The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission of Hackney Council met on Monday 15 January 2024 to discuss the City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report and to hold a question and answer session with the Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children's Social Care. Key decisions included writing to the Department for Education regarding concerns about proposed changes to safeguarding arrangements.

City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report

The Commission reviewed the City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP) annual report, which provides an overview of safeguarding activities across Hackney. Jim Gamble, Independent Commissioner for Child Safeguarding, highlighted several key issues from the 2022/23 report. These included the importance of staff wellbeing, the need for greater engagement with housing providers and voluntary sector organisations, and disappointment with the police's response to the Child Q update report, particularly regarding the acknowledgement of institutional racism.

Discussions also covered emerging risks such as the impact of the mental health crisis and faith-based hate crimes, exacerbated by international conflicts. The challenges of placing families in temporary accommodation and the associated safeguarding risks were also raised. The Commission heard that while Hackney has a strong record of supporting care leavers, access to affordable housing remains a significant challenge.

Concerns were raised about the potential for increased radicalisation of children, with CHSCP working with Prevent to ensure children are supported while also being able to exercise freedom of speech. The cost of living crisis was identified as a significant pressure on local children and families, potentially leading to increased neglect, domestic violence, and mental health issues. The council is working to maximise support through initiatives like the Mayor of London's extended free school meal provision.

The Commission also discussed the response to the Child Q update report, noting that while schools have engaged positively with follow-up work, the CHSCP intends to measure the impact of a safeguarding first approach. Adultification training is being rolled out across partner agencies, with improved police attendance noted. The CHSCP is working to ensure all organisations working with children are registered and are implementing appropriate safeguarding systems, though there is a recognised variation in practice and a need for wider engagement. The risks associated with mobile phones and social media for children were also discussed, with a focus on educating young people to use technology responsibly.

A significant point of discussion was the proposed removal of Independent Commissioners from chairing local safeguarding arrangements, a move the CHSCP opposes due to concerns about accountability and independent challenge. The Commission agreed to write to the Department for Education expressing its concerns about these amended Working Together safeguarding children arrangements.

Cabinet Q&A: Free School Meals and School Estate Strategy

Deputy Mayor Bramble, Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children's Social Care, addressed questions on two policy areas: Free School Meals (FSM) and Childhood Food Poverty, and the School Estate Strategy.

Regarding FSM and childhood food poverty, the Commission was updated on the local authority's work to support the extension of FSM, including the development of a local action plan overseen by the Cost of Living Board. The establishment of a School Food Trust to support FSM provision beyond the Mayor of London's programme was discussed, as were plans for a local FSM auto-enrolment procedure. The use of £300,000 of additional investment to support these plans was detailed, and progress on planning restrictions to prevent fast food outlets near schools was noted.

The Commission raised concerns about ensuring parents continue to apply for FSM to secure Pupil Premium funding, with the authority investigating automatic sign-up. The future support for pupils from the Charedi community, whose independent schools do not qualify for FSM and who have been supported by the Household Support Fund, was also discussed, with the council committed to finding solutions. The nuances of providing FSM to secondary school pupils, who may mask food poverty, were also explored.

On the School Estate Strategy, Deputy Mayor Bramble explained the necessity of closing or merging six primary schools due to falling school rolls, which have resulted in a surplus of 21% of places, impacting school finances. The strategy aims to reduce this surplus to a more sustainable level. Transitional support for children, families, and staff affected by the closures and mergers was outlined, including guidance for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and support for staff job applications. The Commission heard that while the current programme will reduce surplus capacity to 17%, further rationalisation is needed. The strategy also includes preparatory work with secondary schools to ensure their resilience to future reductions in pupil numbers. The Deputy Mayor assured members that there were no plans to sell off any school sites.

Work Programme

The Commission noted its work programme for the remainder of the municipal year. The February 2024 agenda will focus on proposed changes to local Children Centres, with papers to be distributed informally once published. The March 2024 agenda will include an item on Education, Health and Behavioural Support (EHBS), with plans to invite a specialist agency and local head teachers. For the 2024/25 work programme, a joint meeting with Living in Hackney on Youth Justice and Housing for care leavers is scheduled for June, and a session on Childcare Sufficiency, new free childcare entitlements, and wraparound childcare is planned for July.

The minutes of the previous meetings held on 30th November 2023 and 18th December 2023 were noted and agreed, along with actions arising from those meetings. The next meeting of the Commission will be held on 19th February 2024.