Agenda item

(1)        Mrs Chandler (Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

a)    Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC)

The increasing number of UASC that were coming into Kent continued to be a significant pressure for Kent County Council’s Children’s Services. In recent month, the Council’s Children’s Services team had made 70 successful transfers through the National Transfer Scheme to other authorities. However, since 1^st June 2020, Kent had had also 116 new UASC arrivals. Restrictions in relation to the UASC age assessment process had meant that Kent were unable to make any more transfers to other authorities, despite having 51 young people who were awaiting age assessments, a lengthy and costly process. The issue of age assessments for UASC was being raised at central government level.

b)   ‘The Nest’ facility in Ashford

The Nest was a new intervention facility in Ashford which aimed to provide a safe haven for teenagers with emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties. The Nest’s specialist trained team would support the teenagers by using an approach called ‘positive behavioural support’. Mrs Chandler had visited The Nest facility and had seen many sensory adaptations that had been put into the facility such as secure windows and no corners on the walls, as well as bright colours and accessories. The idea of a Nest facility came from parents and was being developed by a range of partners. The funding for the changes that were needed within the facility came from the NHS, but the facility itself would be operated by Kent County Council. Mrs Chandler said that she would be visiting the facility again in the future to see how well it was working.

c)    ‘Inside Britain’s biggest child protection unit’ documentary

At the end of July, Sky News worked alongside Kent County Council’s East Kent children’s services team to create a powerful and moving documentary which presented the complexities of many of Kent’s social work cases, the outstanding work that social workers continued to undertake throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and it conveyed the scale of what Kent might be faced with in September once children had returned to school and referrals increased. Mrs Chandler encouraged all Members to watch the Sky documentary which had been circulated in a recent briefing, as well as a short film presentation that Kent’s young people had created which provided insights into the life of a young person during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the Sky documentary and the short film were helping to inform and shape the work that had been taking place through the Kent Resilience Forum and the Children, Young People and Education (CYPE) recovery cell, chaired by Sarah Hammond (Director of Integrated Services (Children’s Social Work Lead)). Mrs Chandler emphasised the importance of the recovery cell and stated that the focus in coming months would remain on ensuring that children’s services were as prepared as possible for the school return in September.

(2)        Mr Long (Cabinet Member for Education and Skills) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

a)    Recent announcements in relation to Education

Mr Long referred to the recent announcement from government for all pupils to return to school in September and stated that the rapid changes in policy necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic had produced a significantly increased workload for staff within the CYPE directorate. Mr Long thanked Matt Dunkley (Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education), David Adams (Director of Education), all of the officers within the directorate, staff of The Education People (TEP), school leaders and teachers for their sustained hard work and determination to help children and schools through these unprecedented times. Officers within CYPE had been working closely with Kent schools and public transport teams to prepare for the autumn term and ensure that the return to school in September was as smooth as possible. Mr Long referred to the delayed Kent Test assessment until 15^th October (17^th October for out-county applicants), allowing children additional time to settle once they returned to school and stated that whilst a month’s delay would not entirely remedy the loss of education during the lockdown period, it was considered to be the most effective change which could be made. Mr Long also referred to the system of head teacher assessments in Kent as well as the Kent Test to award places in grammar schools to children who head teachers assessed as suitable, even if they may not have scored highly in the test, this was another tool that schools could use to address inequality or unfairness. Government had also announced a £1b fund to help children catch up with some of the lost learning and would go to schools and tutoring organisations as opposed to Kent County Council, although the Council continued to assist and support all of Kent’s schools. TEP had produced a vast range of guidance and resources which sought to address gaps in children’s learning, including curriculum audit tools, pupil premium, disadvantaged and SEN toolkits and a recovery toolkit.

(3)        Mr Dunkley (Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

a) Inside Britain’s biggest child protection unit’ documentary

Mr Dunkley reiterated the comments which had been made by Mrs Chandler in relation to the Sky documentary and emphasised the importance of the work that social workers undertook on a daily basis and the challenges that they were faced with regularly. Officers within Kent County Council’s CYPE directorate worked hard with Sky colleagues to ensure that they represented fairly and accurately the work that was undertaken. Mr Dunkley emphasised the risk that social workers had taken in being a part of the documentary and sincerely thanked all of the staff that had taken part.

b)    Upcoming challenges and thanks to staff

Mr Dunkley referred to upcoming challenges and the expected increase in demand and activity, especially as all pupils returned to school in September. Two prevalent issues on the horizon were the demand for child protection or early help support in potentially vulnerable children and the sudden surge of children in September and October, for which detailed modelling work had been undertaken and shown to Members. Secondly, for colleagues working within Kent’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) team, there would be increased demand in relation to SEN assessments in September. Mr Dunkley also referred to the challenge of managing a phased return to offices as buildings re-opened. Mr Dunkley expressed his thanks to the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee and to Members who had acknowledged the work that staff within the CYPE directorate and across the Council had undertaken during these unprecedented times and for their outstanding response to the pandemic.

