Children And Families Services Committee - 22/08/2016

At a MEETING of the CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVICES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 22nd August, 2016.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

External members for Articles I to lll

Monsignor K McCAFFREY, Roman Catholic Church Representative

Mrs C HUXLEY, Parent Representative

Miss K MANDS, Church of Scotland Representative

Mr Jack BRADY, Pupil Representative

Councillor Stewart HUNTER, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 23rd May, 2016 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

II PARENT AND PUPIL REPRESENTATION ON THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVICES COMMITTEE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN64-2016, wherein reference was made to Article VI of the minute of meeting of the City Council held on 20th August, 2012, wherein it was agreed to seek nominations for parent and pupil representatives on the Children and Families Services Committee.

Mervyn Owusu-Ayim, the pupil representative for 2015/2016, had now left school and the city wide Pupil Council had nominated Jack Brady, a pupil at St Paul's RC Academy, to be the pupil representative on the Children and Families Services Committee for Session 2016/2017.

With regard to parent representation, Michelle MacKenzie had been re-nominated as the primary representative, and Clare Huxley as the secondary representative.

The nominees had agreed to abide by the Code of Conduct in accordance with the Standards Commission's Guidance.

The Committee noted the appointments.

III ATTENDANCE, ABSENCE AND EXCLUSION

There was submitted Report No 265-2016 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service providing summary figures for attendance, absence and exclusion for academic session 2015/2016.

The Committee noted the:-

(i) significant reduction in exclusion levels;

(ii) reduction in attendance lost to exclusions; and

(iii) ongoing actions being taken to promote attendance.

In addition, the Committee agreed to:-

(iv) add lateness to subsequent annual reporting on attendance, absence and exclusion in our schools;

(v) monitor the effectiveness of alternatives to exclusion on the reduction of disruption to learning for the majority of pupils in classrooms; and

(vi) report on specific initiatives to narrow the gap between the attendance, absence, exclusion and lateness of looked after children and non-looked after pupils.

Stewart HUNTER, Convener.