The Together for Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday 7 October 2026 to discuss several key issues affecting children and families in Cornwall. The committee commented on the Cornwall Education Strategy, considered findings on the Home to School and Post-16 Travel Assistance Review, and provided feedback on the Children's Social Care Self-Evaluation. They also received updates on the Curriculum Kernewek project.

Cornwall Education Strategy Final Draft for Approval

The committee commented on the final draft of the Cornwall Education Strategy, a system-led framework designed to improve outcomes, inclusion, and belonging across all phases of education in Cornwall. The strategy was developed through the Cornwall Education Partnership (CEP), bringing together schools, academy trusts, further education providers, early years settings, the Council, and other partners. It aims to provide a shared vision for education in Cornwall, focusing on attainment, closing attainment gaps for vulnerable learners, belonging and inclusion, effective systems and sustainable funding, and workforce development.

During the discussion, concerns were raised about how the Council would hold schools to account under the new strategy, given the high proportion of academies. The Service Director for Education and Community Health explained that all schools are represented through the CEP, and the Council retains statutory responsibilities in areas like safeguarding and SEND. The independent chair of the CEP will play a key role in providing challenge and accountability. Members also queried how the strategy would avoid duplicating the role of Ofsted and the extent of the Council's administration involvement. It was clarified that the CEP adds significant value and the strategy was developed collaboratively. The strategy's place-based approach and the embedding of environmental sustainability were welcomed.

The committee resolved to recommend to Cabinet that the Cornwall Education Partnership Strategy be approved for adoption.

Home to School and Post-16 Travel Assistance Review

The committee considered a pre-policy development scrutiny report on the Home to School and Post-16 Travel Assistance Review. The review was prompted by increasing demand, rising transport costs, and significant financial pressures, while acknowledging the Council's statutory duties to ensure fair access to education. The report highlighted that all available efficiencies had been exhausted, and policy changes would be necessary to address a forecast budget pressure of £4 million if no further action was taken.

Members discussed potential future policy changes, including greater use of Personal Travel Budgets, promoting education closer to home, encouraging independent travel, increasing the use of public transport, and limiting door-to-door taxi provision to exceptional circumstances. The proposed consultation would test the impacts, deliverability, and financial assumptions associated with these changes.

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the financial pressures, with the Council's annual expenditure on home to school transport estimated at £37 million against a funding level of £28 million. Members raised concerns about the impact of proposed changes on lower-income families and young people's access to education. The presenting officer clarified that statutory responsibilities would continue to be met and that proposals did not transfer responsibility away from the Council but reflected increasing demand and the Council's inability to offer support beyond its legal duties.

The committee resolved that:

1. They considered and commented on the findings of the Home to School and Post-16 Travel Assistance Review, including the financial, operational, and service pressures identified.
2. They commented on the proposed principles, scope, and approach for any future public consultation.
3. They considered that this was a pre-policy-development scrutiny exercise and that no decision was being sought from the Committee to amend policy, commence consultation, or implement any of the emerging proposals.

Children's Social Care Self-Evaluation

The committee considered the findings of the 2026 Children's Social Care Self-evaluation, which indicated that services continue to deliver strong outcomes for children, young people, and families despite increasing demand and complexity. Strengths highlighted included effective early intervention through Family Help, robust safeguarding arrangements, positive outcomes for children in care and care leavers, and a stable workforce. Challenges identified included rising demand, placement sufficiency, and the needs of children with increasingly complex needs.

Members discussed the reported £4 million overspend, which was attributed primarily to the use of independent children's homes, where placement costs can be substantial. The Service Director for Children's Social Care explained that investment in foster care and in-house provision is ongoing to reduce placement costs. The committee also heard about the support available for Kinship Carers and the operation of Parent and Child Foster Placements. Concerns were raised about the increasing number of Children in Care in Cornwall, despite national trends appearing static or decreasing. The service is monitoring this trend and developing strategies to address it.

The committee resolved that:

1. They considered the findings of the 2026 Children's Social Care Self-evaluation and provided challenge and feedback on the service's assessment of its strengths, risks, and areas for improvement.
2. They supported the continued implementation of Family Help and wider children's social care reforms designed to improve outcomes for children and families.
3. They received a further report on progress against identified priorities and the overall performance of the Council’s children’s social care services in October 2027.

Curriculum Kernewek: Progress Update

The committee received an update on the Curriculum Kernewek project, which forms part of Cornwall Council's commitment to supporting, celebrating and protecting Cornish identity and culture. The report highlighted progress made, the proposed future direction, and arrangements for the next phase of development. The project is intended to complement the National Curriculum and is being developed with voluntary participation from schools.

Discussions touched upon the project's alignment with the draft Education Strategy, where Cornish identity ranked lower in consultation responses compared to other priorities. The £50,000 funding secured for the project was noted, and it was explained that Curriculum Kernewek encompasses a broader body of knowledge about Cornwall beyond just the Cornish language. Concerns were raised about the project's seven-year development timeline and the limited progress on curriculum resources. Officers assured members that officer time allocated to the project had remained neutral and that the funding was necessary to commission third-party support. A further response on evidence of school engagement and the anticipated impact of the project was promised.

The committee resolved that:

1. They evaluated the progress made to date toward the development of the Curriculum Kernewek.
2. They endorsed the next step actions planned to ensure the continued progress of the project, subject to financial costings.
3. The matter would be considered further by the committee within six months.

Public Questions and Questions from Members to Cabinet Member on Updates

The committee received one public question regarding the publication of the Edge Solutions report and early public consultation on home to school transport changes. The Strategic Director – Together for Families responded, clarifying that Edge Public Solutions had not produced a report identifying specific school bus services for withdrawal and that the current agenda item provided an opportunity to scrutinise evidence and emerging options before any decisions were taken.

Members also asked questions of the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Schools on various updates. These included corrections to minutes regarding the Camborne Youth Hub visit, improvements made since the SEND inspection, updates on attendance fines, the development of Youth Hubs, outcomes of the Dentistry Summit, details on the music pathway work, and clarification on the Youth Futures funding programme. The Cabinet Member agreed to provide attendance and penalty notice data and noted that Cornwall was one of a small number of local authorities selected to receive Youth Futures funding.

Declarations of Interest and Minutes of Previous Meeting

There were no declarations of interest made by committee members. The minutes of the Together for Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 22 July 2026 were confirmed as correctly recorded and signed by the Chair.