The Education, Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee of Newham Council met on Thursday 10 September 2026 to review the committee's work programme, consider performance dashboards, and examine key reforms and transformation projects within Children and Young People's Services. The meeting also included a discussion on youth safety and youth justice activity in the borough.

Work Programme Review

The committee was scheduled to review and confirm its work programme for the municipal year 2026-2027. This programme outlines the topics that the committee intends to scrutinise throughout the year, aiming to focus on areas where scrutiny can add value to the council's work. The work programme is a dynamic document, allowing for flexibility to address emergent issues and evolving priorities.

Performance Dashboard Review

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to considering the performance dashboard for the Children and Young People Directorate. This involved reviewing key performance indicators (KPIs) across various services, identifying trends, areas of concern, and comparative data. The committee was also set to discuss any proposed amendments or additions to the dashboard, ensuring it accurately reflects the directorate's performance and areas requiring scrutiny monitoring.

Newham 27 and Newham 30 - Implementation of Reforms and Transformation

The committee was scheduled to examine the readiness for the implementation of key reforms and transformation projects across Children and Young People's Services. This included an overview of the Newham 27 workstream, focused on social care reforms, and Newham 30, concerning SEND reforms. The discussion was intended to cover how testing, development, and transformation might affect existing service delivery, considering plans in development, potential risks, and mitigation strategies. The Circles of Support framework, a common practice framework for implementing reforms, was also to be discussed.

Youth Safety and Youth Justice

A key item on the agenda was to consider the impact and effectiveness of youth safety and youth justice activity within the London Borough of Newham. This involved reviewing data and information on prevention and intervention work, responses to serious youth violence, learning from targeted projects, and safety in and around schools. The discussion was also to include any findings or action plans arising from inspections, such as the HM Inspectorate of Probation inspection, and updates on the Youth Safety Strategy 2025-2028. The committee was to consider intersectionality across data and lived experience, including engagement with support programmes.

Urgent Safeguarding Issues

The committee was scheduled to receive a verbal update from the Director of Safeguarding concerning any urgent safeguarding issues affecting children in the borough. This standing item allows the committee to maintain oversight of significant matters that may arise between formal reporting cycles.

Date of Next Meeting

Finally, the committee was to agree the date and time of its next meeting, which was scheduled for 11 November 2026.