The Merton Council Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel met on 25 June 2025 to discuss cabinet member priorities, the panel's work programme, a departmental update, performance monitoring, and the 2024/2025 CYP Scrutiny Panel Action Log. The panel was scheduled to review priority work streams within the Children, Lifelong Learning and Families Department, and to monitor progress of questions and recommendations. Here's a summary of the key items from the agenda:

Departmental Update

Bev Hendricks, Executive Director Children, Lifelong Learning and Families, was scheduled to provide an update on key developments within the Children, Lifelong Learning and Families (CLLF) Department since the last meeting.

The update was expected to include information on:

• Ofsted The annual conversation with Ofsted took place on 14 May, covering both Children's Social Care and Education.
• Schools There had been two further Ofsted inspections at Aragon Primary School and Haslemere Primary School. All schools in Merton continue to maintain a 'good' or better judgement, with 66% of secondary schools and 66% of special schools remaining 'outstanding'. Malmesbury Primary School attained 'good' in all areas, with support for writing in the Early Years being stated as being 'exceptional'. Merton Park Primary School's Ofsted inspection was also published, and they retained 'outstanding' outcomes in all areas. A new Ofsted framework, based on a dashboard format, is due to be published at the end of the summer term, with the first school inspections under the new framework taking place during the week beginning 3 November.
• Ask the Director Initiative A new initiative aimed at enhancing communication and learning mechanisms within the CLLF Department. This initiative will provide all in CLLF a regular, protected time to hear from system thinkers from the National Panel, Department for Education, Foundations, London Innovation and Improvement Alliance (LIIA), Directors of Children's Services across London, practice professors, partners and our own leaders and practitioners that will aid knowledge about available resources. It will also allow us to keep staff up to date on the latest developments on the social care reforms and ask questions and share insights to our leadership team. It will also enhance collaboration with community partners, for example our colleagues from the voluntary sector will be leading some of the sessions to share news regarding services they can provide.
• Early Help Support Coordinators and Family Information Support Hubs (FISH) Between April 2024 and March 2025, there were 859 requests from practitioners within the children's workforce for information, advice and guidance. Between April 2024 and March 2025, 697 FISH contacts (face to face and telephone) took place, helping parents/carers to think about what support they need and empowering them to access the information or help they need within their communities.
• Family Community Work Coach (DWP) As of 1 April 2025, the Family Community Work Coach (FCWC) role has replaced the former Supporting Families Employment Advisor (SFEA). Between August 2024 and March 2025, a total of £92,000 was paid back across 17 families who were receiving incorrect benefits. In addition, Merton's first parent Job Club launched in Quarter 4, where four out of the five participating parents secured employment or accessed further training opportunities.
• Stronger Family Relationships (Reducing Parental Conflict Programme) Merton is receiving funding from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to support the delivery of the Reducing Parental Conflict Programme. Between April 2024 and March 2025, 62 parents and carers registered for the OnePlusOne digital resources—an increase of 43 users compared to the previous year.
• Early Education Entitlements and Wrap Around Care During 2024/25, there has been a significant expansion to the free childcare entitlements. There has been an increase of 63 (30%) of early years providers registered with the Council to offer the free childcare entitlements compared to before the expansion. In January 2025, 1,319 eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years took up the new free childcare places as part of the childcare expansion and new entitlements for this age group. As part of the wider government childcare reforms, the DfE are allocating Merton circa. £375K revenue funding over the two financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26, to increase the supply and availability of full wraparound provision for primary aged pupils.
• London-wide Family Hub Outcomes Framework Last summer, the Merton Family Hub Transformation Leads started working with the National Centre for Family Hubs and six other local authorities to scope an Outcomes Framework for Family Hubs. The framework is designed to illustrate how Family Hubs work with the wider Early Help and Children's Social Care system by identifying the unique contribution Family Hubs make.
• Changemakers Programme Last year Merton was successful in a bid to join the national Changemakers programme. Through this programme we have ring-fenced funding for a 'Local Evidence Lead' to explore and champion evidence-based interventions being utilised in practice. As part of this programme, we have launched a new parenting programme; Resilience Triple P.
• Supporting Vulnerable Children - EHCPs As at 31 May 2025, Merton maintained 2,856 Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). As at 31 May 2025 76 % of EHCNA referrals were agreed for an assessment to be undertaken; this is line with the most recently published national average. 91% of EHCNAs completed during this timeframe resulted in the agreement to issue an EHC plan.
• Youth Services Our Easter Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme delivered another record performance, with 1,484 participants enjoying 4,829 sessions – a 20% increase compared with Easter 2024, with a slightly reduced cost per place. This year's Duke of Edinburgh's Award Presentation evening was held at Ricards High School on Wednesday 23 April.
• Young Carers On 13 June, in partnership with Carers First, we launched our young carer discount cards.
• SEND Strategy, Safety Valve and Special School Provision The DfE managed permanent school site has been further delayed by their internal review processes and September 2028 is now the earliest potential opening. However, to provide the required additional school places Bedelsford Chaucer Centre (a satellite site of the Kingston school in Orchard Hill College Academy Trust (OHCAT)) will be opening for September 2025. Construction works to expand Perseid School continue to progress to provide 28 extra pupil places from September 2025.
• Children in Temporary Accommodation CLLF are working with Merton partners leading work across London to identify solutions for children and their families living in challenging circumstances associated with temporary accommodation.
• Health and Wellbeing Board – Children and young people We are pleased to be working with the Health and Wellbeing Board to support realignment of their Terms of Reference to ensure the needs of children and young people are more routinely considered at this statutory board.
• Children in Care Sufficiency and Edge of Care Strategies We have created a new edge of care strategy and children in care strategy, to support children to stay with their families whenever possible and to further develop local options for care when a placement is needed.
• Corporate Parenting Over the past month, our Corporate Parenting team has successfully delivered a series of impactful events that strengthened our commitment to children in care, foster carers, and care experienced young people in Merton. On 23 May, we hosted the Unity Cup Football Event at Tooting and Mitcham Sports Ground.
• Practice Week (May) In May 2025 (19th–23rd May) we held our Practice Week with the theme 'Building foundations with families', with positive events featuring workshops and practice observations.

