Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

No Apologies Received

To be notified of the appointment of any Substitute Members.

No substitute members were appointed

You are invited to declare any registerable and/or non-registerable interests in the matter appearing on the agenda, and the nature of that interest.

You are also invited to disclose any dispensation in relation to any registerable and/or non-registerable interests that have been granted to you in respect of any matters appearing on the agenda.

Please complete the Declarations of Interests card available at the meeting and return it to the Democratic Services Officer before leaving the meeting.

Councillor Murphy informed the Sub-Committee of a non-registerable personal interest in that a family member works in education.

To confirm the previous minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2024.

The Sub-Committee agreed the minutes of the previous meeting held on 5 September 2024.

The Family Friendly Sub-Committee is provided with a report and presentation of the Kinship Care Offer, highlighting the work of Children’s Social Care in relation to North Tyneside’s offer to Kinship carers, and seeking members views on the local draft offer.

Claire Brodie, Interim Senior Manager Children in Care, introduced a report and presentation to the Family Friendly Sub-Committee on Kinship Statutory Guidance, National Practice Guide and the Children’s Social Care National Framework, together with an update on the Work being undertaken with What Works Centre for Children and Families in relation to our offer to Kinship Carers.

Children’s Social Care National Framework was explained:

·       Children’s Social Care National Framework published in December 2023.

·       New Statutory guidance deemed as central to setting direction for practice in Children’s social care.

·       Brings together the purpose of local authority children’s social care and the principles by which children, young people and families should be supported.

·       Puts the voices of children, young people and families at the heart of practice, so they can have a say in how they are supported.

Enablers and Outcomes  - there are three enablers and four outcomes.

Enablers:

-       Multi-agency working is prioritised and effective

-       Leaders drive conditions for effective practice

-       The workforce is equipped and effective

Outcomes:

-       Children, young people and families stay together and get the help they need

-       Children and young people are supported by their family network. This point is what the members are requested to focus on. When children are being raised by someone in their family network, we call this kinship care.

-       Children and young people are safe in and outside of their homes

-       Children in care and care leavers have stable, loving homes

Statutory Guidance - Came into effect upon publication in October 2024.

It sets out a framework for:

-       The provision of support to kinship families

-       How family networks can be engaged to support the needs of children

It provides guidance on the implementation of the duties in the Children Act 1989, and a National Practice Guide has been produced., based on the findings from a systematic review. It also supports senior leaders and commissioners in local areas to commission and develop effective services to support kinship families.

Practice Guidance and What Works Centre for children:

-       In September 2024 North Tyneside Council were successful with an expression of interest to What Works Centre for Children ‘Foundations‘ to become a Kinship Practice Guide Partner.

-       Support is provided over a six-month period and a working group has been set up to review  the guide and complete a step-by-step reflective tool.

-       Work with ‘Foundations’ has started on 7 November 2024.

Local Kinship Care Offer:

-       Statutory guidance requires each local authority to publish a kinship local offer that sets out the support available.

-       North Tyneside Council have reviewed and redeveloped our local offer, currently in draft.

-       The majority of Kinship Care Arrangements work well.  Where additional support is required, our offer sets this out.

-       This includes the ability to contact the team based in the councils Fostering Service.

The offer also covers the following points:

-       What Kinship Care is and the legal framework

-       Varying types of arrangements covered by  ...  view the full minutes text for item F19/24

The Family Friendly Sub-Committee is presented with an overview of the current Youth Justice Service Plan, identifying challenges, opportunities and key objectives for 2024-2025.

Pete Xeros, Service Manager of the North Tyneside Youth Justice Service, presented the Sub-Committee with a report and presentation of the current Youth Justice Service Plan, identifying challenges, opportunities and key objectives for 2024 – 2025.

It was explained that the Youth Justice Service (YJS) work with children and young people from the age of ten to eighteen that break the law. The YJS try to help young people to live better lives and stay away from crime by helping at police stations, providing support at court, providing supervision with community sentences.  The YJS does not disappear when the young person is in custody, contact is kept up and support is provided to help them settle back into the community. Interventions are delivered to help young people make different life choices and victim views are sought and support is offered.

The structure of the service was outlined, and it was explained that it is a statutory service comprising of a multi-disciplinary team. The partnership consists of four statutory organisations – The Police, Local Authoriy, Probation Service and Health.

Inspection and Performance was discussed.  The YJS is inspected by HMI Probation.  The last inspection was in 2021, and it rated YJS as Outstanding. There are one hundred and fifty-four YJS’s in England and Wales and only sixteen have achieved that rating.

