Agenda item

To scrutinise the response to the Covid-19 crisis.

The Director for Early Help and Children’s Social Care presented the report which detailed the Council’s response to the Covid 19 crisis and the support in place for vulnerable children. The following was highlighted:

• There had been a reduction in referrals during lockdown and in the first week post lockdown, there has been an increase which coincided with more children attending school. It was anticipated that there would be further increases for which the department was prepared.
• Social workers had continued to conduct face to face visits where appropriate during lockdown, using PPE and conducting risk assessments prior to visits.
• One of the advantages and points of learning to working virtually was the increased and improved communication with families. The ability to engage through social media has allowed young people to engage in ways that had not been done before.

The Interim Director of Education provided the following highlights:

• Partners had worked collaboratively to co-ordinate their response.
• PPE starter packs were supplied to schools and special schools.
• The welfare of children and families was at the fore front of the response by ensuring the provision of food for vulnerable families and those in receipt of free school meals.
• During lockdown there were 300 children in attendance at schools in the borough, this had now increased significantly.
• Priority was now to plan ahead for full school reopening in September 2020, with targeted provision and support due to the length of period children have not been able to attend school.
• The Service was working with Public Health on posters and leaflets for schools and parents on how to keep children safe, recognising and reporting symptoms. Transition guidance was also in productions for schools.
• The greatest concern was children that had not been able to access education for a number of reasons and being able to support them back into school. Mental health and the wellbeing of pupils would be a priority as well and bridging attainment gaps.

The Head Teacher of All Saints Schools conveyed that communication from the Council had been good, with the regular contact through the school’s link officers encouraging. The localities aspect of children’s services had worked well in promoting cohesiveness as it allowed for regular meetings between schools in the same demographics to share learning.

Officers and schools were commended and thanked for all their hard work during this difficult time.

Following presentations, the Sub-Committee was given the opportunity to raise questions.

A Member asked how the reporting of safeguarding concerns to the SPOC had been made during this period when vulnerable children were not coming in to contact with services that would usually refer them. Officers said that it was of great concern that there were children that would have experienced hardship during this period. As the pandemic was moving into a recovery period, core services were coming into increasing contact with children, leading to improved line of visibility with the needs of children responded to appropriately.

A question was raised on how the needs of children with Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) plans, whose risk assessments had not been returned or addressed. Officers said that since the report was written, there had been an increase in returned risks assessments. There was a concerned about the level of risk assessments received from independent schools and this was being followed up. It was important to note that some Local Authorities had taken the decision not to have oversight of risks assessments but Croydon had, as they wanted to ensure that schools understood that the risk assessment should be treated as a working document. It was also important that the terminology be clear and simple to understand.

It was important to note that conversations were taking place with maintained schools to widen provision for Special Educational Needs (SEN) and EHCP children and there was confidence that schools were able to keep children safe and had been following guidance. The local offer has been updated and a newsletter was being produced that would be sent to families and community advising on what support was available and how to access it.

A Member asked what support had been offered to schools in dealing with the Free School Meals issue prior to the introduction of the National Voucher Scheme. Officers said that guidance had been created and sent by the schools food officer which detailed how to access support, with an email address provided for schools to refer any families experiencing food poverty. Even with the National Voucher Scheme in place, schools, youth zones and voluntary organisations continued to offer food parcels and not just for families in receipt of free school meals, but any family who had experienced food poverty.

A question was raised on the laptop scheme about how many children were eligible and had received a device. Officers said that laptops had been allocated for children with social workers, the first 100 had arrived and were being distributed. The local authority had asked for more than they were told they could receive and have had to wait for them. Some schools made provision where possible and commissioned laptops for families that they knew were in need.

Concern was raised about the announcement by government of the withdrawal of free travel for under 18’s and the impact this policy change would have on young people in the borough. Officers echoed the concerns, highlighting the impact this could have on attendance levels. The criteria set by the government was that children in receipt of free school meals would be eligible for free travel and the Council had put a process in place to identify all children that were eligible. It was acknowledged that this was a big challenge that would require London wide co-ordination.

A Member highlighted that risk assessments were compiled by individual schools and whilst there had been evidence of some excellent risk assessments, it was suggested that a template should have been produced by the local authority. Officers said that a comprehensive checklist was provided for schools on areas of focus in drawing up their risk assessments. The Head Teacher of the All Saints School added that it was important that schools were given the opportunity to build and tailor their own risk assessments to the individual needs of the school. Through locality meetings there was the opportunity to share experience which had indicated that whilst their templates were different, there was consistency in the content.

A further question was raised on individual risk assessments and how they were being managed. Officers said that whilst not all schools were conducting individual risk assessments, plans had been put in place to reduce transmission with the aim of keeping children as well as adults safe. Head teachers were tasked with ensuring that the mental health of their staff was a priority along with the development of a delivery mechanism for education for those that were shielding.

A question was raised on legal planning and court applications, as due to lockdown there would be a backlog of hearings, and what the implications would be. Officers said that there had not been an increase in court applications prior to the lockdown. There were 6 legal planning meetings each week and this had remained consistent with the department working to only issue these for permanent or alternative care instances. The number of applications had not significantly risen due to the sustained effort over the past 18 months. Further information on this was agreed to be provided to the Sub-Committee following the meeting.

A Member suggested that as part of the Education Directorate Covid-19 Transition Action Plan, consideration be given to addressing two emerging issues. The disproportionate impact on BME staff of the Covid-19 pandemic and discussions to be held on how the national curriculum could be enriched with black history. It was further suggested that the Education Directorate engage in conversations with colleagues that were looking at ways to develop this offer. Officers took on board the suggestions made and advised that further discussions would take place on the matters raised.

Officers were thanked for their engagement and responses to questions.

In reaching its recommendations, the Sub-Committee came to the following CONCLUSIONS:

1. Officers were thanked and extended encouragement for their work and efforts in response to the challenges that had arisen as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
2. The initiative and collaboration shown by schools to provide extended support to one another and to families identified as vulnerable and in need was commendable and should continue to be developed.
3. The timeliness of advice from the Council to schools was discussed in the meeting, subsequent investigations found that timely guidance had been provided.
4. The steps being taken as a results of emerging conversations from the Localities meetings which has resulted in proposed meetings of heads of schools to discuss the development of the curriculum to include black history was welcomed.
5. There were concerns that a fair system for assessing eligibility of free travel would not realistically be developed by September 2020 due to complexities involved

The Sub-Committee RESOLVED to recommend:

1. To the Mayor of London, Chair of London Councils, Leader of Croydon Council, Cabinet Member for Transport and the Secretary of State the concerns and implications regarding the withdrawal of free school travel for all children. Additionally the logistical issues local authorities would be presented with in implementing an eligibility system within the expected timeframe should be highlighted.
2. That officers explore in detail in advance of reopening of schools in September, how to ensure that children that experienced neglect during this crisis period can be appropriately supported. Additionally what can be done in the future to ensure that these children can be identified in the event usual mechanisms of detection are compromised
3. That an addition be made to the action plan to work together to explore how to facilitate an initiative for the enrichment of the school curriculum with black history.
4. That consideration be given to the emerging issue of the impact of disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on BAME staff.

Information requests by the sub-committee

1. Data on take up of bereavement service during this period
2. Data on the number of children for whom Croydon holds a public law order including numbers of children with s47.
3. The Committee  requests the provision of comparative information for April and May in 2018,  2019 and 2020 relating to legal planning meetings,  number of applications made pursuant to s.31 of the Children Act 1989 and investigations undertaken pursuant to s.47 of that Act