Agenda, decisions and minutes

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None.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Approved.

Resolved that the minutes of the Education & Skills Policy Development Committee held on 15 September 2021 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Noted.

Lisa Collins gave a detailed and informative power point presentation relating to various issues around vulnerable learners.

Areas discussed in the presentation included the following:

•         Who are vulnerable children - statutory interventions – child protection/looked after children (LAC), in need of care & support & disabled / learning difficulties;

•         Definition of vulnerability – vulnerability vs entitlement, setting up of emergency childcare settings in schools following initial lockdown, RAG rating & weekly monitoring reports on vulnerable young people;

•         Improved collaboration and working arrangements - links developed with Social Services and Education departments through single point of contacts(SPOC), repurposing of roles for education welfare staff to assist with food deliveries, escalation process for changing vulnerabilities, business as usual – safeguarding processes, reflection & review procedures, greater/improved levels of communication to schools/parents/staff & the impact of the move to blended learning and the different and huge challenges that it brought;

•         Lessons learned - varied professional assessments of vulnerability, children with statutory interventions are priority, no one size fits all approach taken, working together to support families & use of the various frameworks available;

•         Planned way forward - safeguarding and child protection policies and processes, use of care planning to respond to changing vulnerability (CINCS, LAC, Safety, Wellbeing), promoting the SPOC relationships to support agencies, empowering schools to escalate concerns & build contingency.

•         Autumn term 2021 - Rising numbers of vulnerable children, Managing challenging behaviour, Developing a wellbeing response for pupils facing exclusion, Contextual Safeguarding, Processes established and embedded

Members asked various questions and made comments regarding the work undertaken during the different phases of the various lockdowns, to which the Officer who responded accordingly.

Members again payed tribute and commended all the staff both centrally within the department and all the school based staff for their efforts during the ongoing pandemic.

Noted.

Kate Phillips gave a detailed and informative power point presentation relating to various issues and factors that effect and impact on matters relating to school exclusions.

Areas discussed and covered during the presentation included the following:

·       Exclusion categories and numbers of young people affected and in each definition/category;

·       What happens you young people following exclusion – change of  school/college, home tuition, referral to and involvement and utilisation of expertise of staff in the pupil referral unit;

·       Management of moves and rules and procedures in place to assist young people who are often in crisis, numbers of schools involved;

·       Outcomes and overseeing of moves and progress of young people;

·       Pastoral support plans (PSPs)– document which is put together on an individual basis for the young people at risk of exclusions;

·       Prevention & early intervention strategies – whole school approach and initiatives that help and support the PSPs, implications of the Additional Learning Needs and Tribunal Act going forward, behaviour policy, staff training available, exclusions reduction strategy, EOTAS policy being developed;

·       Case studies and examples of feedback from young people who have been through the system.

Members asked various questions and made comments regarding the exclusion process and support in place for young people, to which the Officer responded accordingly.

Noted.

The Vice Chair referred to theworkplan as outlined.

Resolved that the next meeting of the Committee receive information from the two schools indicated in the report.