The Children's Scrutiny Panel of Middlesbrough Council was scheduled to consider further evidence on its review into how schools are working on the frontline of child poverty. The panel was also scheduled to receive updates on previous reviews concerning children missing education and out-of-area specialist provision.

Scrutiny Review: Working with Schools on the Frontline of Child Poverty - Further Evidence

The Children's Scrutiny Panel was scheduled to hear from representatives of MacMillan Academy, Park End Primary, and Lift Caldicotes Primary. These schools were scheduled to provide further evidence regarding the scrutiny topic of Working with Schools on the Frontline of Child Poverty. The information provided was expected to detail the types of support schools offer to vulnerable children and families to ensure their inclusion in daily school life and extracurricular activities, irrespective of financial circumstances. Additionally, any wider community initiatives involving the schools were scheduled to be discussed.

The report pack highlighted that poverty significantly impacts children's educational experiences and outcomes. Children from low-income households are more likely to face challenges such as lower academic attainment, food insecurity, limited access to learning resources, poorer attendance, and increased social and emotional difficulties. Financial pressures can also restrict participation in extracurricular activities and lead to greater caring responsibilities within the home.

The report from Lift Caldicotes Primary, for instance, detailed the local context of deprivation, noting that Middlesbrough is the second most deprived local authority district in England according to the IMD 2025 average score¹. It also highlighted that the neighbourhood around Lift Caldicotes Primary is among the most deprived 1% nationally. The presentation was scheduled to explain how poverty manifests at the school gate, affecting readiness to learn, attendance, emotional regulation, curriculum access, and the identification of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)² and safeguarding concerns. The school's response was scheduled to cover universal foundations, family and attendance work, inclusion and regulation, basic needs and dignity, early identification, and partnership routes with various services. The report also pointed to The hidden frontline, referring to the essential, often unrecorded, work schools undertake, such as system navigation, holiday and gift support, direct attendance support, and preserving dignity.

The panel was scheduled to consider possible Terms of Reference for its ongoing scrutiny investigation into Working with Schools on the Frontline of Child Poverty.

Update on Previous Review - Children Missing Education (CME)

The Service Director for Education and Inclusion was scheduled to provide an update on progress against the Service Area Action Plan and the response to recommendations stemming from the panel's previous review of Children Missing Education (CME). The panel's 2025 review aimed to understand the issues surrounding CME in Middlesbrough and suggest ways to improve support for affected children and their families. The Service Area had developed an Action Plan in response to the six recommendations made by the panel, which was approved by the Executive on 8 October 2025. The panel was scheduled to receive updates specifically on recommendations E) and F) of this action plan.

Recommendation E) concerned providing assurance on ongoing work to assist children at risk of permanent exclusion, with an update scheduled for October 2026. Recommendation F) related to an update on the new Alternative Provision and the restructure of the Inclusion and Outreach Model, which was scheduled to be provided by April 2026.

Out of Area Specialist Provision - Update

The panel was scheduled to receive an update on its recent review of Out of Area Specialist Provision. The aim of this review was to understand why the council uses specialist provision outside of the local area for children with SEND and complex social care needs, and to explore ways to reduce this reliance by increasing local capacity. The panel's final report, which contained five recommendations, was submitted to the Executive. The Service Area provided a response and action plan to these recommendations, which was noted and approved by the Executive on 7 October 2026. The report indicated that updates on progress against the actions for each recommendation would be provided to the Children's Scrutiny Panel at a future point.

The action plan detailed proposed actions for each recommendation. For instance, recommendation A) involved providing regular six-monthly updates on Children's Residential Placements using key performance indicators to monitor reductions in out-of-area provision. Recommendation B) focused on presenting the revised SEND and Inclusion Strategy 2026-2030 to the panel. Recommendation C) outlined the introduction of a structured Workforce Development Programme across Children's Social Care Teams. Recommendation D) proposed an update on Regional Care Co-operative pilots and their impact on Middlesbrough's transitional arrangements. Finally, recommendation E) detailed ongoing work to develop a regionalised approach to attract foster carers and enhance training opportunities.

Chair's OSB Update

The Chair was scheduled to provide a verbal update on business conducted at the Overview and Scrutiny Board³ meeting held on 14 October 2026.