Children And Families Services Committee - 23/01/2023

At a MEETING of the CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVICES COMMITTEE held remotely on 23rd January, 2023.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

External Members for Articles I to VII

Mr R ABOOBAKER, Third Religious Representative

Mr J ANDERSON-McGUINNESS, Parent Representative

Ms J BARCLAY, Teacher Representative

Miss E COX, Pupil Representative

Mrs T JAVED, Parent Representative

Mrs M LECK, Roman Catholic Church Representative

Mrs M McVEAN, Church of Scotland Representative

Councillor Stewart HUNTER, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 5th December, 2022 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

II RELIGIOUS REPRESENTATION ON THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVICES COMMITTEE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN2-2023 where reference was made to Article II of the minute of meeting of this Committee held on 27th June, 2022, wherein it was intimated that the Third Religious representative would be notified in due course.

It was reported that Mr Bashir Chohan had resigned as the Third Religious representative. It was also reported that Mr Rizvan Aboobaker had been nominated as the Third Religious representative.

The nominee had agreed to abide by the Code of Conduct in accordance with the Standards Commissions Guidance.

The Committee approved the above appointment.

III REVIEW OF THE SERVICE ESTATE

On a reference to Article I of the minute of meeting of the Education Committee of 12th December, 2011, there was submitted Report No 20-2023 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service providing an annual update on the school estate and Children's Houses.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the current, planned and ongoing improvements to the estate;

(ii) noted the capacity levels across schools; and

(iii) noted the building safety update.

IV COST OF THE SCHOOL DAY INITIATIVE UPDATE

There was submitted Report No 22-2023 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service presenting the current position of the Cost of the School Day (CoSD) project in schools across Dundee.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the content of the report; and

(ii) agreed that Cost of the School Day actions, including the poverty-proofing of school activities, should now be embedded, as appropriate, within School Improvement Plans.

V PROPOSED WESTERN GATEWAY PRIMARY SCHOOL WITH NURSERY CLASS AND ARDLER PRIMARY SCHOOL CATCHMENT CHANGE - OUTCOMEOF THE FORMAL CONSULTATION PROCESS

On a reference to Article IV of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 27th June, 2022, there was submitted Report No 21-2023 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service containing the formal Consultation Report, in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, on the following proposal: Establishment of a new Primary School with Nursery Class within the Western Gateway of Dundee and proposal to vary admission arrangements through the revision of Ardler Primary School catchment area to establish a catchment area for the new school.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the content of the report;

(ii) noted the accompanying Consultation Report, including the report by Her Majestys Inspectorate of Education (HMIE)/Education Scotland on the proposal;

(iii) approved the establishment of a new primary school with nursery class within the Western Gateway;

(iv) approved a revision to the catchment area of Ardler Primary School to create a catchment area for the new school;

(v) instructed the Executive Director to ensure a Project Board was established consulting with stakeholders on the building, vision, values and aims, improvement planning, pupil transition and the identity of the new campus;

(vi) instructed the Executive Director to ensure a clear travel plan was collaboratively developed for the new school and also agree any action that would be required to upgrade current routes to school;

(vii) instructed the Executive Director to consider the creation of the new cohort of children in advance of the school building being completed and where relevant develop an agreed strategy to support the transition and establishment of the new school in conjunction with and accommodated by an existing school within the locality; and

(viii) instructed the Executive Director to proceed with the proposals.

VI SCOTTISH ATTAINMENT CHALLENGE UPDATE

There was submitted Report No 25-2023 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service providing an update on how the Children and Families Service would use Dundees Strategic Equity Fund (SEF) allocation for 2023/2024. SEF was a funding stream in the Attainment Scotland Fund (ASF), which supported the Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC).

The Committee:-

(i) noted the content of the report;

(ii) instructed the Executive Director of Children and Families Service to monitor progress and continue to provide updates regarding the funding allocation and the implementation of the Scottish Equity Fund in Dundee;

(iii) noted, with great concern that, despite previous concerns raised about the reductions to date and further proposed reductions in Strategic Equity Funding - from over 6m in 2021/2022 to only 1.3m proposed by 2025/2026 - a 79% cut - there had been no reconsideration by Scottish Government to date to restore the funding level in 2021/2022;

(iv) recognised that this level of funding cut would adversely affect the effectiveness of Scottish Attainment Challenge in Dundee in closing the attainment gap and improving the life chances of all young people in the City; and

(v) noted that the Convener had written to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and a copy of the letter sent and response, once received, would be shared with all Committee members.

VII INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC SERVICE - UPDATE AND OVERVIEW

There was submitted Report No 29-2023 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service providing an overview of the Instrumental Music Service (IMS) provision across all school sectors.

The Committee noted the content of the report.

At this juncture, external members of the Committee departed.

VIII PROGRESS REPORT ON PAUSE DUNDEE

There was submitted Report No 23-2023 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service updating the reports approved by elected members on 28th January, 2019 (Article IX of the minute of meeting of this Committee and Report No 43-2019 refers), 27th January, 2020 (Article VIII of the minute of meeting of this Committee and Report No 44-2020 refers), and 6th September, 2021 (Article V of the minute of meeting of this Committee and Report No 238-2021 refers). It provided members with information on the progress of the Pause programme since it began in 2019 and noted the efforts to seek longer-term funding to provide services for vulnerable women who were birth parents, as part of a wider partnership approach to services for women with multiple and complex needs in the City.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the positive impacts of the programme on the 23 women who had been involved in the second cohort of the programme as indicated in Appendix 1 of the report;

(ii) noted the desire to expand the criteria and provide a broader range of flexible responses to the needs of women who had children removed from their care; and

(iii) instructed the Executive Director of Children and Families to report back to the Children and Families Services Committee by June, 2023 regarding the revised service model and funding implications.

Stewart HUNTER, Convener.