Children and young people scrutiny commission

The children and young people scrutiny commission focuses on all services provided by Hackney Council, as well as children’s social services and other issues relating to young people in the borough.

Children and young people scrutiny committees are expected to co-opt faith representatives and parent governor representatives, in addition to Councillors on the commission. To fully represent Hackney’s demographics, we have also invited co-optees from the Free Church Group of Churches Together in England, and the Orthodox Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as Hackney School Governors Association and the Hackney Youth Parliament.

Current review

Outcomes of school exclusions in Hackney

In June 2018 it was agreed that the commission would conduct a review of the outcomes for children and young people who have been excluded from school in Hackney.

Excluded children and young people are some of the most vulnerable in our community and therefore it should be a priority for the Council as an education authority to ensure the best possible outcomes for this cohort.

This review proposes that the commission undertakes a review of the outcomes for children and young people who have been excluded from school in Hackney by looking at the destinations of excluded pupils, where they are, and their outcomes.

Our scrutiny review is timely as it would help ascertain whether the local authority is prepared for the proposed changes in legislation and expectations around alternative provision.

• terms of reference outcomes of school exclusions in Hackney

Previous reviews

• previous reviews of the children and young people scrutiny commission

Full work programme and meetings

You can view the children and young people scrutiny commission’s full work programme for the year on the agenda for each meeting of the commission.

• meetings
• outline of the members’ roles

One-off items

In addition to its review work, the Commission uses its time to look at other topics which it feels may benefit from its attention. These one-off items are usually explored within a single meeting. Since June 2015 the following one-off item has been scrutinised:

• temporary accommodation (December 2016)
• council tax debt collection and impact on children – consideration and response to study by The Children’s Society (October 2015)
• counselling and advice as a way to identify and support victims of child sexual exploitation (July 2015)

This is an assessment of a counselling initiative delivered in Hackney and some other areas, found that the programme had helped to identify and support a number of victims of child sexual exploitation, some of whom were not already known to statutory services. Members wanted to hear more about this, by way of a panel discussion with officers and organisations involved with the initiative.

Regular update items

The commission also hears regular updates on a number of items. Since June 2015 the following updates have been received:

• children and families service – 2016-17 full year report to members (November 2017)
• school admissions (July 2017)
• children’s social care bi-annual report (April 2017)
• annual update on achievement of students (March 2017)
• annual update from City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Board (February 2017)
• children’s social care bi-annual report (October 2016)
• school admissions (June 2016)
• children’s social care bi-annual report to members (March 2016)
• annual update from City and Hackney Safeguarding Board (February 2016)
• annual update on school admissions (June 2015)
• children’s social care bi-annual report to members (September 2015)