REPORT OF THE

CHILDREN'S SERVICES POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE

PART II

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE

The Committee reported to the Council in September 2005 on its proposed work programme. In the year since then, the Committee has carried out scrutiny work and advised the Lead Executive Member for Children's Services and the Executive Member for Education on a variety of subjects, which included: -

· Strategy for Primary School Provision in the North East of Andover

· Budget and Performance Scrutiny

· Determination of School Admission Arrangements

· Consultations on the Continuation of Free Transport to Denominational Schools

· The Performance of Hampshire Schools

· County Policy and Action Plan for the Education of Children Looked After

· Review of School Places at Burnham Copse Infant and Burnham Copse Junior Schools at Tadley

· Progress on Family Mentoring Services

· Revised Method of Funding Primary and Secondary Schools for Pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

· Education in Hampshire in the Primary Years

· Music Manifesto

· Reviewing Summaries of Various Inspection reports

· Reviewing the Annual Performance Assessment (APA)

The Committee has also undertaken a detailed scrutiny study on the Special Needs Statutory Assessment Process and the reasons for SEN appeals in the academic year 2004/05. The findings of the Task and Finish Group were reported into the Committee in May 2006 and Members look forward to a response from the Lead Executive Member for Children's Services in the autumn. The Committee will monitor progress on the outcomes from the Task and Finish Group.

Following the adoption of new working arrangements for scrutiny, as agreed by the County Council in July 2006, the Children's Services Policy Review Committee will in future be replaced by the Children and Young People Policy Review Committee, which will be responsible for looking at how the needs and interests of children and young people are met by all departments, policies, services and decisions; and how performance is evaluated and improved. In particular the APA will be a vehicle for examining the performance of the Children's Services Department. The Committee will focus on universal, targeted and specialist services for children and young people: prevention and management of risk; social care; children's and young people's well-being; education - supporting and enabling learning for all children and young people; internal and external partnership working (i.e. Recreation and Heritage / Adult Services); supporting parents & families. The process of transition will continue during the autumn.

MRS CAROL LEVERSHA

Chairman