The Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny Committee of Westmorland and Furness Council discussed several key issues, including the upcoming Ofsted inspection, the Ambition for Every Child strategy, the establishment of a Regional Adoption Agency, and updates on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services. Decisions were made to provide feedback on the draft strategy document and to seek further updates on the Regional Adoption Agency and SEND services.

Ofsted Inspection

The Director of Children's Services informed the committee about the upcoming full Ofsted inspection. The same inspector who conducted the Cumbria inspection will lead this one, and improvements are expected. The council is in a strong position financially, with manageable workloads and a relatively low number of external staff. The Director reassured members that the council is as prepared as possible.

Ambition for Every Child - A Strategy and Plan for Westmorland and Furness

The Director of Children’s Services presented the Ambition for Every Child strategy, a framework for improving services for children, young people, and their families over the next five years. This is the first overarching document since the council's formation in April 2023 and will be updated every eighteen months.

A round table discussion highlighted several areas needing more focus, including mental health support, digital inclusion, preventative measures, youth empowerment, diversity and inclusion, and partnerships with the private sector and NGOs. The Director acknowledged these points and noted that children and young people had reviewed the plan.

A member raised concerns about educational attainment in Barrow, which is below the national average. The Director confirmed that additional support is being provided to address specific issues in Barrow.

The committee resolved to provide feedback on the draft document.

Establishing a Regional Adoption Agency

The Assistant Director for Children and Families presented a report on establishing a Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) in partnership with Cumberland Council and with support from the Department for Education (DfE). This follows the end of the arrangement with Adopt Coast to Coast on 31 March 2023. The new RAA aims to deliver effective services across Cumbria, providing both breadth and resilience.

The Director of Children’s Services noted that 38 children are waiting for adoption and that the RAA prefers to recruit parents from within the area. There will be no additional funding or separate Ofsted inspection for the RAA.

The committee resolved to seek further updates on the proposed operating model and framework for accountability ahead of the report to Cabinet in June 2024.

SEND Update: Continuous Improvement and Accelerated Progress Plans, SEND Sufficiency, EHCP Performance, and the Delivering Better Value Programme

The Assistant Director for Education and Inclusion provided an update on SEND services, including continuous improvement plans, SEND sufficiency, Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) performance, and the Delivering Better Value programme.

A member highlighted the importance of ensuring that the £20.6 million investment in Team Barrow is channelled to SEND. The Assistant Director mentioned ongoing discussions with the Department for Education about opportunities with special schools.

The committee discussed the importance of using Section 106 money to support schools and securing more funding. The Assistant Director noted that Group Force 2 is lobbying for further investment for local authorities.

The committee resolved to seek further updates in October, demonstrating improvement and evidence of impact.

Urgent Items

The Strategic Policy and Scrutiny Advisor presented the work programme report, noting that future meetings would include discussions on the Mental Health Review, Home to School Transport, the Early Help Strategy, and the Education Sufficiency Strategy.

The Director of Children’s Services provided a timetable for the Ofsted inspection, with 13 June 2024 being the final publication date.