Agenda and minutes

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings held on 28 November 2024 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.

The Panel considered the report of the Deputy Director for Children's Social Care outlining how Southampton’s Children and Learning Service is sustaining good practice and outstanding leadership and is progressing with the implementation of the Family Safeguarding Model.

Councillor Winning - Cabinet Member for Children and Learning, Steph Murray - Deputy Director Children’s Social Care and Laura Trevett - Strategic Performance Manager were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed the following:

·  The services ambition to aim higher than the rating of good accredited to the service by Ofsted following the last inspection. The Panel were briefed on:

a.  innovations with user involvement including the Young Researcher and Young Inspector programme;

b.  the possibilities of engaging AI in the service; and the potential for increased engagement with the NHS

·  The role out of the Family Safeguarding model was explored by the Panel.  It was noted that the service was still yet to be fully staffed but that early indications were that the approach was leading to improved outcomes; and

·  Whether the forthcoming budget would affect the ability of Children’s Services and Learning to deliver the ambitions outlined within the Aiming Higher programme.

RESOLVED

1.  That a progress report on the Aiming Higher programme and social care reforms is scheduled in the 2025/26 Children and Families Scrutiny Panel work programme.

2.  That a briefing on the localities and integrated working pilot is shared with the Panel when details are confirmed.

3.  That the findings from the audit commissioned from Hertfordshire County Council on Southampton’s Family Safeguarding Service is circulated to the Panel when available.

The Panel considered and noted the report of the Scrutiny Manager recommending that the Panel consider and challenge the performance of Children’s Services and Learning in Southampton.

Councillor Winning - Cabinet Member for Children and Learning, Steph Murray- Deputy Director Children’s Social Care and Laura Trevett- Strategic Performance Manager were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed a number of positive points set out in the paper including:

·  The decreasing number of children in unregulated settings;

·  The Increasing continuity of social workers for children looked after and on course to meet targets;

·  The embedding of good social work practice

In addition the Panel explored concerns over:

·  The rise in re-referrals;

·  The levels of supervision performance noting that this appeared to be lower than expected;

·  The rising number of children with safeguarding services recorded as Children in Need and with a Child Protection Plan.  It was noted that this reflected national trends but that the City appeared to be preforming better than its comparators.

The Panel also discussed progress with regards to the opening of the new SCC run children’s homes.

The Panel considered and noted the report of the Scrutiny Manager recommending that the Panel considers the responses to recommendations from previous meetings and provides feedback.

Bryn Roberts – Service Manager for Inclusion was in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed the position statement on Young Carers in particular:

·  How the numbers of young carers had been underestimated and why they had not been identified;

·  Whether the service had the capacity to deliver the service objectives;

·  What was being done to assist young carers that had left school;

·  Levels of support to reduce those not in education employment or training.