The YJS’s are placed into one of four Quadrants, and North Tyneside is in Quadrant 1. This performance quadrant means that:

·       Performance against the oversight fields is strong

·       In the top quartile nationally of relevant oversight metrics

·       Recent HMIP Inspection rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ (within last two years)

·       Intelligence from oversight indicates that performance is good (Youth Justice Plans, Standards for Children, Financial compliance).

Some background was given to the Youth Justice Plan. Local Authority partnerships have a statutory duty to submit a youth Justice Plan relating to their provision of Youth Justice Services.  Section 40 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 sets out the Youth Justice Partnership’s responsibilities in producing a plan.

A review of 2023 to 2024 was provided.

·       Out of Court Process – The Violence reduction Unit commissioned a full review that is about to be concluded.

·       Develop Specific Services for Young Victims of Crime – North Tyneside did not have a dedicated Victim Worker; therefore, this objective was not completed.  The position has now been appointed and the objective has been rolled forward to 2024/2025 plan.

·       Support Young People with Additional Needs/Education, Training and Employment – This is a challenge due to the complexities of the children involved. This objective is central to all partnership work.  Mark Murfin, Head of service, Commissioning, Partnerships and |Transformation has joined the Management Board.

·       Informed Approach to Serious Youth Violence – it is recognised that incidents of serious youth violence is relatively low. Activity with key partners is ongoing to aid a timely intervention where concerns are raised.

·       Improve access to Health and Wellbeing – The YJS has embedded a clinical psychologist and speech and language therapist who consult  ...  view the full minutes text for item F20/24

Family Friendly Sub-Committee will be presented with an oversight of support given to headteachers within North Tyneside and changes to Ofsted inspections.

Lisa Ramshaw, Head of Service Education and Inclusion provided the Family Friendly Sub-Committee with an overview of the support given to headteachers within North Tyneside and changes to Ofsted Inspections.

Ofsted

There are seventy-eight schools in North Tyneside. The current overall grades by Ofsted are:

-        Outstanding – Seven

-        Good – Sixty-Six

-        Requires Improvement – one

-        Inadequate – Four

From January 2024 changes to the Ofsted process were introduced:

-        All Ofsted Inspectors were required to complete mental health training before inspecting again.

-        Lead Inspectors will ask the headteacher for a point of contact should they have any concerns regarding the welfare of the headteacher. We have had two contacts following inspections in the last academic year.

-        Lead Inspector is to be careful to pace the information given and offer support breaks.

-        Inspection outcome can be shared with staff in school, partners, medical professionals. Previously you were unable to share the outcome, this created undue pressure and the burden was tough.

Timeline of Ofsted Changes

From now - The single-word headline inspection grades are scrapped. Ofsted can only call on a Monday with inspections on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Judgements will be withheld for schools with safeguarding concerns and re-visit within three months.

23 September 2024 – Graded inspections resume.  Four areas will be assessed without an overall headline judgement being issued.

7 October 2024 – Ungraded inspections resume. Ungraded inspections will not include deep dives.

January 2025 – Consultation on the introduction of the inspection report card and a new education inspection framework.  Regional improvement teams to work on a voluntary basis with schools rated ‘requires improvement’ in consecutive inspections.

How does Education North Tyneside support the wellbeing of Headteachers?

Universal Offer:

There are strong relationships between Officers and schools and the implementation of a headteacher helpline. There is a new headteacher programme and visits are made by an Assistant Director. Each term there are face to face and online briefings. There are wellbeing check-ins, and a member of the team will go directly to the headteacher if needed. Weekly headteacher comms take place as well as support during long term absence.

Union support, training offer for headteachers, school governor support and Mental Health First Aid training are also available.

Ofsted complaints stand at 37 in the last academic year, this is an increase, and the complaints have also increased nationally.

Ofsted Support

-        Offer support and guidance as a critical friend with termly AD HMI meetings. 

-        Targeted support for schools in the inspection window with reviews and coaching for senior leaders.

-        Extended conversation coaching helps to reassure and prepare

-        Preparation for Ofsted group – shows how to prepare

-        Officer present during Ofsted feedback

-        Practical support during the inspection – by members of the team who know the school best.

The members thanked Lisa for the report and asked for more information regarding regional improvement teams.

Regional teams will allocate Advisors; however, schools do not have to accept the  ...  view the full minutes text for item F21/24

The work programme is a standard item of business on the agenda for the Family Friendly Sub-Committee to keep under regular review.

The chair of the Family Friendly Sub-Committee asked if members had any items to add.

School attainment data is not available yet available and it is hoped to slot the school place planning item into the March meeting.

There will be a Task and Finish Group for school reading and attainment and the first meeting will take place on 3 December 2024.

Thursday 9 January 2025 at 6pm

Next meeting – Thursday 9 January 2025 at 6:00pm