Issue - meetings

To consider recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny committees on items not otherwise included on the Cabinet Agenda.

The Chair of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee addressed the Cabinet advising that the following recommendations had been agreed unanimously by the Committee at their recent meeting for submission to Cabinet for consideration: -

Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Agenda Item 10 - Child Exploitation Working Group Findings Report

Child Exploitation Working Group Findings Report.pdf (bcpcouncil.gov.uk)

The Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommend to Cabinet that:

1)    recommendation (c) that partnership working be promoted to ensure increased communication around the issues highlighted with parents, schools, children and youth services.

2)    recommendation (d) that earlier age-appropriate education be implemented within schools across BCP regarding the risks associated with exploitation, drugs and the dangers of carrying weapons.

The Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People, Education and Skills spoke in support of the recommendations whilst highlighting with regards to recommendation 2 as set out above that BCP couldn’t dictate the curriculum but can certainly look at ways to support it.

The Leader advised that the Cabinet would take the matter away and go back to the Chair of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Leader advised that in the interests of officers present Agenda Item 16 (Pan Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2023/2024) would be brought forward and dealt with as the first item.