Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest received at this point in the meeting.

The minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 12 January 2023 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 8 February 2023  were submitted and approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 22 February 2023 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

The Chief Executive submitted a report which identified the forthcoming issues to be considered by the Executive, as outlined in Appendix A to the report. The report provided the Overview and Scrutiny Board with the opportunity to consider whether any item contained within the Executive Forward Work Programme should be considered by the Board, or referred to a Scrutiny Panel.

ORDERED: the report be noted

The Chair of the Children and Young People’s Social Care and Services Scrutiny Panel presented the Panel’s Final Report and draft recommendations in relation to its review of Supporting Young People to Prepare for Adulthood and Independence.

The Board was asked to consider the following recommendations:

Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

A) That clear pathways be established for young people, whatever their status (care leavers, SEN or having a disability), including flowcharts, to help young people and practitioners understand processes in place, options available and ensuring everyone is aware of available support/services.

B) Whilst the SEND and Inclusion, Children with Disabilities, Early Help and Pathways (Leaving Care) services all work closely with Adult Social Care colleagues to ensure a smooth transition to adult social care, where determined appropriate, the Panel recommends that an Adult Social Worker be allocated to the young person between the age of 17 and 17.5 years to ensure a smooth handover and seamless transition for the young person and their family/carers and to establish appropriate

pathways plans, clearly setting out how the young person will be supported to become an independent adult and identifying the team around the young person.

C) To bridge the gap for a small number of young people with a disability or learning difficulty where their needs assessment outcome is a health need, that health colleagues begin to work with the young person from age 17, rather than 18, to ensure a smooth transition from Children’s Social Care, again with clear pathway planning (as B. above).

D) That work with Health colleagues be strengthened, particularly around joint commissioning and that appropriate health colleagues be invited to relevant groups and Strategic Board meetings associated with SEND to ensure joint working and service development.

E) To establish a mechanism, including a Forum for parents/carers, to raise awareness between all groups associated with SEND so that everyone is aware of the work taking place within each of the groups so that opportunities for collaboration can be identified and duplication can be avoided.

F) To ensure effective use of the Education Health and Care (EHC) process for young people with an identified SEND, up to the age of 25, to drive decision making and commissioning decisions in respect of the young person.

Care Leavers

G) In line with Ofsted’s findings from its monitoring visit to the Pathways (Leaving Care) Service in November 2022, in relation to areas requiring improvement, the Panel recommends that these areas be taken forward as part of the Improvement Plan and that progress be monitored and reported

back to the Panel in six months’ time.

H) Ensure that all young people in care are introduced to the Pathways (Leaving Care) service at age 16 and that the process of being allocated a Personal Advisor to help support them in the transition of leaving care and preparation for independence be fully discussed with young people, taking into consideration their views and wishes.

I) That adequate preparation and support in essential  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22/175

The Chair commented the Scrutiny Chairs updates were largely contained within the Overview and Scrutiny Board update report to Council, scheduled for 29 March. As such it was moved the updates not be heard at OSB on this occasion.

ORDERED that the Scrutiny Chairs updates be heard at full Council on 29 March as part of the Overview and Scrutiny Board update.

None.