Agenda item

To consider a proposal by the Chair that a Task Group is established to consider the lessons learned from the above report.

The Chair noted that it was important that the many positive elements of the recent report by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) on “Children in Need of Help and Protection, Children Looked After and Care Leavers and Review of the Effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children Board” were recognised. 

However, she also noted that it was important not to be complacent.  She therefore proposed that a Task Group be established to consider the historical context of the recent Ofsted inspection of services for Looked After Children, including examination of the Improvement Plan being used for the services’ improvement journey.  The Chair assured officers and Councillors that this review would be undertaken sensitively and responsibly.  Individuals would not be named in the report of the review.

A scoping document for the proposed review was tabled and is attached at the end of these minutes for information.

The Commission welcomed the suggested review, suggesting that it could make it easier for Members to understand what had happened, what needed to be done to rectify the situation and to ensure that the right actions were being taken.

Members noted that the previous Ofsted inspection before the 2015 one had been made in 2011.  However, Ofsted’s inspection framework had changed since then, so the findings of the 2011 inspection were not directly comparable to the findings of the 2015 inspection.

Councillor Russell, Assistant City Mayor with responsibility for Children, Young People and Schools, advised the Commission that:-

·           A full Action Plan was in place as a result of the recommendations made by Ofsted.  This had been approved by Ofsted and the Department for Education;

·           The Leicester City Children’s Improvement Board (LCCIB) was chaired by someone independent of the Council;

·           The LCCIB looked at each point made by Ofsted, considered what action was needed in response to these points, the timescale for this and how the services would look when they were classed as “good”; and

·           The Improvement Plan set out how the specific recommendations from Ofsted would be addressed.

The Strategic Director noted that Ofsted had recommended that training on the scrutiny of children’s services be provided for Members.  The scoping document for this review included an offer of this training.

The Chair advised the Commission that she had had discussions with the Chair of the LCCIB and wanted to ensure that there was no duplication of work being done.  Contact with the Chair of the LCCIB therefore would be maintained regarding the work being done by each.

The Chair suggested that scrutiny of the Improvement Plan would probably be an ongoing task for the Commission over the coming year and expressed confidence that the review would produce a good piece of work that would help Members prepare for this.

AGREED:

1)    That a Task Group be established to undertake a review of the historical context of the recent Ofsted inspection of services for Looked After Children;

2)    That the remit of the Task Group established under resolution 1) above be as set out in the scoping document attached to these minutes;

3)    That the Chair of this Commission contact members of this Commission to request expressions of interest in being part of the Task Group referred to under resolution 1) above;

4)    That the final report of this review be shared with the Strategic Director Children’s Services and the Assistant City Mayor with responsibility for Children, Young People and Schools before it is circulated or published elsewhere; and

5)    That the Strategic Director Children’s Services be asked to provide training for members of this Commission on the Action Plan, Improvement Plan and Performance Book established following the Inspection of the Office for Standards in Education referred to above.