Agenda item

10.10 am

This item was one of the three principal topics earmarked for review by this Committee.

The Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator and Service Manager responsible for bullying will be reviewing the anti-bullying strategy with multi-agency partners in the near future. They would welcome the comments and recommendations of the Committee to inform this review.  The Scrutiny Committee is asked to consider the current strategy attached at CH5, together with a presentation at the committee meeting.

The latest performance data will be released by TELLUS in the coming days. A briefing summarising the findings of the survey will be circulated to all members of the Committee prior to the committee meeting under separate cover.

The Committee will receive an initial presentation from Ms Jo Brown, Anti-Bullying Coordinator, Rennie Thompson, Service Manager and Katie McGraw, National Management Trainee and will then be invited to conduct a question and answer session.  Chief Inspector Lindsey Finch and Dave Parry, the Youth Justice Manager, Thames Valley Police will also be available to contribute to the debate.

The Committee is invited to forward any comments and/or advice to the Director for Children, Young People & Families.

Members of the Committee received a presentation, together with briefing papers (CH5) prepared by Jo Brown, Anti-Bullying Coordinator, Rennie Thompson, Service Manager and Katie McGraw, National Management Trainee on the forthcoming review of the anti-bullying strategy with multi-agency partners. This item had been one of the three principle topics earmarked at the 22 September meeting for review.

Chief Inspector Lindsey Finch and Dave Parry, Youth Justice Manager, Thames Valley Police also attended to contribute to the debate.

Following the presentation, the Committee conducted a question and answer session.  The key some points arising from the debate are set out below:

The Committee recognised that there were a number of multi-agency partners working hard in this area. They recommended that the following points be incorporated into the service strategy in order to promote effective joint working:

·        The Committee recommends that the Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator should be involved in the establishment and development of Safer Schools Partnerships, and that the Co-ordinator considers becoming involved in Safer Schools Partnerships Steering Group;

·        The Committee recommends that the Co-ordinator further develop their links with Thames Valley Police, especially with regard to joint training;

·        The Committee recommends that the Co-ordinator considers signposting schools to the support which other agencies can provide in order to tackle the underlying problems of children who bully.

Much of the Committee’s debate centred around the crucial role which schools must play in tackling bullying. As such, the Committee recommended that the following points related to the Co-ordinator’s work with schools were reflected in the strategy:

·        The Committee recommends that the Co-ordinator should have due regard to the existing pressures on school staff time whilst developing its programme of work;

·        The Committee recommends that the Co-ordinator should, where possible,  pursue links with school councils;

·        The Committee recommends that the Co-ordinator should encourage governing bodies to actively monitor both the bullying situation and the implementation of an anti-bullying strategy in their schools;

·        The Committee recommends that the Co-ordinator examine alternative means of communicating with schools and teaching staff, so as to reduce reliance on its website.

The Committee further welcomed the contribution made on behalf of Thames Valley Police and urged that the two points related to the collection and reporting of data be addressed as follows:

·        The Committee suggests that the Co-ordinator should consider setting minimum standards for data sharing;

·        The Committee suggests that the service should consider the issue of serial bullying and whether this can be tracked.

The following specific issues were also put forward for consideration:

·        The Co-ordinator should consider developing clear guidance on bullying, focussing particularly on resilience to bullying, for circulation to parents.The service should consider ways they can encourage pupils to have empathy for others;

·        The Co-ordinator should think about what sanctions schools can take against bullies, and advise schools on potential effectiveness;

·        The Committee recommends that the Co-ordinator should recognise that the bullying of teachers remains an issue.

Finally, the Committee was of the opinion that working to tackle cyber-bullying should remain a priority.

Following debate, officers undertook to give consideration to the Committee’s points when reviewing the Anti-Bullying Strategy.

The Committee AGREED to:

(a)               Write to all Local Authority Governing Bodies in Oxfordshire, with a copy to all Head Teachers, outlining the services and initiatives that the County Council offer in relation to Anti-Bullying;

(b)               ask officers for a report back to the Committee in six months time.