Agenda item

Cllr Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, Cllr Sean Gaul, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Lorna Baxter, Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer, and Lisa Lyons, Director of Children’s Services, have been invited to present a the Business Management Monitoring Report – with a focus on Children’s Services, Education and Families.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

Cllr Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, Cllr Sean Gaul, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Lisa Lyons, Director of Children’s Services, and Kathy Wilcox, Head of Corporate Finance and Deputy Section 151 Officer, were invited to present the Business Management Monitoring Report – with a focus on Children’s Services, Education and Families.

The Head of Corporate Finance presented the Business Management and Monitoring Report (BMMR), noting a near break-even position for children's services but a significant overspend on the high needs Dedicated Schools Grant, threatening the Council’s financial resilience. The Director of Children’s Services reported that, despite rising demand, and statutory requirements, the service had reduced overspends, invested in early help and youth support, and was preparing to expand further to address legislative changes and increased needs, especially in special educational needs and disabilities.

The Committee raised the following concerns and questions about the BMMR:

·       Concerning the significant increase in Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), whether there was a correlation between low family income and the likelihood of children needing extra educational support, how Oxfordshire compared nationally regarding EHCP rates, and if the local rate of increase matched national trends. The Director of Children’s Services and the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services explained that Oxfordshire had seen a 32% rise in EHCPs, with a high acceptance rate for assessments. They noted some correlation between poverty and increased contact with statutory services, but did not confirm a direct causal link.

The Cabinet Member, and Director, for Children’s Services also stated that Oxfordshire’s EHCP numbers had continued to rise while some other areas had plateaued, and that further research was ongoing in partnership with the Department for Education to better understand the drivers behind these trends.

·       Whether any Oxfordshire schools contained reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) as part of their buildings and enquired about the ongoing costs of providing education for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), specifically what was being done to bring more students back into county provision. In response, The Director of Children’s Services confirmed that, to the best of her knowledge, no Oxfordshire schools had RAAC, citing comprehensive surveys. She also outlined several projects aimed at increasing local SEND provision, including new special school places, enhanced support for mainstream schools, and pilots to help children remain in their communities rather than being educated out of county.

·       About the Council’s plans for allocating new government funding for Best Start provision and whether additional funding would be made available for in-house youth services. The Director of Children’s Services responded that targeted youth provision funding remained ring-fenced, and Oxfordshire had been selected as one of twelve pilot authorities for a youth transformation project, which aimed to develop sustainable youth activities, particularly in rural and isolated communities.

The Director of Children’s Services clarified that the pilot funding could range from £250,000 to £750,000 and would focus on organising and coordinating youth provision rather than capital projects. She also stated that Best Start funding would support services for children and adolescents, with provision extending up to age 25 where needed. The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services added that the pilot aligned with the Council’s strategic plan to expand youth provision.

Cllr Gaul left the meeting at this stage.

·       Concerns about the existence of "youth deserts" in urban areas of the county, specifically where there were no central youth clubs despite the presence of community buildings managed by charities, and whether Council officers could support charities lacking youth work expertise. The Director of Children’s Services confirmed that the Council aimed to address such gaps through its Youth Strategy, and that part of the pilot project included rebuilding youth work expertise and infrastructure. She stated that supporting training and workforce development for youth work was a priority, so officers would be able to help charities and community groups establish youth activities in available buildings.

A comment was made suggesting that the Council should work in partnership with existing youth organisations such as scouts, guides, and cadet forces, rather than trying to provide all youth services directly. It was proposed that the Council could support these groups through grant funding and by giving them access to Council properties on a rental or leasehold basis, instead of duplicating provision.

·       Regarding the number of children and young people in substance misuse treatment and the failure to meet targets, with concerns expressed that the explanation cited that a new provider starting in April 2023. The Director of Children’s Services noted that the contract was managed by public health and that engagement was often low because services were delivered in a clinical setting, which could deter young people, and that most need was for prevention rather than clinical intervention. She added that efforts were underway to make support more informal and accessible, and she would provide additional information to the committee about progress and outreach.

The Director of Children’s Services also explained that Turning Point, which provided adult services, used a non-medical model that was successful, and explained that under the family safeguarding model, Turning Point practitioners were embedded alongside social workers. She indicated that this model worked well for adults and was being used to support children’s services.

The Committee AGREED to the following actions:

• Specifically to include within the brief of the forthcoming BMMR item with a focus on Public Health that issues around the underperformance and data issues related to substance misuse treatment for children and young people, specifically the lack of early intervention data and the appropriateness of the current provider be included.

The Committee AGREED recommendations under the following headings:

• It was suggested that Cabinet should consider the need for more equitable distribution of voluntary sector youth services, ensuring funding is allocated based on need rather than just supporting existing services.