Services for Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel - Work Programme

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Services for Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel

Work Programme 2008/2009

In-depth Policy Reviews

Subject of Review	Rationale for Review	Links to Council Priorities and Community Strategy	Cabinet Deputy	Suggested By
Healthy Eating in Schools - costs	Tackling childhood obesity has become a key national and local priority in recent years. Research shows that levels of childhood obesity are increasing at both a national level and in Tameside. The British Medical Association estimate if current trends continue, nationally 30% of boys and 40% of girls will be obese by 2020. Obese children are significantly more likely to suffer from obesity as adults and this can lead to a variety of health problems including an increased chance of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. In addition obese adolescents are more likely to leave education earlier and as adults earn a household average of £3,500 less per year than the national average. Consequently National Government has placed increased emphasis on the role of local authorities in helping to tackle the problems associated with poor diet and childhood obesity. Improving the nutritional quality of meals eaten by children during the school day is central to the Government's reform agenda. This Scrutiny review provides the Panel with an opportunity to monitor the effectiveness of Tameside Council's Healthy Eating Policy in schools, by carrying out a reality check on its implementation and impact. In addition this review provides the Panel with an opportunity to identify examples of good practice in Tameside and other areas, and to make recommendations for improvement in relation to this important national and local priority.	This Scrutiny review supports the Children and Young People Strategic Partnership's priority to "promote healthy lifestyles with a particular focus on obesity;" Tameside's Local Area Agreement targets relating to tackling childhood obesity; the "Be Healthy" outcome contained in "Every Child Matters;" and the Community Strategy theme of "A Healthy Population."	Cllr. A. Gwynne and Cllr Cooney	Scrutiny Panel
Attendance / Inclusion	Improving attendance and inclusion in Tameside Secondary schools, and reducing the number of exclusions, is a key priority for the Services for Children and Young People Strategic Partnership. The Panel may focus on measures to promote the inclusion in school of specific groups identified as "vulnerable to poor outcomes," such as looked after children, children with disabilities and children with learning difficulties. Alternatively, the Panel may focus on measures for reducing exclusions from Tameside secondary schools The number of pupils excluded from Tameside secondary schools has increased in recent years. Young people excluded from school are a particularly vulnerable group. Local research shows that they have an increased risk of drug and alcohol use, youth offending, family breakdown and social exclusion. In addition they find it more difficult to secure employment and training and often experience homelessness and teenage pregnancy. Focussing on exclusions would provide the Panel with an opportunity to evaluate the impact of the Partnership's measures and consider how other areas have tackled this issue.	This Scrutiny review supports the Tameside Local Area Agreement target for reducing the number of permanent exclusions in secondary schools; the "Making a Positive Contribution" and "Learning Community" outcomes contained in "Every Child Matters;" and the Community Strategy theme of "A Learning Community."	Cllr. Cooney	Scrutiny Panel
Music provision in Tameside for children and young people	Increasing children and young people's participation in musical activities is an important issue. A recent report commissioned by Central Government found that involvement in music has a positive impact on the holistic development of children and young people. For example the report highlighted the positive impact of music in increasing children and young people's confidence and self esteem, developing their social and team working skills, in addition to supporting their creative development. This review provides the Panel with an option to consider the availability of opportunities for children and young people in Tameside to become involved in music; and take-up rates of those opportunities. In addition the Panel may wish to identify and evaluate measures implemented in Tameside and other areas for further increasing and widening participation in music.	This Scrutiny review supports the Tameside Local Area Agreement priority to increase positive activities of children and young people (including participation in voluntary and community activities); the "Making a Positive Contribution" outcome contained in "Every Child Matters;" and the Community Strategy themes of "Supportive Communities" and "A Learning Community." The review also provides the Panel with an opportunity to contribute towards LAA targets relating to culture and community cohesion.	Cllr. Cooney	Scrutiny Panel

Subject of Review

Rationale for Review

Links to Council Priorities and Community Strategy

Cabinet Deputy

Suggested By

Healthy Eating in Schools - costs

Tackling childhood obesity has become a key national and local priority in recent years. Research shows that levels of childhood obesity are increasing at both a national level and in Tameside. The British Medical Association estimate if current trends continue, nationally 30% of boys and 40% of girls will be obese by 2020.

