The Family and Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to consider a range of reports concerning the services provided to children and young people in Northumberland. Key discussions are expected to focus on the annual reports of the Children's Principal Social Worker and the Children's Social Care Annual Self-Evaluation, alongside an update on the Local Area SEND Reform Plan.

Annual Report of the Children's Principal Social Worker

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the work of the Principal Social Worker for the 2024/25 period. This report is intended to provide an overview of the quality of practice and development needs of frontline social workers. It will also elaborate on themes such as recruitment, staff training, and social work caseloads, and outline plans for the coming year. The report highlights the council's commitment to maintaining a stable workforce, noting that all residential homes inspected have achieved a 'Good' rating. It also details workforce data, including turnover rates, agency worker rates, and vacancy rates, which are reported to be lower than national and regional averages. The report further discusses the impact of the national Families First Partnership Programme on children's social care, aiming to shift the system towards early intervention and improved integration.

Children's Social Care Annual Self-Evaluation 2026

This report provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of services provided by the Directorate and their impact on service plans and systems, from the perspective of children, young people, and families. The self-evaluation covers the period from December 2024 to December 2025 and highlights areas of outstanding practice, as well as areas for further development. It notes the successful embedding of the Families First Partnership reforms, which aim to strengthen early, relational, and multi-agency support. The report details achievements in areas such as prevention and early support, aspirations for cared-for and care-experienced children, keeping children safe, and workforce development. It also acknowledges the council's Outstanding judgement from Ofsted in their Inspection of Local Authority Children's Services (ILACS) in July 2024.

Local Area SEND Reform Plan Update

The committee is scheduled to receive a presentation on the Local Area SEND Reform Plan. This will provide an update on the ongoing reforms related to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) within the local area.

Reports of the Scrutiny Officer

Under this item, the committee will receive updates on the Forward Plan, noting decisions taken by Cabinet since the previous meeting and the latest Forward Plan of key decisions. Additionally, the Family and Children's Services OSC Work Programme monitoring report for 2025/26 will be presented.