Agenda and minutes
This meeting has been re-scheduled from 2 September 2020., Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday, 9th September, 2020 10.00 am
Venue: Virtual meeting at https://manchester.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/485327
Contact: Rachel McKeon
Media
No. | Item |
---|---|
Dr Omara Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair informed the Committee that this was Dr Omara’s last meeting as a Co-opted Member of the Committee, although unfortunately he had been unable to attend due to another commitment. He reported that Dr Omara had been a valuable Member of the Committee and advised that he would write to him to thank him for his contribution.
Decision
That the Chair will write to Dr Omara to thank him for his contribution to the work of the Committee. |
|
To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 22 July 2020. Additional documents: Minutes: Decision
To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 22 July 2020. |
|
Report of the Director of Education
This report provides an overview of the work that has taken place in Manchester to support the reopening of schools and colleges for all children and young people in response to the most recent Government Guidance which is also summarised in the report.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee received a report of the Director of Education which provided an overview of the work that had taken place in Manchester to support the reopening of schools and colleges for all children and young people in response to the most recent Government guidance which was also summarised in the report. The report also noted that, through the learning and education system, children were informed about and understood environmental issues and the negative impact of carbon; promoting safe and healthy lives.
Officers referred to the main points and themes within the report, which included:
Some of the key points and themes that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:
The Executive Member for Children and Schools recognised the hard work involved in re-opening schools to all pupils and thanked all those involved. He expressed concern that new Government guidance had been issued shortly before the start of term, which had presented challenges for schools as they had already made plans.
The Director of Education drew Members’ attention to the Government guidance on schools, which included four tiers of restrictions for education settings. She reported that, despite local restrictions in Manchester, schools were currently operating at Tier 1, where schools were open to all pupils; however, if necessary, a decision could be taken to move to Tier 2, where secondary school pupils would attend school on a rota basis, Tier 3, where secondary schools would be closed to most pupils and, in the most serious circumstances, Tier 4, where primary schools would also be closed. She advised Members that, under all these circumstances, schools would still be open for the children of key workers and vulnerable children, as they had been during the full lockdown earlier in the year. She informed Members that the Government guidance was to not require pupils to wear ... view the full minutes text for item 32. |
|
Working With Children and Young People and Their Families During COVID-19 Presentation of the Deputy Director of Children’s Services
This presentation provides an overview of how Children’s Services is working with children and young people and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee received a presentation from Children’s Services which provided an overview of how Children’s Services was working with children and young people and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Head of Locality (North) delivered the presentation which referred to:
Some of the key points and themes that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:
The Deputy Director of Children’s Services reported that some modelling had taken place in relation to future demand for social work services following the lockdown but that this was difficult to do without past similar events to compare it to. He informed the Committee about the planning taking place for a potential increase in demand, including engagement with a range of partners such as school clusters, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Greater Manchester Police (GMP), consideration of staffing levels and ensuring that the front door service and the provision of advice and guidance were as robust as they could be. He also confirmed that, beyond the first week or two of the lockdown, Children’s Services had not had any issues with the availability of PPE.
The Deputy Director of Children’s Services reported that planning had been taking place for the re-opening of centres for supervised contact and that two contact centres were re-opening that week. He outlined the work of the Complex Safeguarding Hub, the Community Safety Partnership and GMP in addressing child criminal exploitation and knife crime, including joint working using intelligence to target specific areas or individuals where there were concerns. The Director of Children and Education Services highlighted the role of the Inclusion Strategy in preventing young people from being excluded and becoming exposed to negative influences and the Youth Offer which had been available over the summer.
Decision
To thank officers for an informative presentation and to pass on the Committee’s thanks to frontline social work staff and other key workers. |
|
Early Years Sector Update and the Response to COVID-19 Report of the Director of Education
This report provides an update on how the Early Years sector has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the report gives an update on the key activities that have taken place to support the Early Years sector and plans to support providers moving forward in the Autumn term. Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee received a report of the Director of Education which provided an update on how the Early Years sector had responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and gave an update on the key activities that had taken place to support the Early Years sector and plans to support providers moving forward in the Autumn term. The report also stated that education about the environment started in Early Years and a high quality Early Years sector supported this agenda. In addition, the buildings review of the Tendered Day Care Sites would enable the sites to have greater energy rating efficiency. Officersreferred to the main points and themes within the presentation which included:
· Response and financial support to the Early Years sector during COVID-19; · Quality assurance support for the Early Years sector during the COVID-19 pandemic; · Changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework; · Review of day care provision in Sure Start Children’s centres; and · Next steps.
Some of the key points and themes that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:
· That the support the Council had provided to Early Years providers had been excellent; · Concerns about the financial position of Early Years providers, particularly loss of income from private fee-paying families, as the funding commitment from the Government did not include this; · That parents were concerned about sending their children back to Early Years settings due to COVID-19; and · Reforms to the EYFS Framework.
The Senior School Quality Assurance Officer advised that his team was regularly engaging with and offering support to the Early Years sector regarding the financial challenges they were facing during the pandemic. He reported that a significant majority of Early Years settings across the city had re-opened but acknowledged that there were concerns about a loss of income from private fee-paying families and reported that his service would continue to offer support and advice to providers. He advised Members that work was taking place with the Quality Assurance Team, Outreach Workers, the Communications Team and Early Years providers to communicate to parents that measures had been taken to make settings safe for their children to return to. He informed the Committee that it was hoped that attendance would continue to increase and that attendance figures would be monitored over the next month.
The Executive Member for Children and Schools thanked staff in the Early Years sector across the city, noting that some settings had been open through the lockdown period. The Chair echoed these thanks.
The Head of School Quality Assurance and Strategic SEND advised that, due to the Early Years reforms, the baseline of children’s levels at the end of the EYFS would no longer be available as a basis for measuring progress through primary school. She also highlighted the focus on reading comprehension in the new Framework, informing the Committee that increasing numbers of children in Manchester’s Early Years settings had English as an Additional Language (EAL) and that these children usually made more progress in this area further on in primary school; ... view the full minutes text for item 34. |
|
Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit
This report provides the Committee with details of key decisions that fall within the Committee’s remit and an update on actions resulting from the Committee’s recommendations. The report also includes the Committee’s work programme, which the Committee is asked to amend as appropriate and agree. Additional documents: Minutes: A report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit was submitted. The overview report contained key decisions within the Committee’s remit, responses to previous recommendations and the Committee’s work programme, which the Committee was asked to approve.
Decision
To note the report. |