The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee of Islington Council was scheduled to discuss a scrutiny review involving witness evidence from ZCD Architects, an update on the Family First Programme, and an Executive Member Report. The committee was also due to review the minutes of its previous meeting and receive a Chair's Report.

Scrutiny Review - Witness Evidence from ZCD Architects

The committee was scheduled to receive witness evidence from ZCD Architects as part of a scrutiny review. The report pack indicates that this evidence would cover topics such as the importance of chill-out and communal spaces for teenage girls, where they feel a sense of belonging. It was noted that in spaces like skateparks, multi-use games areas (MUGAs), and football courts, girls may not always feel welcome, particularly when groups of boys arrive. The evidence was expected to highlight positive developments, such as those in Essex and Bradford, while also acknowledging budgetary constraints faced by local authorities. Low-cost measures, like sociable seating near communal areas in parks, were mentioned as having been trialled. The report pack also suggested that co-designing spaces with teenage girls could foster a sense of legitimacy and ownership. The potential for further research into MUGAs to ensure they are welcoming to teenage girls and non-binary young people was also to be discussed, alongside engaging with teenage boys. The report pack mentioned an example in Gravesend where a young man was hesitant to invite female friends to play football in MUGAs due to concerns about appearing on social media. The committee was also expected to consider incorporating play into the local plan, with ZCD Architects noting resistance from developers in Crewe, Cheshire, when creative green space ideas were proposed that were not explicitly required by field and trust guidance. The evidence was also to touch upon research from Yorkshire regarding trampolines on the ground, which appealed to teenagers and indicated a desire to be active, particularly among teenage girls often categorised as inactive. The importance of spaces where teenagers feel wanted and welcomed was to be emphasised, with a note that some nature reserves were not welcoming to them congregating. ZCD Architects expressed willingness to collaborate with local authorities, including Islington, but cautioned about their reliance on funding streams as a volunteer-led charity. Funding for work in Essex by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex and in Yorkshire by active sports partnerships due to disparities in activity levels among teenage girls was cited. The witness evidence from ZCD Architects was to be noted by the committee.

Executive Member Report

The committee was scheduled to receive an Executive Member Report. The report pack indicates that this would include an update on the Play Needs assessment and witness evidence for the review. Officers were expected to acknowledge that the views of young people and parents gathered in this assessment were not extensive enough. The report pack mentioned an example of wider improvements to accessible and inclusive play equipment following engagement on the redevelopment of Dalmeny Park with the family of a disabled child who used the space. Officers were expected to confirm their efforts to ensure the legacy of the Fair Futures framework was reflected in the assessment and recommendations, and that colleagues overseeing the borough's estates safety were involved. The report pack noted that risk is essential in play and development, and this was to be discussed with the working group. A balance between encouraging play and the needs of local residents was to be addressed, with an acknowledgement of the need to remove no ball game signs to empower young people. Regarding Cornwallis Adventure Playground and the replacement of play equipment, officers were expected to report that discussions were underway regarding who would deliver the reconstruction, not that the project was on hold. A striking contextual piece of information within the report was highlighted: the proportion of households without access to a garden being significantly higher than the national average. The report pack also noted that Hackney had included a specific element relating to inclusive play in their Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)¹, building it in as a child-friendly part of their spatial planning and development documents. The witness evidence from council officers was to be noted by the committee.

Family First Programme Update

An update on the Family First Programme was scheduled for discussion. The report pack indicates that this would include information on the Youth Services Annual Report. Officers were expected to be working on the fourth version of the impact report, due for publication in April or May. Regarding accessibility, officers were to report ongoing conversations with providers to ensure children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)² could benefit from the service, noting this was a priority group in the redesign of the universal youth offer in 2020. Participation rates for children with SEND were reported to have increased, with officers aiming to further increase these rates. The Executive Member was expected to note that each young person's needs are different and that officers work with providers to understand and address these needs. Islington was mentioned as one of twelve local authorities to have successfully bid to the Department for Culture, Media and Sports to be included in the Local Youth Transformation pilot. Regarding funding, officers were to advise that new funding had been secured to improve and strengthen the infrastructure of the youth offer, focusing on workforce development and strengthening youth voice, but with a limitation of not being able to spend more than 15% on the frontline youth offer. Actions were to be taken to schedule an update regarding the council's involvement in the local youth transformation pilot and to incorporate a section on programmes for young people with SEND in the next annual report. The Youth Services Annual Report was to be noted by the committee.

Quarter One Performance Report

The committee was scheduled to receive the Quarter One Performance Report. The Corporate Director of Children's Services was expected to present this report. Members were to note continued high levels of persistent absenteeism, with an overrepresentation among a handful of schools. Officers were to acknowledge that attendance was not at the desired level and its impact on attainment, stating that the infrastructure for prevention and intervention had nationally been left unfunded but had since received resources for two targeted approaches. It was also to be stated that officers had written to the Department for Education (DfE) regarding attendance at a primary school and City of London Academy (COLA) federated secondary schools and had challenged suspension policies with COLA's leadership. Officers were to report working with youth services to understand from persistently absent young people why they felt less confident attending school than youth hubs or other spaces. The report pack highlighted that the suspension rate continued to be high, with disproportionality among those with SEND and affecting primary schools, stressing the urgency of addressing this. Members were to state that alternative provision and special schools should be incorporated into advocacy regarding attendance, attainment, and suspensions, noting the disparity among Black Caribbean children and children with SEND. Officers were to advise that severe persistent absence is categorised as educational neglect, with an expectation that after approximately two consecutive periods of absence, schools will refer to the front door team for flagging and investigation, acknowledging the onus on schools to inform relevant services about non-attendance. It was further to be stated that through targeted services such as Bright Futures or Bright Start, attempts might be made to engage families and bring in family support workers, and that termly targeted support meetings address cases of severe absence, ensuring an action plan for each child. The Executive Member was to note that officers work to ensure smooth transitions for children with SEND and that schools are ready and not working in isolation, and that they are working to empower school governors and parents, acknowledging the effect of parental mental health and wellbeing on children's education. An action was to be taken to investigate the possibility of incorporating data on detentions and from specialist schools and alternative provisions on suspensions, noting members' suggestions about utilising freedom of information requests to achieve this. The Quarter One Performance Report was to be noted by the committee.

Formal Matters

The committee was scheduled to address formal matters including apologies for absence, the declaration of substitute members, and declarations of interest. The minutes of the previous meeting were to be confirmed. A Chair's Report was also on the agenda, which in a previous meeting had included information about a visit to Cornwallis Adventure Playground and focus groups with Bright Start and Housing concerning the review of play spaces and services in Islington. A key challenge raised in that instance was resistance from residents on housing estates to non-residents using communal play equipment and spaces. Officers were planning community engagement throughout January to emphasise the importance of play and healthy activity in bringing communities together. Public questions were also scheduled to be heard.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to consider its Work Programme for 2025-26. The report pack outlines planned topics for future meetings, including draft recommendations for a scrutiny review, post-sixteen progression (NEETs), school results reports, and updates on child-friendly Islington, lifelong corporate parenting, and therapies.