The Education and Young People Overview & Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to meet to discuss the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership annual report, the Youth Justice Annual Plan, and attendance in schools. The committee was also expected to review its work programme and action trackers, as well as responses to previous scrutiny recommendations.

Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report

The committee was scheduled to review the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership's (OSCP) annual report for 2024-25. The OSCP is responsible for multi-agency safeguarding arrangements in Oxfordshire, bringing together the County Council, the Integrated Care Board, and Thames Valley Police¹. The report highlights safeguarding challenges in Oxfordshire, with a need to improve practices regarding neglect, child exploitation and harm outside the home, and safety in education.

The report identifies key messages for system leaders:

• Consolidate and embed the new Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA).
• Strengthen the voice of children and families within planning, scrutiny, and delivery.
• Improve data infrastructure to inform targeted safeguarding interventions.
• Focus on high-impact issues—neglect, exploitation as ongoing priorities.
• Build a culture of learning and challenge that supports continuous improvement.

The report also outlines the Safeguarding Children Partnership's priorities, learning from Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews, outcomes of quality assurance work, and summarised findings regarding unexpected child deaths in Oxfordshire.

The Independent Scrutineer for the OSCP, Ian Sutherland, stated that multi-agency arrangements for safeguarding children in Oxfordshire remain robust and have been strengthened through effective implementation of the revised Working Together guidance².

The statutory partners and other agencies demonstrate both the ability and willingness to collaboratively address complex safeguarding issues with determination and shared purpose to improve the lives of our children and families.

Ian Sutherland, Independent Scrutineer

The report details the work of the OSCP, including:

• Child Exploitation: Updating multi-agency exploitation procedures and reviewing Oxfordshire's response to harm outside the home.
• Neglect: Health visitor training and joint working with Children's Social Care.
• Safeguarding in Education: Addressing concerns about information sharing through Operation Encompass and alternative provision for children requiring behaviour support.

The OSCP's priorities for 2025-2026 were scheduled to be:

• Child Neglect
• Child Exploitation/Harm outside the home
• Multi-agency protection & Family Safeguarding Approach

Youth Justice Annual Plan 2025-26

The committee was scheduled to discuss Oxfordshire's Youth Justice Annual Plan 2025-26. The plan outlines the priorities and strategies for preventing offending by children and delivering youth justice services in the area.

The core priorities for Oxfordshire's youth justice service for 2025-26 are:

• Working in partnership to develop the prevention & diversion offer in Oxfordshire, which will support a reduction in First Time Entrants.
• Working in partnership to improve outcomes for children with SEND³ in the youth justice system in Oxfordshire.
• Working in partnership to improve support for arrested children.
• Working in partnership to address over-representation and disproportionality for justice-involved children in Oxfordshire.
• Working in partnership to effectively support victims of youth crime in Oxfordshire.

The plan also addresses national priority areas, including children from over-represented groups, policing, prevention and diversion, education, restorative approaches and victims, serious violence, exploitation and contextual safeguarding, detention in police custody, remands, use of custody and constructive resettlement, and working with families.

The plan includes a foreword from John Drew, CBE, who states that the plan describes how the council will respond to the challenge of providing excellent youth justice services.

We are still required to demonstrate in all our action that we are aware that the children with whom we work are first and foremost children...

John Drew, CBE

The plan details the vision and strategy for the Oxfordshire Youth Justice Service, including its commitment to providing the right support at the earliest opportunity to intervene and divert children away from the Criminal Justice System. It also highlights the importance of addressing social determinants of health inequalities and giving every child in the county the best start in life.

The plan outlines the governance, leadership, and partnership arrangements for youth justice in Oxfordshire, including the Youth Justice Management Board and its membership. It also describes the service's location within Oxfordshire's Children Education and Families Directorate.

The plan provides an update on the previous year's progress, including key outcomes such as a reduction in the First Time Entrant rate, achievement of the SEND Quality Mark, and success in reaching Turnaround targets. It also identifies risks and issues, such as the First Time Entrant rate continually being higher than regional and national rates.

Attendance Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on attendance in Oxfordshire schools. The report outlines the roles and responsibilities of key personnel within Oxfordshire County Council's County Attendance Team, covering attendance officers, licensing, children missing education, and elective home education.

The report details the Department for Education's updated attendance framework, outlining strengthened statutory duties for local authorities and schools. It also describes Oxfordshire County Council's implementation of the framework, including regular school engagement, district meetings, and an internal audit.

The report includes a performance overview, with data on overall absence, persistent absence, severe absence, and absence rates for pupils with SEN support, EHCPs, and those who are Children We Care For.

The report outlines a Three-Stage Attendance Monitoring (TAM) Process, involving initial audits, targeted follow-up meetings, and central collaboration. It also provides an example of good practice, where targeted transition support was provided to a primary school, resulting in improved attendance outcomes.

The report highlights Elective Home Education (EHE) parent engagement meetings, which aimed to improve communication and strengthen relationships between the council and parents who home educate. It also discusses work on the Attendance Strategic Board, which aims to ensure that all children prioritise attendance and are kept safe.

Other Matters

The committee was also scheduled to:

• Agree its work programme for forthcoming meetings.
• Note the progress of previous recommendations and actions.
• Note the Cabinet responses to previous reports. These included responses to reports on Children's Homes, Education Other Than At School policy, Section 19 of the Education Act, and Home to School Transport Policy.