Agenda and draft minutes

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 minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 2024

The Sub-Committee agreed the minutes of the previous meeting held on 11 November 2024.

The Family Friendly Sub Committee is recommended to note appendix 1 and 2 of this report.

Mark Mirfin, Head of Commissioning, Partnerships and Transformation, provided a report and delivered a presentation to the Sub-Committee on the subject of Home to School Travel Assistance.

The Sub-Committee was informed that the Home to School Travel budget for 2024/25 has an in-year pressure of £1.7m, due to the number of children with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP’s), inflationary pressures on transport contracts and the current provision available being above statutory requirements.

To achieve a £1.7m forecast pressure for 24/25 the Council has increased the budget by £1.5m.  On 25 November 2025, Cabinet approved a revised Home to School Transport Policy and Annual Post 16 Position Statement, to commence in September 2025.  The North Tyneside offer to pre-16 students would return to statutory minimum requirements, and the offer to post 16 students has been amended.  Additional mitigations not related to the revised policy and statement are also Identified.

The Sub-Committee heard that the Authority has a duty to provide free travel assistance for eligible children from reception to Year 11, not including post 16 students.

The Sub-Committee received a breakdown of the numbers of children receiving travel assistance and modes of transport used, including bus permits.

The new policy will be effective from 1 September 2025. Those who receive travel assistance this academic year will continue to receive It in line with the current policy until they leave their current phase of education.

The key changes are:

-        Cease denominational bus passes (low income exemptions apply).  To estimate impact, of the 231 in receipt of this now, 182 would continue to receive it with the low income exemption applied.

-        Revert to statutory mileage limits for Additionally Resourced Provisions (ARP’s), Special Educational Needs (SEN) Units and Special Schools.  Those who are up to 8 years old living more than 2 miles from the provision (currently 1 mile) and those who are over 8 years old living more than 3 miles from the provision (currently 1 mile), will receive travel assistance.

-        Provide a single drop off and pick up for children accessing part time timetables.

The Sub-Committee was provided with information regarding a new Annual Post 16 Position Statement.  There is no requirement for a Local Authority to provide assistance to post 16 learners. The new Annual Post 16 Position Statement will be effective from 1 September 2025, providing assistance above the statutory requirements. Those who receive travel assistance this academic year will continue to receive It in line with the current position statement until they leave their current phase of education.  Any future offer will be in line with the new position statement.

The key changes are:

-        Introduction of a standard charge of £672 for students with an EHCP towards travel costs for 2025/26 (low income exemptions apply).  Of the one hundred and fifteen students receiving transport now, seventy seven would not contribute due to low income.

-        For students without an EHCP the Council will cease the 50% refund.  Many can claim a  ...  view the full minutes text for item F27/24

The Family Friendly Sub-Committee is recommended to Note the report and consider the current data and processes to improve attendance in North Tyneside.

Amanda Frankish, Senior School Improvement Officer Inclusion delivered a presentation giving an overview of papers received by the Sub-Committee regarding the Attendance policy and children and young people who are electively home educated (EHE).

Attendance

The Sub-Committee was informed that the data for North Tyneside is pleasing and better than the regional and national in all phases of education, however, there is a 0.2% increase on the absence rates.  Data for Primary, Secondary and Special Schools was shared with members, and it was noted that absence has increased in all groups compared to the previous year.

In vulnerable groups, the overall absence rate for 2023/24 for students on Free School Meals (FSM) in North Tyneside is 4.6% compared to non FSM and is 11.1% nationally.  Those with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) is 5.1% compared to non EHCP’s and is 6.9% nationally.  Those with Special Education Support (SEN) is 3.4% compared to non SEN support and is 7.1% nationally.

North Tyneside data for these vulnerable groups is significantly better that the national data.

Data from 15 November 2024 was shared and there is a pleasing 2.25% decrease in the overall data compared to the same period the previous year.  In Primary and Secondary there was a 0.9% decrease and in special schools there was a significant 3% decrease.

The key focus is on prevention, early intervention and targeted support.

-        Prevention:  Strong level attendance management.

-        Early intervention: Reduce absence before it becomes embedded

-        Targeted Support: For persistent absence below 90% and severely absent below 50%.

