Agenda

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

To receive information on any changes in the membership of the Committee.

Note – When a member of a Committee is unable to attend a meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee, the relevant Political Group Leader (or their nominated representative) may, by notice to the Monitoring Officer (or their nominated representative) prior to the meeting, appoint a substitute member from within the same Political Group. The contact details on the front of this agenda should be used for notifications.

To elect a Chair for the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2026/27 Municipal Year.

To elect a Vice Chair of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2026/27 Municipal Year.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 10 March 2026.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link:-

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/documents/s2305/Public%20Items%20-%20Meeting%20Procedure%20Rules.pdf 

The deadline for the submission of public questions is midday on Wednesday 10 June (3 clear working days before the meeting).

The deadline for the submission of a statement is midday on Monday 15 June (the working day before the meeting).

The deadline for the submission of a petition is Monday 1 June (10 working days before the meeting).

To receive a verbal update from the Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs).

To note the latest updates to the recommendation tracker, including consideration of recommendations made by the Committee.

The Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committee is asked to consider and identify work priorities for publication in a Work Plan.

The Committee is asked to consider whether it wants to appoint a Co-opted Academy Parent Governor to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the process for the recruitment if agreed.

This report provides an overview of the current alignment of BCP Council against ‘Youth Matters: The National Strategy’.

The Crime and Disorder Act (1998) places a statutory requirement on local authority youth offending teams to publish an annual Youth Justice Plan which must provide specified information about the local provision of youth justice services. This report summarises the Youth Justice Plan for 2026/27, with a copy of the Plan appended. The Youth Justice Plan needs to be approved by the full Council.

The Youth Justice Plan shows strong performance by the service. Achievements include diverting children from the justice system, avoiding the use of custody for children, and the quality of work to reduce the likelihood of reoffending and to repair the harm caused to victims.

Priorities for the year ahead are to respond to national and local reform programmes, enhancing ‘Child First’ practice, developing work with victims, reducing the over-representation of some groups of children in the justice system, and making best use of available resources.

The Children’s Services Self-Assessment 2026 provides an evidence-based summary of progress since the ‘Good’ Ofsted ILACS judgement in December 2024. Local authorities produce self-assessments to evaluate service effectiveness, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and support transparent assurance, scrutiny and continuous improvement for children and families. It shows a service with stronger leadership, more embedded quality assurance and effective partnership working, resulting in more consistent practice and better oversight of performance, risk and impact. 

The report highlights improved timeliness, permanence planning, placement stability, educational outcomes for children in care and progress in SEND.  

It also identifies key pressures, including rising demand and complexity, high numbers of children in care and child protection plans, and ongoing sufficiency challenges.  

Priorities for 2026/27 are to deliver Families First and One Team One Approach, strengthen early help and local sufficiency, improve permanence and safety planning, and maintain a strong focus on children at risk of exploitation and older care leavers. 

This report updates Cabinet on the development of BCP’s Best Start in Life Local Plan, which delivers the Government’s strategy for improving outcomes from pregnancy to age five and meets the requirement to publish a local plan by 31 March 2026. Key issues include achieving the Government-set Good Level of Development (GLD) targets (79.9% of children overall; 60.1% of children receiving Free School Meals) through whole system collaboration and establishing Best Start Family Hubs to provide integrated health, education and family support in areas of highest deprivation. Programme governance, project management, stakeholder engagement and a readiness survey are in place.

This report provides an update on progress delivering BCP Council’s Sufficiency Strategy for Children in Care and Care Experienced Young People covering September 2024 to March 2026.

Progress has been made in strengthening local provision, improving provider relationships and embedding governance arrangements. Notable improvements include significant growth in supported accommodation and residential capacity, increased numbers of children living locally, and stronger housing pathways for care experienced young people.

However, demand continues to exceed local capacity in key areas. Challenges remain in increasing foster care households, reducing reliance on residential care, and ensuring more children live closer to home.

The strategy remains on track overall, with a positive direction of travel. The next phase will focus on accelerating delivery, particularly in family-based care, residential demand reduction, and embedding quality assurance learning into service improvement.

To receive a verbal update from the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People, Education and Skills.