Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny

1
Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny

• A review of work the committee has undertaken
  during the last 12 months
• Carole Chapman
• July 2009

2
Aims and objectives of the discussion

• To provide members with a chance to discuss how
  the committee operates
• To provide an opportunity for new members to gain
  an understanding of the topics reviewed by this
  committee

3
The role of Scrutiny ?

• Four principles of effective scrutiny-
• Challenge To provide critical friend challenge
  to executives, external authorities and agencies
• Engagement To reflect the voice and concerns of
  the public and its communities
• Leadership to support community leadership and
  effective representation
• Performance improvement To make an impact on the
  delivery of public services

4
What does Scrutiny do?

• Policy development Salford Agreement
• Holds the executive to account and call-in
• External focus PCT
• Performance monitoring Teenage pregnancy,
  obesity, child poverty
• In-depth pieces of work Transition, Parenting

5
Issues considered this year by Children, Young
People and Families

• Safeguarding
• Transition
• Building Schools for the Future (BSF)
• Youth Service
• School Budgets
• Teenage pregnancy

• College merger
• Bercow review
• ContactPoint
• Healthy weight strategy
• Role of the Childrens Champion

6
Key messages for this committee from the Audit
Commission

• Work with partners to prepare for Comprehensive
  Area Assessment
• Continue to improving the quality of children's
  safeguarding arrangements and cut the number of
  looked after children
• Reduce high teenage conception rates to meet
  challenging targets
• Ensure plans to eradicate school budget deficits
  are robust and are being delivered in practice

7
Coming up?

• Safeguarding
• Teenage Pregnancy
• School budgets Setting up a sub-group
• BSF
• Behaviour in Schools Identified through annual
  work programme event 2008
• CAMHS commitment to Cabinet

8
Looking Back

• What has been good/not so good, what have we
  learnt?
• Have we set the right priorities?
• Has the Scrutiny Committee been effective and
  added value?
• What is recognised as good practice?
• What should our approach be for this year?

9
Discussion

• What has worked well so far and what hasnt
• Are the agendas suitable / too large
• Do we speak to all the relevant parties
• Site visits is there a need to do more
• Is there the right level of support for Members
  and or officers in undertaking their scrutiny
  role
• Training for members.
• Good practice Can we learn from others
• - Externally from other authorities /
  organisations.
• Effectiveness and adding value