Agenda and minutes
Venue: Committee Room 3A, Guildhall, Swansea. View directions
Contact: Michelle.roberts, Scrutiny Officer
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Disclosure of Personal and Prejudicial Interests. Minutes: Cllr Mike Day, Personal Interest |
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Supporting Looked After Children - Public Submission PDF 56 KB A submission received for consideration by the Panel. Minutes: On the 2 May 2019, the
Schools Scrutiny and Child & Family Services Scrutiny Panels came together
to look at an issue that had been raised by both panels, the Educational
Outcomes of Looked After Children. We would
like to thank Mark Sheridan, Julie Thomas, Helen Morgan Rees, Kate Phillips and
Helen Howells for attending the meeting. Prior to our meeting, the Panel received an email from a Youth
Ambassador for The Fostering Network who is also a carer leaver herself. She asked to address the panel on behalf of a
number of Swansea’s looked after children who have concerns about the cuts in
funding for their bespoke, tailored 1:1 support and wished to share their
individual experiences on how the loss of this service has and could impact on
their lives. Councillors heard that these changes are the result of the LAC element
of Pupil Deprivation Grant being diverted from specific LAC-centred support
directly into mainstream schools. She
said that the young people are having difficulty accepting this abrupt change
and feel they had not had the opportunity to have their voice hard about such
an important change. They heard the
young people have established strong relationships, built respect and trust
with their support workers and do not feel that schools could replicate
this. They also feel that it is not only
about the support received from workers but the support they receive from each
other which has become like a family. She recognised that the decision had now been made but wanted to raise
these concerns with the Council so that it is understood and that improvements
can be made around future decisions. She
asked for a response to the following points: 1. Why the decision was made? 2. Why the decision was made so abruptly not giving
young people time to adjust adequately? 3. Why the young people effected were not
consulted? 4. How will LAC young people be supported, now
this service have changed? Officers attending the meeting responded to the issues raised and
apologised to the young people for any hurt or upset that had felt, explaining the
uncertainty in how the Pupil Development Grant from Welsh Government will be
used in future was a contributing factor.
That they had worked hard to find a solution and keep the support
workers but it was not possible. They
explained that support of the Tribe Group was really successful and valued but
that it only reaches about 20 young people so a lot young people are not being
heard in Swansea as the resources are concentrated in one place. Officers also explained that the Diamond
Project will continue with the University and that the Councils Children and
Young People Participation Team will be picking up this activity. Officers
agreed to respond to the above four points in writing and will send a copy of
this response to the panel for information. |
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Educational Outcomes and Support for Looked After Children in Swansea PDF 705 KB Minutes: The Joint Panel discussed the briefing report on the Performance of
Looked After Children. They heard and welcomed the
allocation LAC Pupil Development Grant on a cluster of schools basis recognising
that monies can then be concentrated and used in the best way for that group of
schools. They would like to see young
people consulted on how the money will be used to
support them. Councillors highlighted the principle of Looked After
Children and wider support for pupils being everybody’s business and not just
LAC Co-ordinators in Schools. The Panel
agreed with Officers when they said it is important that capacity is built within all schools to work with vulnerable pupils. The difference between education outcomes of LAC pupils between KS2 and
KS4 was raised. The panel wanted to understand why
there is such a stark difference in performance here. Officers explained the figures shown are based on a small cohort of children each year and these
are not the same children, as children come in and out of care throughout the
year. The data therefore will vary year
on year because each cohort with have different abilities and this, because the
figures are so small, can have a big impact on our results. They also heard that the L2i is very difficult to achieve for vulnerable
pupils and that it is better for them to be tested on
the progression they make rather than merely attainment; Councillors recognise
the importance of the value added measure.
Councillors were concerned to hear Value Added Measures are no longer
easily available from the Welsh Government but are encouraged that we do have
our own Vulnerability Assessment Profile. The Joint Panel heard that there is a real will in Swansea to develop a more systematic approach to improving the outcomes of vulnerable pupils, recognising that it is not just down to schools and not just relating to LAC but also those children on the Child Protection Register and Special Guardianship Orders. Councillors agreed with Officers that we need to be able to see what difference we are making to pupils and need to support them to be as good as they can be. The Panel were interested to hear about the intention to develop an Action Plan to deliver an integrated and outcome focussed approach. We would welcome more information on this as it develops. |
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