Obese children are significantly more likely to suffer from obesity as adults and this can lead to a variety of health problems including an increased chance of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. In addition obese adolescents are more likely to leave education earlier and as adults earn a household average of £3,500 less per year than the national average.

Consequently National Government has placed increased emphasis on the role of local authorities in helping to tackle the problems associated with poor diet and childhood obesity. Improving the nutritional quality of meals eaten by children during the school day is central to the Government's reform agenda.

This Scrutiny review provides the Panel with an opportunity to monitor the effectiveness of Tameside Council's Healthy Eating Policy in schools, by carrying out a reality check on its implementation and impact. In addition this review provides the Panel with an opportunity to identify examples of good practice in Tameside and other areas, and to make recommendations for improvement in relation to this important national and local priority.

This Scrutiny review supports the Children and Young People Strategic Partnership's priority to "promote healthy lifestyles with a particular focus on obesity;" Tameside's Local Area Agreement targets relating to tackling childhood obesity; the "Be Healthy" outcome contained in "Every Child Matters;" and the Community Strategy theme of "A Healthy Population."

Cllr. A. Gwynne and Cllr Cooney

Scrutiny Panel

Attendance / Inclusion

Improving attendance and inclusion in Tameside Secondary schools, and reducing the number of exclusions, is a key priority for the Services for Children and Young People Strategic Partnership.

The Panel may focus on measures to promote the inclusion in school of specific groups identified as "vulnerable to poor outcomes," such as looked after children, children with disabilities and children with learning difficulties.

Alternatively, the Panel may focus on measures for reducing exclusions from Tameside secondary schools

The number of pupils excluded from Tameside secondary schools has increased in recent years. Young people excluded from school are a particularly vulnerable group. Local research shows that they have an increased risk of drug and alcohol use, youth offending, family breakdown and social exclusion. In addition they find it more difficult to secure employment and training and often experience homelessness and teenage pregnancy.

Focussing on exclusions would provide the Panel with an opportunity to evaluate the impact of the Partnership's measures and consider how other areas have tackled this issue.

This Scrutiny review supports the Tameside Local Area Agreement target for reducing the number of permanent exclusions in secondary schools; the "Making a Positive Contribution" and "Learning Community" outcomes contained in "Every Child Matters;" and the Community Strategy theme of "A Learning Community."

Cllr. Cooney

Scrutiny Panel

Music provision in Tameside for children and young people

Increasing children and young people's participation in musical activities is an important issue.

A recent report commissioned by Central Government found that involvement in music has a positive impact on the holistic development of children and young people.
For example the report highlighted the positive impact of music in increasing children and young people's confidence and self esteem, developing their social and team working skills, in addition to supporting their creative development.

This review provides the Panel with an option to consider the availability of opportunities for children and young people in Tameside to become involved in music; and take-up rates of those opportunities. In addition the Panel may wish to identify and evaluate measures implemented in Tameside and other areas for further increasing and widening participation in music.

This Scrutiny review supports the Tameside Local Area Agreement priority to increase positive activities of children and young people (including participation in voluntary and community activities); the "Making a Positive Contribution" outcome contained in "Every Child Matters;" and the Community Strategy themes of "Supportive Communities" and "A Learning Community."

The review also provides the Panel with an opportunity to contribute towards LAA targets relating to culture and community cohesion.