The members were informed that the Authority’s ambition is to analyse and share the data with partners, respond to data and share best practice of schools, as well as celebrating good attendance is, reporting on attendance and providing a statutory role of attendance.  North Tyneside has been in the top 25% for attendance for the last ten years.

With regard to support and challenge to schools, members were informed that new statutory guidance was implemented in August 2024.  The Authority provides regular communication to all schools and there are 42 schools with School Development Partners (SDP) who receive three visits per year.  There are targeted support meetings, and twenty seven schools receive a meeting per term.  Where there is legal intervention needed, the Authority provides support. There is an approach for Emotionally Based School Non Attendance (EBSNA), including Connect Mental Health.  All schools were offered free training from educational psychologists.  Small steps are being taken to support long term absent pupils back into school. 

There is still work to be done, but the overall picture is positive.

The members were encouraged by targeted support being provided to twenty seven schools.  A request was made that a report be made available to the Sub-Committee in the future so that progress and challenges can be outlined. It was further requested that the data include the actual figures of children involved and not just the percentage figures.  It was agreed that a report  ...  view the full minutes text for item F28/24

The Family Friendly Sub-Committee is recommended to note the contents of the report.

Mary Connor, Head of Service, Safeguarding and Children’s Services provided reports and delivered a presentation to the Sub-Committee on Signs of Safety and  Workforce Development.

Signs of Safety

Signs of Safety is the practice model for Children’s Services in North Tyneside.  The briefing paper outlined the principles and tools of the model and highlighted the impact of the model.

The Signs of Safety approach was developed in Australia and based on work in child protection with indigenous families there.  Practitioners are trained to understand human behaviour and adapt their approach based on the needs of who they are speaking to.

All Local Authorities have a practice model and Ofsted will expect this.

The four pillars of the model are:

-        Learning

-        Leadership

-        Meaningful Measures

-        Organisational Alignment.

The principles that underpin the model are :

-       Working relationships – honest and respectful

-       Thinking critically – fostering a stance of enquiry

-       Based on the everyday lived experience of the child

-       Transparency with families – use of language family can understand

Practice theories:

Distinction between past harm, future danger, complicating factors and strengths and safety.

-       Focus on behaviour and details

-       Avoid judgement statements

-       Skilful use of authority

-       Continuous assessment

Signs of Safety Tools:

-       Mapping

-       Scaling Questions

-       Danger/Worry Statements

-       Safety/Wellbeing Goals

-       Harm Matrix

-       Safety Planning

-       Words and Pictures

Our Journey:

-       2017 – implementation

-       2019 – IT systems aligned with the Practice Model

-       2020 – Ofsted recognition of the value the model brought to the service.

-       2021 – Research partnership , What Helps and Hinders Safety for Children, Using Naturally Connected Networks.

-       2023 – in partnership around Children’s voices and the use of Feedback.

The implementation journey with never be completed with continued training, review and learning.

Where we are now:

-       Renewing training for all staff – 2 day introduction for new starters and annual refresher for all.

-       Group supervision and appreciative inquiries and targeted development support.

-       Children’s Voices – Annual Statement

-       Focus within QA practices to think how this model is seen in practice.

The Sub-Committee asked about children with non-accidental injuries, and what measures are in place for staff training and starting the safeguarding procedures. Members wanted to know how this works in practice, particularly when a school raise a concern.

The Working Together to Safeguard Children Statutory Guidance 2023 is followed.  Following a referral if there was significant harm or risk of significant harm a strategy meeting would be held in with a multi-agency presence which has to include the police and health representation.  The Signs of Safety model would be implemented during this meeting and then in all work subsequently.  A Danger Statement would be completed to describe what the risks are, and the professionals present would be asked to scale how worried they felt about these. 

In relation to safeguarding in schools this is embedded and most importantly, school is a trusted environment.  School  ...  view the full minutes text for item F29/24

The Family Friendly Sub-Committee is recommended to review and update the Work Programme.

This Item was unable to be discussed due to a lack of time and will be addressed at the next meeting.

6:00pm on Thursday 20 March 2025.

Next meeting – Thursday 20 March 2025 at 18:00 hours.