workers. Parental mental health issues also played a role, and efforts were being made to offer support through safety plans and alternative family placements, including a refreshed kinship offering. Officers noted an increase in referrals, assessments, child protection investigations, and children placed on protection plans. They acknowledged that there was a higher volume of cases in the system, in line with national trends, and suggested that a post-pandemic effect might be at play. They highlighted a focus on delivering preventative interventions.

·       A Member asked if the cost-of-living crisis meant parents could not afford to look after their children. Officers agreed it impacted parents and also the Council. They explained that the cost-of-living crisis impacted the cost of care purchased through commissioning, with providers inflating prices, which in turn affected the Council’s budget.

·       A Member stated that most carers were White British, while Black and Global Majority groups were underrepresented. They noted that White carers might not understand the trauma or culture of children from these groups and asked if there was training for them. Officers acknowledged that more work was needed to recruit more diverse foster carers. They explained that all foster carers had a schedule of training each year and that Replenish boxes containing skin and hair care products were provided for White foster carers, to support them in starting conversations and understanding the specific care needs of Black children. They also highlighted the need for more targeted recruitment of families with refugee status to support these areas within the system and mentioned commissioning specialist training. A Member stated that training should address  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

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

The report provides updates to the Children, Schools and Families Committee on four interconnected programmes of work under the aegis of the recently-formed Children and Learning Directorate: Family Hubs, Family Help, Start Well, and the cross-cutting Child Health Equity programme.  Each section provides background/ context to the work including information on our population’s needs and governance arrangements; key updates from the last 12 months; challenges; and next steps for the coming year.

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

The Chair informed the Committee that another Family Hubs paper would report to Committee in the next municipal year because there was national reform and developments in this area. The Chair invited views from Members on any changes to areas the report covers or how information was presented they would like to be incorporated into the next paper.

Manuj Sharma (Public Health Consultant), Debbie Adams (Head of Early Years and Family Hubs) and Kirsten Watters (Director of Health and Wellbeing) summarised the report. The report provided updates on four interconnected programmes of work under the oversight of the recently formed Children and Learning Directorate: Family Hubs, Family Help, Start Well, and the cross-cutting Child Health Equity programme.  The report provided background and context to the work, including information on Camden’s population’s needs and governance arrangements. The report also provided key updates from the last 12 months, challenges, and next steps for the coming year.  

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

·       A Member raised concerns about low vaccination rates in Camden, attributing the cause of the issue partly to misinformation spread via social media and other sources. They emphasised the critical role of schools in addressing myths about vaccines, particularly in parent governor meetings, and stressed the importance of clear communication about the serious risks of not vaccinating. The Member expressed particular concern about vaccination uptake in Somali and Bangladeshi communities. Officers reported that Camden had made sustained progress in increasing immunisation rates since 2022, including an improvement in uptake of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. While the increases were modest, they were significant, given the difficulty in reaching certain groups. Officers highlighted an upward trend, with the second dose of the vaccine (MMR2) reaching 65%. They attributed this progress to cross-partnership work involving Family Hubs, the Integrated Care Board (ICB), and community participation, noting that Camden was bucking regional and national trends and making measurable progress despite external challenges.

·       A Member highlighted that mental health disorders in Camden were 33% higher than the national average, with social housing and poverty cited as contributing factors. They shared concerns from their ward surgery, noting that some residents would value access to social housing. The Member also expressed particular concern at the high rates of self-harm among 17 to 24 year olds. Reflecting on a 2016-17 scrutiny panel report on mental health in secondary schools, the Member noted the worsening trends, particularly regarding self-harm, which had not been a significant focus in previous years. They also acknowledged positive feedback from interviews with providers and asked why the situation had deteriorated. Officers explained that the increase in mental health challenges reflected broader national trends, driven by factors such as the cost-of-living crisis, the pandemic, and the impact of the digital age, including social media. Although Camden's self-harm  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Report of the Executive Director Children and Learning.

This report provides an outline of the 2024-25 work programme (Appendix 1), the 2025-26 provisional work programme (Appendix 2), and an update on actions requested at previous meetings (Appendix 3).

Consideration was given to the report of the Executive Director of Children and Learning.

Tim Aldridge (Executive Director Children and Learning) summarised the work programme.

A Member raised concerns about the rise in Elective Home Education (EHE) in Camden and nationally, expressing worries about its impact and the reasons some children were not attending the good schools in Camden. They also highlighted issues with school non-attendance, particularly post-pandemic school dropouts or those relating to gang grooming. It was agreed that an update paper, presenting the statistics on EHE, would be brought to the Committee. Additionally, a section on EHE would be included in the Alternative Provision report in November 2025.

RESOLVED –

THAT the Committee note the report.

The Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee is asked to note the final meeting date of the 2024/25 municipal year: Monday, 24 February 2025.

The provisional meeting dates for the 2025/26 municipal year will be publicly available in due course.

The final meeting of the municipal year would be on Monday 24 February 2025.

There was no urgent business.