Agenda item

The Executive Director of People introduced the report.

·      There was a discussion about apprenticeships.  Members were advised this was a national concern, and that, as per the One City Plan, the Council had reached out to partners, including voluntary sector and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, to encourage and support apprenticeships. 

·      Members were informed the Apprenticeship Levy did not pay for the post, only for training. 

·      The take?up of free early educational entitlement by eligible 2 year olds was discussed.  Members were advised that COVID-19 had impacted take-up of places, but nurseries had been available, encouraging as many families as possible by working hard to stay open over the months throughout the pandemic.

·      School as a safe place was emphasised, and that this evidence should be demonstrated to the wider community.

·      The performance indicator for Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs) was discussed and improvement was noted, and more detailed information was requested by the Commission regarding the number of applications waiting to be assessed and how the target had been set.

·      The performance indicator ‘Reduce the number of adolescents (aged 13-17) who need to enter care’ was discussed. The Commission was advised that this was a difficult area to achieve good outcomes, and that there was a need for about 6 years to enable trauma informed trusted relations to produce positive outcomes.

·      Young people had informed ways of working, and ‘edge of care’ teams had been created, similar to the Essex model.  This had been successful in reducing placement numbers by 70. 

·      Members were informed that there had been a rise in extra-familial harm over the past year, and the Council was focusing on contextual safeguarding methods.

·      The Commission enquired about the performance indicator relating to breastfeeding and requested further information to break down the figures by ward. 

·      The Commission was advised that Children’s and Education services had a range of resources, including films online, which provided an overview of the experience of a child, which included domestic abuse, neglect, and substance misuse.  The Chair welcomed the offer to share those resources with Members. 

·      There was a discussion about the performance indicator ‘Increase the number of adults in low pay work & receiving benefits accessing in?work support’ (BCPC268), and it was agreed further information regarding what had been done and what was planned to improve access to in-work support was needed.

RESOLVED;

That;

·         The Commission noted the Performance Report;

·         The Commission receive more detailed information regarding the processing of EHCP applications (refer to BCPB225), including the numbers waiting to be assessed, related information impacting on reducing the backlog, and how the target had been set;

·         The Commission receive a breakdown of data by ward relating to the breastfeeding rates (referring to DPEC123);

·         Examples of training resources, including films online, be shared with the Commission;

·         A Member briefing be requested to provide further information and context about how the Council approached the need to improve the number of adults in low pay work & receiving benefits accessing in?work support (reference to BCPC268).