Performance Monitoring

The panel was scheduled to discuss the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel Performance Index 2025/26, summarising performance information for 2025/26 up to 30 April.

The report highlighted several indicators marked as Amber or Red, requiring attention:

• Average number of weeks taken to complete Care proceedings: This was rated Red, with performance at 58 weeks against a national target of 26 weeks.
• % of total 0-5 year estimated Census 2011 population from areas of deprivation (IDACI 30%) whose families have accessed children's centre services (cumulative): This was rated Red, with performance dipping towards the end of the 24-25 year with 55% in quarter 4.
• % of Reception year surplus places: This indicator is rated Red as performance as at end of Quarter 4 was 13.9%, above the 5-10% target.
• % of care leavers (aged 19-21) not in education, employment or training (NEET) and Unknown: This indicator is rated red with performance at 39% against a target of 35%.

The report also included amendments, corrections, and data caveats for certain indicators, such as the percentage of quorate attendance at CPP conferences and the percentage of agency social workers.

Work Programme 2025/2026

The panel was scheduled to review and discuss the work programme for the upcoming year, identifying key areas for scrutiny and setting intended outcomes.

Some of the items listed for future meetings include:

• SEN Student Travel
• LADO Annual Report
• School Places Planning Strategy
• Budget/business plan scrutiny
• Support for Young Carers + Vulnerable Children
• 0-19 Healthy Child service update report
• Merton Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report
• Children's Social Care Reforms
• School Budgets / Contracts
• Corporate Parenting Report
• Childhood Immunisations
• Children in Temporary Accommodation
• Education Standards Report

CYP Scrutiny Panel Action Log 2024/2025

The panel was scheduled to review the action log from previous meetings to monitor the progress of outstanding actions. Some of the outstanding actions from previous meetings included:

• Can any data on the timeliness of Initial Health Assessments be provided?
• An update on the meeting held on 13/02/2025 to discuss how children are placed in accommodation because of homelessness to be shared