Children And Families Services Committee - 25/06/2018

At a MEETING of the CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVICES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 25th June, 2018.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost Ian BORTHWICK

 

Depute Lord Provost Bill CAMPBELL

 

BAILIES

 

Willie SAWERS

Kevin KEENAN

Derek J SCOTT

Christina ROBERTS

Helen WRIGHT

Fraser MACPHERSON

 

COUNCILLORS

 

John ALEXANDER

Gregor MURRAY

Michael MARRA

Kevin CORDELL

Anne RENDALL

Richard McCREADY

Will DAWSON

Alan ROSS

Margaret RICHARDSON

Mark FLYNN

Lynne SHORT

Donald HAY

Stewart HUNTER

Georgia CRUICKSHANK

Philip SCOTT

Ken LYNN

Brian GORDON

Craig DUNCAN

 

Charlie MALONE

 

 

External members for Articles I to VI

 

Miss K MANDS, Church of Scotland Representative

Ms M LECK, Roman Catholic Church Representative

Mr D BAXTER, Teacher Representative

Mrs L RICHIARDI, Parent Representative

 

Councillor Gregor MURRAY, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 14th May, 2018 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

II SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD

 

It was reported that this item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Bailie Macpherson.

 

The Committee approved the undernoted:-

 

Children and Families Committee:-

 

- is concerned that one in three young people in Scottish schools have experienced racism;

 

- recognises that without sufficient equalities education, prejudicial attitudes cannot be addressed, serving as a barrier to inclusion; and

 

- therefore supports Show Racism the Red Card's education work through working educational partnerships.

 

Committee therefore calls for:-

 

- a working education partnership with Show Racism the Red Card so that young people are educated against racism and are less at risk; and

 

- systematic data collection on young people's experiences of racism within the school environment to allow for targeted interventions.

 

Committee also instructs the Chief Executive to write to Show Racism the Red Card to pledge Dundee City Council's support for Show Racism the Red Card's Education Workshops; and to write to our local members of the Scottish Parliament and the UK Parliament to request that they give their support to Show Racism the Red Card campaign.

 

III A BLUEPRINT FOR 2020 THE EXPANSION OF EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE IN SCOTLAND A CONSULTATION RESPONSE

 

There was submitted Report No 221-2018 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service detailing the proposed consultation response to the Early Learning and Childcare Service Model for 2020: Consultation 2020.

 

The Committee agreed the response to the consultation.

 

IV COST OF THE SCHOOL DAY INITIATIVE

 

On a reference to Article VI of the minute of meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee of 14th November, 2016, there was submitted Report No 219-2018 by the Executive Director of Children and Families presenting the recommendations of the Cost of the School Day (COSD) report produced by Child Poverty Action Group Scotland in collaboration with staff and pupils from schools across Dundee.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note the recommendations contained in the Cost of the School Day final report;

 

(ii) to instruct the Executive Director of Children and Families to prepare a response to this report setting out potential actions that could be taken to address the issues affecting pupils, families and schools in Dundee identified through the research within the next six months;

 

(iii) to support the allocation of a further year's funding to the initiative to focus on the development and implementation of school action plans to remove financial obstacles and stigma; and

 

(iv) in light of the issues contained in the report, agreed to revisit the Labour Group's Budget proposals on the Outwith Term-Time Food Project, National Entitlement Credit and Family Support Worker Discretionary Fund (total cost 890,000 in a full financial year) and to ask Officers to consider how these proposals could be funded.

 

V IMPLEMENTATION OF PROCUREMENT FRAMEWORK FOR SERVICES

 

There was submitted Report No 222-2018 by the Executive Director of Children and Families requesting approval to implement a Framework for Services for Children and Families Service to engage with providers and ensure compliance with Procurement Legislation.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note the content of the report; and

 

(ii) to approve the proposed Procurement Framework process detailed in the report.

 

 

VI EDUCATION SCOTLAND INSPECTION OF ATTAINMENT CHALLENGE LOCAL AUTHORITIES DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL

 

The Committee agreed to defer consideration of this report until the meeting of this Committee on 10th September, 2018.

 

 

 

 

Gregor MURRAY, Convener.