To receive apologies for absence, including notifications of any changes to the membership of the Board.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Nicolaou, Mike Cook (Non-voting Co-opted Member) and Hayley Costar (Non-voting Co-opted Member who was represented by Miranda Pusey).

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings of the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Board held on 10 March 2025.

The minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Board held on 10 March 2025 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairwoman.

To receive an update on the Mark Ridell visit and implementation of an action plan for care experienced young people and how we deliver Housing to Care Experienced Young People.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Bye, Divisional Director of Community and Customer Services, Tara Harris and Affordable Housing Manager SHAP (Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme) – Programme, presented the submitted report and responded to questions in respect of housing for care experienced young people.

The Sub-Board asked questions in relation to the following:

·                     was SHAP supported living or follow on accommodation;

·                     when a care experienced person leaves their families were they encouraged to stay in touch and continue to be supported;

·                     the care experienced people who come back and need support, were they referred to Adult Services or would they continue to be supported by Children’s Services;

·                     were young people who stay with host families a short term option;

·                     paragraph 1.1 referred to Torbay supporting 128 former care experienced young people, of whom 85% (110) were assessed as living in suitable accommodation, which left 18 who were not, 9 were in temporary accommodation and 1 in His Majesty’s Prison, where were the remaining 8 (it was agreed that a written response would be provided to this question and where the Council was regarding staying put accommodation for care experienced young people);

·                     the figures were not correct in the report, it was requested that the figures be updated and the report be republished;

·                     section 8 referred to limited options to move families who have been found intentionally homeless, was there a plan to support those families; and

·                     what counted as intentionally homeless for a care experienced young person.

Members received the following responses:

·                     The SHAP project was being delivered by the YMCA to provide 36 units of accommodation for young people between the ages of 18-25 who were at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping. The YMCA was at the stage of practical completion for 3 of the 4 units of accommodation representing 28 of the 36 units. 18 units were expected to be occupied in July 2025.  These units were intended to be the main landing point for young people where there would be overnight warden support.  A further 8 units would come online in September 2025 and the remaining 10 in October 2025.  The YMCA Staffing Team was in place and training was underway.  From a local authority perspective, the allocation policy would now be developed at pace and a Panel established to ensure that this was a transparent process that was operational to ensure that properties were occupied at the earliest opportunity.  Members were informed of the work that the YMCA had done in Exeter and suggested the merits of visiting to see what could be learned from their projects.

·                     There was a lack of suitable accommodation across Torbay, with 220 properties on Devon Home Choice a year across the system, with 1800 on a waiting list.  The report had also been prepared in conjunction with the Devon Ofsted and feedback from the Mark Rydell visit.  Support for housing for care experienced young people would form part of the Council’s Ofsted inspection due later this year and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To review the sufficiency of Early Years placements (six monthly update).

Key lines of enquiry:

• What action is being taken by the Council to influence the market and ensure that there are sufficient early years places available to meet the demands across the whole of Torbay?
• What is happening regarding preparedness for the new requirements coming into force in September? 
• Do we have over capacity of placements with the falling birth population?

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Bye and the Divisional Director of Learning and Partnership Hubs, Rachel Setter presented the submitted report on Early Years Sufficiency Duty and responded to questions.

Members asked questions in relation to:

·                     was the early years provision in the areas where it was needed;

·                     how many schools provided nurseries;

·                     the questionnaire only had 50% response rate, what was being done to improve this, was this showing just the current situation or estimates for September, do we have sufficient places for September;

·                     how were staffing levels with a number of people leaving the sector and the impact on National Insurance contributions;

·                     do we know which providers charge for consumables e.g. nappies (a written response would be provided);

·                     23% of providers had 10 unfilled spaces, 25% had more do we know what age group they were and what extent would the vacancies be taken up by the increase in hours, for the older age children do we encourage them towards school based nursery settings and encourage younger towards private nurseries;

·                     how many responses were received from the carers survey on who was able to access their full early years entitlements and what about the 15% who were not able to respond;

·                     how was affordability defined;

·                     how would the falling birthrate impact capacity in the longer term; and

·                     how many 0 to 4 years olds were there and what percentage of children were not represented and how do we capture that data.

The following responses were provided:

·                     Early years provision was sufficient across the whole of Torbay, with most being required close to where people work.  One nursery was looking at a business plan to see if they could maintain their base funding.  There were approximately 19 nurseries within schools.  Discussions were being held with some schools due to dropping birth rates and less children coming into Reception to see how they could use their nursery provision moving forward.  Future sufficiency was being reviewed alongside consideration under the Children’s Reforms, which were focussing on having more community based teams.

·                     The recent capacity survey was advertised with schools, 0-19 providers and via the Council’s communications and social media.  It was felt hat the low response from parents was due to people being satisfied and being able to access spaces.  There was a separate survey for providers and parents.  The Council had carried out its own mapping exercise and forecasts of birthrates and where people live and access provision and was satisfied that there was sufficient capacity where required.  A written response would be provided on the breakdown of the responses to the surveys.

·                     The Council was working with South Devon College to access apprenticeship programmes, although it could be challenging taking people out of settings to undertake training.  There was not a current problem with staff but this was being closely monitored due to challenges around wider education and cost of living, increase in National Insurance contributions and seeing some of the system struggling to maintain and think  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To review the draft Children's Services Self-Assessment which provides an annual position on performance of Children's Services.

This item was deferred to 2 June 2025 meeting.

To approve the initial Work Programme for the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Board for 2025/2026.

The Chairwoman presented the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Board Work Programme for the municipal year 2025/26 and Members noted that it had been devised with input from Overview and Scrutiny and Cabinet Members, partners and Senior Officers.  The Work Programme was designed to help shape how the meetings of the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Board would operate, and the Work Programme would be flexible to accommodate additional topics that may require scrutinising throughout the year.

Resolved (unanimously):

1.         that the initial Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Board Work Programme for 2025/2026 as presented be approved; and

2.         that the Work Programme will be kept under regular review by the Chairwoman and Vice-Chairman of the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Board and the Democratic Services Team Leader.

To receive an update on the implementation of the actions of the Sub-Board and consider any further actions required (as set out in the submitted action tracker).

The Sub-Board noted the contents of the submitted action tracker.  Arising from Minute 48, Councillor Twelves updated Members that she had contacted the Participation Leads again and they would put her in touch with other care experienced young people if the identified individual did not come back to them.