(1)        In response to a question which related to the Kent Test and head teacher assessments, Mr Long stated that if scores in the Kent Test were lower overall, the Kent Test’s pass mark could be set slightly lower than usual to achieve roughly the same number of children who were assessed suitable for grammar through the test.

(2)        In response to a question which related to Cabinet Member decision number 20/00060 (Adjustments to the Kent Test and Secondary Co-ordinated Admissions scheme as a result of COVID-19 restrictions), Mr Long said that whilst the government guidance was received after he had taken the decision, a great deal of the guidance supported the decision. He explained that the reason that the guidance didn’t support the decision in all respects was because the guidance was aimed at all selective authorities, many of whom had circumstances that were somewhat different from Kent County Council’s circumstances. Mr Long acknowledged the significant need to address disadvantages and educational inequalities and reassured Committee Members that Kent County Council would do all that was practical and possible to address all forms of disadvantage. Mr Long added that many schools in Kent were self-governing academies that made their own decisions, although Kent County Council would continue to advise and support them.

(3)        In response to a question, Mr Long and Mr Dunkley confirmed that Democratic Services continued to liaise with officers in relation to transport appeals and the most practical options that were available going forward. Mr Dunkley confirmed that he would arrange for all Members to be provided with a briefing note which outlined the current position in relation to transport appeals.

(4)        In response to a question which related to pupils returning to school in September, Mr Long acknowledged the psychological effect on many children being out of school for such a long period of time and the impact that the lockdown had had on student achievement and loss of learning, he stated that the DfE’s guidance in relation to the reopening of schools did address such issues. Mr Long said that whilst Kent County Council encouraged schools to follow both the published guidelines and the Council’s own even more detailed guidelines, he was not aware of any schools in Kent who wished to exceed the guidelines but would seek further clarification from officers. Mr Dunkley added that it was a requirement for pupils to return to school in September and said that any school interpreting the guidance or rules differently still had to meet the statutory requirement to provide a place and educate the children within their school.

(5)        In response to a question which related to addressing disadvantage, Mr Long said that the £1b fund from government was largely there to help those who had suffered the most disadvantage, loss of education and other issues during the lockdown. He re-emphasised that Kent County Council’s role was to advise and assist schools and referred to the resources and interventions that TEP continued to provide to schools which were especially aimed at disadvantaged children. Referring to the Kent Test specifically, Mr Long confirmed that a wider consultation did not take place before the decision was taken to delay the test as there was not enough time, although the decision was supported by 90% of the schools that responded and most of the schools did respond. Both Mr Long and Mr Dunkley reiterated that whilst delaying the Kent Test did not entirely address disadvantages, it was more in the interest of the disadvantaged children to delay the test.

(6)        In response to a comment which related to bullying, Mr Long and Mr Dunkley commended Gravesham Youth Council’s approach to tackling bullying and were keen to see and hear of the work that they had produced in recent months. Mr Dunkley said that a cohort of young people who had experienced bullying or had mental health issues had said that they had thrived for not being in school. He added that Kent County Council would continue to provide training, advice and support to schools in relation to tackling bullying and support the work of Gravesham Youth Council in being communicated to schools in Kent.

(7)        In response to a question which related to UASC, Mr Dunkley referred to the age assessment issues, the high cost of each assessment and the amount of time that each assessment took. Mrs Chandler reassured Committee Members that Mr Gough (Leader of Kent County Council) had written to the Home Office Minister in relation to the change in policy on the border force and had succeeded in persuading the DfE to provide additional COVID-19 related funding.

(8)        In response to a question which related to the guidance to schools regarding GCSEs, young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) and the concerns for vulnerable children moving forward, Mr Dunkley stated that the main advice to schools had come from exam boards and from the DfE in relation to the grade assessment process, which was a combination of mock results, predicted grades, prior attainment, teacher assessment and a national moderation process. Referring specifically to NEETs, Mr Dunkley said that the number of young people who had contacted Kent County Council through the Council’s website with regards to training and employment opportunities had increased significantly and a large amount of work continued to be undertaken to accommodate the needs of young people in relation to education, employment and training.

(9)        The Chairman expressed her sincere thanks to all officers within the CYPE directorate for their commitment, hard work and dedication to services during these unprecedented times.

(10)       RESOLVED that the verbal updates be noted.