Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Wendy Brackenbury, Councillor John Currall and Councillor Lee Wilkes.

RESOLVED that:-

The minutes of the meeting held on 5^th September 2024 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Daniel Knight, Debbie Lloyd and Claire O’Keeffe attended the meeting on behalf of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust and Northamptonshire Youth Justice (NYJS) and provided members with a presentation with updated members with the service priorities as well as statistics regarding the Youth Justice Service statistics and projected reporting.

Members were provided with an introduction to the services provided by NYJS as well as the statutory responsibilities undertaken by the service. Local priorities of NYJS were also provided to members alongside specific challenges faced within Northamptonshire.

Members heard that the priorities of the service included:

·       Prevention of Youth Crime

·       Reducing Reoffending

·       Ensuring Court Efficiency:  

·       Supervision and Rehabilitation

·       Public Protection

Local priorities included:

·       Over-Representation and Equal Access to Justice:

·       Early Intervention and Diversion Programs:

·       Trauma-Informed Practice

·       Addressing Mental Health and Well-being

·       Educational Engagement and Skills Development

·       Community Integration and Restorative Justice

·       Real-Time Data and Intelligence Sharing

Members then heard that 131 children & young people residing in the North have worked with the Youth Offending Service on individual programmes or outcomes. In addition  7 children and Young people had been involved in more than 1 programme or outcome in the period analysed.

It was heard that were 15% had received Post Court Outcomes, and then 1 Custodial Sentence, 6 Youth Rehabilitation Orders, 13 Referral Orders.

15% had received Out of Court Disposals as well as 6 Youth Conditional Cautions, 14 Youth Cautions. 70% had worked with the Youth Justice Service as part of wider prevention programmes with 35 Community Resolution Disposals, 28 Outcome 22's, 25 Turnaround Programmes, 2 Community Initiative to Reduce Violence Referral with 1 Outcome 20.

Charisse Monero and Fran Cox attending the Panel and provided members with a verbal update in relation to Elective Home Education.

Members heard that officers had undertaken a comprehensive assessment of some of the critical areas where there had been significant growth in demand. Two critical areas had been identified in relation to growth in Education Health Care Plans and due to the growth of the number of children who are electively home educated. Members noted that there had been a significant growth in North Northamptonshire of children in elective home education with approximately 1200 children in elective home education.

Officers informed members that a more detailed report will be brought back before the Executive Advisory Panel following additional work being undertaken with officers and schools to identify those schools with the highest prevalence of needs.  

Members received a report which sought to inform members that Local authorities had a duty to establish a permanent body known as the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) in accordance with the Education Act 1996. The broad role of the SACRE was to support the effective provision of Religious Education (RE) and collective worship in schools and to enrich the experience of RE and collective worship for all pupils.

The SACRE annual report encompasses the academic year 2023/2024. Since the last SACRE report was published, the local authority had recruited

A SACRE Advisor. The SACRE Advisor had made significant strides in leading on and managing all aspects of the SACRE work programme. It was heard that the work of the SACRE Advisor had involved:

·       Supporting schools with advice such as curriculum planning, assessment for learning, revising and preparing to launch the Agreed Syllabus, ensuring progression and rigour in Religious Education (RE);

·       Supporting the monitoring of standards and achievement in RE through school visits and analysis of appropriate data such as external examination results;

·       Making necessary links with local authority processes and departments to ensure effective communications with schools and cross service working; and

·       Creating a robust development plan for the next three years

The forward list of items for the EAP was considered by the Executive Advisory Panel and members noted the contents.

There being no further business, the Chair thanked Members and Officers for their attendance and closed the meeting.