Agenda and draft minutes

None.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 10 July 2025.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 10 July 2025 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive a briefing on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill outlining the reforms to Children’s Social Care and the Families First Partnership Programme.

The Director: Children’s Services presented an overview of the Children’s Wellbeing and School Bill, a major legislative proposal aimed at reforming children’s social care and education. The Bill built upon a series of national reviews and strategic publications, including the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care (2022), the CMA’s review into placements, and the government’s Stable Homes, Built on Love strategy (2023). These developments, alongside the Kinship Strategy, Working Together 2023, and the National Framework for Children’s Social Care, had laid the foundation for a more integrated, family-first approach.

Members were informed that the Families First Partnership Programme, launched earlier in the year, supported this direction and aligned with the government’s publication Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive (November 2024), which set expectations for the 2025/26 transformation year. There were three key enablers underpinning the Bill:  prioritising effective multi-agency working, ensuring leadership drove good practice, and building a skilled and supported workforce. The Committee were advised that these enablers aimed to deliver the four core outcomes of keeping families together with the right support, strengthening family networks, providing stable, loving homes for children in care and care leaver and ensuring that the Council were well placed to deliver these outcomes through cross-directorate and external partnership working.

The Director: Children’s Services highlighted several reforms within social care, including the introduction of a more integrated Family Help model, combining early help, Child in Need, and Child Protection services. Locally, this involved developing “team around the family” approaches, bringing together family support workers and social workers. Members heard that Family Group decision making was to become mandatory prior to care proceedings, with the Council adopting a “Circles of Support” model to ensure needs were met. Multi-agency safeguarding teams were to be established to identify harm quickly and build family resilience. Enhanced support for care leavers was to be provided through the Staying Close initiative, alongside improved training and support for the workforce and kinship carers.

The Committee heard that structural reforms proposed in the bill had included the regulation of agency worker use, improved quality and accountability in children’s homes, the creation of Regional Care Cooperatives, and financial oversight measures including a proposed profit cap on care providers.

The Director: Education & Skills outlined that the Children’s Wellbeing and School Bill introduced practical measures such as breakfast clubs, reduced costs for school uniforms, and provisions for home-schooled children. It also outlined that academies would be required to adhere to the national curriculum and teacher conditions. Members were informed that there were new duties for local authorities relating to admissions and planning, which aimed to ensure fairness between local authority schools and academies. Members heard that the bill was expected to strengthen safeguarding through education by introducing a unique child identifier and extending the duties of virtual heads to all children with a social worker or in kinship care. The Director: Education & Skills noted that whilst the bill did not prescribe the future of academisation, it shifted the focus toward school improvement, regardless of structure.  ...  view the full minutes text for item CYP8

To review the Council’s youth offer including the funding available to support youth activities such as youth clubs, education, training and employment.

The Director: Education & Skills presented an update to the Committee on the development of Telford and Wrekin’s Youth Offer and Strategy, outlining the statutory responsibilities under Section 507B of the Education Act 1996. This duty required local authorities to secure, as far as reasonably practicable, sufficient educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people, and to ensure that young people’s voices shaped the offer.

Members were informed that the local definition of ‘youth’ within the strategy referred to young people aged 10–19, and up to 25 for those with SEND or additional needs, going beyond the national framework which typically focused on ages 13–19. It was emphasised that the review did not suggest a lack of provision, but rather sought to create a coherent and sustainable framework that brought together all youth services under one umbrella. The aim was to align partners, ensure quality, identify funding streams, and address gaps in provision. Members heard that the strategy also linked into the Children and Young People’s Strategy 2025–2028 and initiatives such as 5 by 5 and 10 by 10.

The Committee heard that the strategy had been shaped by national guidance, including the nine essential elements of youth work set out by the National Youth Agency. The Service Delivery Manager: Achievement & Enrichment explained that significant preparatory work had taken place, including the completion of a Local Needs Assessment to identify gaps in provision and priority groups, extensive engagement with young people through forums, schools and home education networks, and collaboration with the voluntary, community and faith sector to map existing services and understand current strengths and challenges. Officers reported that workforce planning had been undertaken to distinguish between youth activities and youth work?led delivery, and that a Youth Work Curriculum had been developed drawing on national models. Safeguarding had also been embedded throughout the strategy, and monitoring and evaluation tools were being implemented to ensure impact and accountability.

Members were asked to note that young people had consistently highlighted the need for trusted adults, accessible mental health support, safe and welcoming spaces, opportunities to share their views and receive feedback on actions taken, and a broader range of activities, particularly in areas with limited provision. Professionals contributing to the consultation had emphasised the importance of strengthening youth voice, expanding emotional wellbeing support, developing a skilled workforce, securing long-term funding and improving the consistency and accessibility of services. From the consultation, four priority themes had emerged, reflecting the need for young people to play a meaningful role in shaping decisions; the importance of providing high-quality, safe and accessible youth clubs and activities; the need for enhanced support around stress, anxiety and emotional wellbeing; and the importance of ensuring that young people feel safe within their communities.

The proposed Youth Offer had been structured around a three?tier model, beginning with universal youth activities such as urban games, delivered by a range of providers and supported through improved signposting. The second tier focused on targeted youth clubs for priority groups delivered through  ...  view the full minutes text for item CYP9

To review the updated Work Programme for the Children & Young People Scrutiny Committee.

The Lead Lawyer: Children and Adults informed Members the Committee operated on a two-year work programme, which had been updated since it was last reviewed by the Committee.

Members noted the update.

The Chair informed Members that a joint working group with the Health Scrutiny Committee was currently in the process of being arranged, and would consider mental health provision across the Borough.