Cllr. Cooney

Scrutiny Panel

Ongoing Monitoring

Subject of Review	Rationale for Review	Links to Council and Community Strategies	Cabinet Deputy	Progress
Educational attainment	Improving educational attainment is a key national and local priority. The Scrutiny Panel has been involved in on-going performance monitoring of educational attainment for a number of years. Performance monitoring of educational attainment is an important role for the Scrutiny Panel, as it provides the Panel with an opportunity to help ensure that progress in relation to this key priority is developed and sustained.	This review supports the Tameside Children and Young People Strategic Partnership Trust and Corporate Plan priority to improve educational attainment. In addition Tameside's Local Area Agreement key indicators include a series of targets relating to improving educational attainment. Furthermore, this review also contributes towards Tameside's performance against more general Council priorities, including the "Enjoying and Achieving" outcome identified in "Every Child Matters" and the Tameside Community Strategies themes of a "Prosperous Society" and a "Learning Community."	Cllr. Cooney	This has been carried out annually
Building Schools for the Future	Through the Building Schools for the Future programme every secondary school in England will be rebuilt, remodelled or refurbished over a 10-15 year period. Tameside has been allocated around £200m to transform secondary school provision in the borough. In previous years the role of the Scrutiny Panel has been to carry out 'reality checks' on consultation and planning and to act as critical friend throughout decision-making in order to help ensure transparency. During 2008/9 the Panel will be involved in monitoring progress against key milestones as the construction phase of the project begins. In addition the Panel will consider the ways in which new schools are designed to promote physical activity.	'Building Schools for the Future' is a Corporate Plan Key Project. The review supports the Council's Corporate Priority of 'Children and Young People' and the Community Strategy theme of 'A Learning Community: raising educational achievement and learning opportunities'.	Cllr. Cooney	Regular monitoring

Subject of Review

Rationale for Review

Links to Council and Community Strategies

Cabinet Deputy

Progress

Educational attainment

Improving educational attainment is a key national and local priority.

The Scrutiny Panel has been involved in on-going performance monitoring of educational attainment for a number of years.

Performance monitoring of educational attainment is an important role for the Scrutiny Panel, as it provides the Panel with an opportunity to help ensure that progress in relation to this key priority is developed and sustained.

This review supports the Tameside Children and Young People Strategic Partnership Trust and Corporate Plan priority to improve educational attainment. In addition Tameside's Local Area Agreement key indicators include a series of targets relating to improving educational attainment.

Furthermore, this review also contributes towards Tameside's performance against more general Council priorities, including the "Enjoying and Achieving" outcome identified in "Every Child Matters" and the Tameside Community Strategies themes of a "Prosperous Society" and a "Learning Community."

Cllr. Cooney

This has been carried out annually

Building Schools for the Future

Through the Building Schools for the Future programme every secondary school in England will be rebuilt, remodelled or refurbished over a 10-15 year period. Tameside has been allocated around £200m to transform secondary school provision in the borough.

In previous years the role of the Scrutiny Panel has been to carry out 'reality checks' on consultation and planning and to act as critical friend throughout decision-making in order to help ensure transparency.

During 2008/9 the Panel will be involved in monitoring progress against key milestones as the construction phase of the project begins. In addition the Panel will consider the ways in which new schools are designed to promote physical activity.

'Building Schools for the Future' is a Corporate Plan Key Project. The review supports the Council's Corporate Priority of 'Children and Young People' and the Community Strategy theme of 'A Learning Community: raising educational achievement and learning opportunities'.

Cllr. Cooney

Regular monitoring

Follow-up Review

Subject of Review	Date of Original Review	Links to Council and Community Strategies	Cabinet Deputy	Suggested By
Follow-up review of the Scrutiny Panel's report on "Bullying in Schools"	The Scrutiny Panel produced a report on bullying in schools in October 2006. The Panel will return to this subject to monitor the implementation and impact of the report's recommendations.	Tackling bullying in schools remains a key Council priority. Tameside's Local Area Agreement includes a key indicator to reduce the number of young people who experience bullying; and the Joint Area Review Self Assessment identifies reducing bullying as an area for further development. In addition this review supports the "Staying Safe" and "Making a Positive Contribution" outcomes identified in "Every Child Matters;" and the Community Strategy themes of "A Safe Environment" and "A Learning Community.	Cllr. Gwynne	Scrutiny Panel

Page last updated: 2 July 2008