The Children, Education and Families Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee of Bromley Council met on 11 June 2024 to discuss several key issues, including updates on the Children, Education and Families Portfolio, budget monitoring, and the extension of the Education Psychology support contract. The committee also reviewed the Bromley Youth Council Annual Report and the performance of the Virtual School.

Speech and Language Services

Councillor Kate Lymer, Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Families, introduced a proposal for a new approach to Speech and Language services. The Council’s Executive will consider this proposal on 27 March 2024. The plan involves a £470,000 Dedicated Schools Grant to strengthen early identification and intervention in key local schools. This pilot scheme aims to reduce the escalation of need through early intervention, with expected impacts within 6-9 months. Concerns were raised about the use of the Dedicated Schools Grant, which is already in significant deficit. The Director of Children, Education and Families assured that the new approach would be closely monitored.

Budget Monitoring 2023/24

The committee reviewed the budget monitoring position for the 2023/24 financial year, which showed a projected overspend of £7,721,000. Factors contributing to the overspend include the demand for and costs of Children’s Social Care placements and SEN Transport. The Director of Children, Education and Families outlined efforts to recruit permanent Children’s Social Care staff, including overseas recruitment and increasing training placements for Social Work students. The Government's new vision for Children’s Social Care, Stable Homes, Built on Love, was also discussed as a potential avenue for addressing staffing issues.

Extension of Education Psychology Support Contract

The committee considered a report requesting a six-month extension for the provision of Education Psychology support. The extension, valued at £170,000, would allow time for an options appraisal to determine long-term requirements and procurement options. The Principal Educational Psychologist highlighted recruitment challenges, noting that agencies offer more flexible working conditions and attractive pay rates. The committee recommended exploring how agencies operate to inform future service models.

Bromley Youth Council Annual Report

Alice Kirby and Tommy Velvick presented the Bromley Youth Council Annual Report, highlighting the 2023/24 Youth Council Manifesto Campaign Objectives of Drug Awareness and Youth Mental Health: Managing Stress and Anxiety. The Youth Council addressed concerns about young people’s apprehension in calling Emergency Services for drug issues through a well-received short stop motion video. They also hosted a successful event for children’s mental health week and produced a mental health magazine.

Bromley Virtual School Annual Report 2022/23

The Virtual Head Teacher shared highlights from the year, including efforts to bring together children’s services and schools to promote the education of children with a social worker and those in kinship care arrangements. The Virtual School’s work was recognised in the Outstanding Ofsted judgement, and its training offer expanded to local, regional, and national groups of professionals.

Education Outcomes for Children in Bromley Schools 2022/23

The committee reviewed the education outcomes for children in Bromley schools for the 2022/23 academic year. While Bromley outperformed the national average in many areas, concerns were raised about the trajectory of performance in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 4. The Head of Educational Effectiveness attributed these issues to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and outlined ongoing support for schools to maintain and improve performance.

Children, Education and Families Risk Register - 2023/24 Q3 Update

The committee reviewed the Children, Education and Families Risk Register update for Quarter 3 of the 2023/24 financial year, noting the existing controls in place to mitigate risks.

Performance Reporting - Children's Scrutiny Dataset Part 1 (Public) Report

The committee received an update on the performance of services for children across a suite of performance measures. The Head of Service Strategy and Performance (Children and Education) addressed concerns about the number of Education, Health and Care Plans issued within the statutory 20-week timescale, noting improved performance in 2024.

Contract Register Part 1 (Public) Report

The committee reviewed the Contract Register for the Children, Education and Families Portfolio, noting that there were no contracts flagged as a concern as of the current date.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the Minutes of the Meeting held on 20 March 2024.