The Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday 1 September 2026 to discuss the Leicestershire Music Overview Report, the Quarter 1 2026/27 Performance Report, and the Children's Social Care Statutory Complaints and Compliments Annual Report 2025/26. The committee also reviewed the draft Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Children Partnership Yearly Report 2025/26 and the Annual Report of the Independent Reviewing Officer 2025/2026.

Leicestershire Music Overview Report

The committee received an overview of the work undertaken by Leicestershire Music (LM) and the Leicestershire Music Hub (LMH). LMH provides inclusive music education to young people across Leicester and Leicestershire, aligning with the National Plan for Music Education. Discussions highlighted LM's commitment to delivering high-quality music education, with a particular focus on inclusion and SEND schools through programmes like 'Uprising'. The report noted that 93% of schools in Leicester and Leicestershire were supported by LM in 2025-26, with 21.6% of pupils participating from disadvantaged backgrounds. Key challenges identified include static grant funding, increasing wage bills, and the need to adapt to changing youth interests. Future plans include a Music and Wellbeing project, continued rollout of the 'Musician in Residence' programme, and the publication of the first ever Impact Report.

Quarter 1 2026/27 Performance Report

This report provided an update on the Children and Family Services Department's performance for April to June 2026. Key areas of concern included an increase in children becoming subject to a child protection plan for a second or subsequent time (37.6%) and a rise in re-referrals to Children's Social Care (26.5%), placing Leicestershire in the bottom quartile nationally for these indicators. The report attributed some data unreliability to the implementation of a new contact and referral form. Positive performance was noted in the timeliness of assessments (88.5%) and the percentage of care leavers in suitable accommodation (92.4%) and education, employment, or training (62.0%). The report also highlighted an increase in children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and those receiving SEN Support in mainstream schools. Permanent exclusions saw an increase to 0.09% in 2024/25, though unvalidated data for 2025/26 suggested a decrease. Fixed-term suspensions also fell compared to the previous academic year.

Children's Social Care Statutory Complaints and Compliments Annual Report 2025/26

The committee reviewed the annual report on complaints and compliments received regarding children's social care services. In 2025/26, there were 46 statutory complaints at Stage 1, 11 at Stage 2, and 1 at Stage 3, representing an increase from the previous year. Corporate complaints also rose to 183, with the majority relating to Child Protection matters. While complaint volumes increased, this was viewed in the context of a corresponding increase in service activity, with social care-related complaints as a percentage of referrals decreasing from 0.7% to 0.6%. The main cause of complaints was poor level of service or service failure. Response times for Stage 1 complaints within statutory timescales decreased to 46%, and for Stage 2, 7 out of 11 cases were responded to within statutory timescales. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 63 enquiries relating to Education & Children Services, with 17 upheld. Compliments increased significantly to 20.

Draft Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Children Partnership Yearly Report 2025/26

The committee was asked to provide views on the draft yearly report of the Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Children Partnership (LRSCP). The report assesses the impact of the LRSCP's work on safeguarding outcomes for children, evaluating performance against the joint business plan. Key messages highlighted significant work on child sexual abuse, with progress reflected in a Joint Targeted Area Inspection. Changes were implemented to improve multi-agency working, particularly in health information sharing. The partnership has also addressed issues raised in national reviews concerning race, racism, and safeguarding, and is responding to learning from the Child Neglect thematic analysis. The report noted increased demand across the front door and child protection processes, impacting agency capacity. Financial contributions from partners were detailed, with Leicestershire County Council contributing £66,258 to the SCP. The report also outlined progress on the Families First Partnership programme, aiming for full implementation by March 2027.

Annual Report of the Independent Reviewing Officer 2025/2026

This report evaluated the effectiveness of Leicestershire County Council's responsibilities towards children in care during 2025-26. The number of children in care increased to 761. The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) Service completed 2,203 Review of Arrangements meetings, with 98.4% completed within statutory timescales. Children's participation remained a strength, with 93% of children aged over four contributing to their reviews. Permanence planning was also strengthened, with 96% of children having an agreed permanence plan. The service completed 431 Quality Assurance Alerts, including 144 formal escalations and 199 challenges. Future plans include sustaining timely reviews, strengthening children's participation, improving the use of feedback data, and focusing on health and dental needs. The report also highlighted the ongoing development of the Families First Partnership Programme and work on reunification and supporting young people in unregulated placements.

The committee also noted the minutes of the previous meeting held on 2 June 2026, and there were no urgent items, declarations of interest, or party whip declarations. No petitions were presented.