The Children, Families and Skills Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the progress of the Child and Youth Justice Service, review the Education Strategy and attainment data, and consider the committee's work programme. Key decisions included supporting the Child and Youth Justice Service's priorities for 2025-2026 and agreeing for the Education Strategy to be presented to Cabinet for ratification.

Child and Youth Justice Service

Georgine Lee, Head of Service for Fostering, Adoption and Adolescent Services, presented an overview of the Child and Youth Justice Service (CYJS). The service is a multi-agency partnership jointly funded by Lancashire County Council, Lancashire Constabulary, health commissioners, and Lancashire Probation Service, with additional grant funding from the Youth Justice Board. The CYJS works with approximately 500 children annually, providing prevention, diversion, and statutory interventions.

Key achievements highlighted include a strong place-based, partnership-led approach to tackling anti-social behaviour and exploitation, with notable success in reducing first-time entrants to the youth justice system and custodial sentences. The service also excels in supporting children with accommodation and mental health needs, and has developed innovative community projects.

However, challenges remain, including rising re-offending rates and a high proportion of children not in education, employment, or training (NEET). The service is actively working to improve data sharing, enhance workforce development, and implement multi-agency strategies to address serious youth violence and NEET rates. Preparations for an HMIP inspection and continuous improvement in governance and service delivery are also priorities.

The committee was asked to support the service's priorities for 2025-2026 and identify further ways to support the service. Recommendations were made to consider the Youth Justice Plan at Cabinet in May and to review the annual report on the Child and Youth Justice Service earlier in the work programme in future years. Councillor Mackenzie Ritson also proposed that engaging with community groups be added as a recommendation, which was accepted.

Education Strategy, Annual Report and Attainment Data

Abi Hardy, Head of Education Improvement, presented the attainment data for Lancashire schools, the annual report on the Education Improvement Service, and the draft Education Strategy, The Lancashire Way.

The attainment data revealed that Lancashire schools are performing below national averages across all key areas, with the gap being wider in early years. While the gap narrows as children progress through the system, specific focus is needed on early years, phonics, disadvantaged pupils, and SEND pupils. Districts such as Burnley, Pendle, and Hyndburn show the largest disparities in early years attainment.

The Education Improvement Service has achieved significant successes, including all supported schools improving their Ofsted grades and strong performance in professional development and attendance initiatives. The Lancashire Way strategy aims to create an ambitious, inclusive, and evidence-based approach to education, focusing on early intervention, staff development, and locally driven change through five locality areas. Key priorities include early years, attendance, transitions, outcomes for vulnerable groups, and inclusive practice.

The committee was asked to note the updates and make recommendations for the Education Strategy to be presented at Cabinet in March 2026 for ratification. Several data requests were made, including district-level attainment data for early years and a comparison of attainment between maintained schools and academies.

Children, Families and Skills Work Programme 2025/26

The committee reviewed its work programme for 2025/26. This included noting formal written responses from Cabinet Members regarding recommendations on the SEND Priority Action Plan, Corporate Parenting, the Lancashire House Project, and Where Our Children Live. The Fostering Annual Report was also noted. Key lines of inquiry for the next meeting on 25 February 2026 were discussed, focusing on school attendance, exclusion, attainment, school place planning, and children missing education/alternative provision.

SEND Improvement Programme December 2025 Update

Paul Turner, Director of Education, Culture & Skills, provided an update on the SEND Improvement Programme. While the number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) is increasing as expected, and the backlog of Educational Psychology (EP) assessments is being reduced, there are challenges with the consultation and finalisation stages of the EHCP process. The service is working to address these bottlenecks and improve the overall timeliness of EHCP finalisation. Additional special school places are being created, and recruitment into the SEND workforce has been successful.

The committee received data on the number of EHCPs, backlog figures, and EP allocations. Councillor Mackenzie Ritson requested historical data on EHCP requests to understand trends over time, noting a significant increase in parental requests in recent years, potentially driven by fears about upcoming legislative changes. The committee was assured that this data would be provided.

Discussions also highlighted the disconnect between system improvements and the lived experiences of families currently navigating the SEND system. While acknowledging the progress made, the service expressed apologies for past poor experiences and committed to continued improvement. The importance of communication and capturing families' experiences was emphasised.

Other Matters

The committee also noted the minutes of the previous meeting and received updates on the committee's work programme. There were no items of urgent business. The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Wednesday, 25 February 2026.