Issue - meetings

John Coleman, Assistant Director (Children and Families) presented the report to the Committee, highlighting the executive summary which included information in relation to additional funding and how it will be invested.

The following points were also highlighted to the Committee –

·         Warwickshire has chosen to implement the Leeds Family Change Programme

·         The Department for Education (DfE) will evaluate and monitor the progress made; there is a transformation board in place.

·         The Covid-19 pandemic has delayed the programme by 3-4 months but there is now an agreement in place with the DfE and officers are working to get the programme back on track.

·         It was confirmed that the whole change programme would be informed by young people and their families.  This includes care leavers.

It was also confirmed that the Different Futures programme aimed to support parents who have had multiple children taken into care

The Committee agreed that the programme was a good example of invest to save and that very few local authorities have been able to invest in this area.  The Committee wished it to be noted that they were proud of the work completed by members and officers.

It was noted that there was an error in the report at point 4.11 (page 71 of the document pack).  The figure should read £3.425 million and not £3.4254 million.

Resolved

That the committee consider and comment on the programme and work completed to date.