Agenda Document Pack - Learning and Families Committee - 29/01/2025
Perth and Kinross Council · 29 January 2025
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 29 January 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Ambition | Compassion | Integrity Our vision is for a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequalities Council Building 2 High Street Perth PH1 5PH 23/01/2025 A hybrid Meeting of the Learning and Families Committee will be held in the Council Chambers (Hybrid) on Wednesday, 29 January 2025 at 13:00. If you have any queries please contact Committee Services on (01738) 475000 or email Committee@pkc.gov.uk. THOMAS GLEN Chief Executive Those attending the meeting are requested to ensure that all notifications are silent on their device and other devices are in silent mode. Please note that the meeting will be broadcast online and recorded. The recording will be publicly available on the Council’s website following the meeting. Members: Councillor John Rebbeck (Convener) Councillor Steven Carr (Vice-Convener) Councillor Michelle Frampton (Vice-Convener) Bailie Chris Ahern Councillor Liz Barrett Councillor Dave Cuthbert Councillor John Duff Councillor Neil Freshwater Councillor Noah Khogali Councillor Iain MacPherson Councillor Ian Massie Provost Xander McDade Councillor Caroline Shiers Councillor Grant Stewart Councillor Alan Watt Mrs Margaret Conroy Mr Adrian Ferguson Ms Amber Laverty Ms Susan MacLagan Ms Miranda Powell Mr Robert Stubbs Page 1 of 130
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Learning and Families Committee Wednesday, 29 January 2025 AGENDA MEMBERS ARE REMINDED OF THEIR OBLIGATION TO DECLARE ANY FINANCIAL OR NON-FINANCIAL INTEREST WHICH THEY MAY HAVE IN ANY ITEM ON THIS AGENDA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNCILLORS’ CODE OF CONDUCT. 1 WELCOME AND APOLOGIES/SUBSTITUTES 2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 3 MINUTES 3(i) MINUTE OF MEETING OF THE LEARNING AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE OF 23 OCTOBER 2024 FOR APPROVAL (copy herewith) 5 - 8 3(ii) MINUTE OF MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE LEARNING AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE OF 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 FOR NOTING (copy herewith) 9 - 10 3(iii) MINUTE OF MEETING OF THE JOINT NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE FOR TEACHING STAFF OF 9 SEPTEMBER 2024 FOR NOTING (copy herewith) 11 - 12 4 OUTSTANDING BUSINESS STATEMENT (copy herewith 24/16) 13 - 14 5 TAYSIDE PLAN FOR INFANTS, CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES 2023-2026, ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2024 Report by Strategic Lead - Children, Families and Justice (copy herewith 25/17) 15 - 82 6 FUTURE OF THE CITY OF PERTH EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRE Report by Strategic Lead - Education and Learning (copy herewith 25/18) 83 - 104 7 ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS SPECIAL EDUCATION PROVISION (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS) - OPTIONS APPRAISAL 105 - 130 Page 3 of 130
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Report by Strategic Lead - Education and Learning (copy herewith 25/19) Page 4 of 130
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LEARNING AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE Minute of hybrid meeting of the Learning and Families Committee held in the Council Chambers, 2 High Street, Perth on Wednesday 23 October 2024 at 1.00pm. Present: Councillors J Rebbeck, S Carr, M Frampton, Bailie C Ahern, L Barrett, D Cuthbert, J Duff, N Khogali, Provost X McDade, I MacPherson, I Massie, C Shiers and G Stewart; Mr A Ferguson and Mr R Stubbs. In attendance: S Devlin, Strategic Lead – Education and Learning; A Singh, Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice; G Doogan, F MacKay, D Macluskey, S Sweeney and S Turner (all Education and Learning); B Hutton (Children, Families and Justice); D Stokoe, K Evans and S Guild (all Housing and Communities), W Hacuma, S Hendry, A Brown and M Pasternak (all Legal and Governance). Apologies: Councillor N Freshwater. Councillor J Rebbeck, Convener, Presiding. THE CONVENER LED ON ITEMS 1-5, 7 AND 9-10; VICE-CONVENER FRAMPTON LED ON ITEM 6; AND VICE-CONVENER CARR LED ON ITEM 8. 1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES The Convener welcomed all those present to the meeting. Apologies for absence were noted as above. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest made in terms of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct. 3. MINUTES (i) Learning and Families Committee of 28 August 2024 The minute of meeting of the Learning and Families Committee of 28 August 2024 was submitted, approved as a correct record, and authorised for signature. (ii) Executive Sub-Committee of Learning and Families Committee of 3 June 2024 The minute of the Executive Sub-Committee of Learning and Families Committee of 3 June 2024. (iii) Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff of 10 June 2024 The minute of meeting of the Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff of 10 June 2024 was submitted and noted. 3(i) Page 5 of 130
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(iv) Children, Young People and Families Partnership of 14 June 2024 The minute of meeting of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership of 14 June 2024 was submitted and noted. 4. OUTSTANDING BUSINESS STATEMENT Resolved: The status of action in the Outstanding Business Statement (24/295) be noted and completed actions removed accordingly. 5. SECONDARY SECTOR TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE Resolved: The election of Laura-Jane Grant, Blairgowrie High School, as Secondary School Teacher Representative on the Learning and Families Committee, be noted. 6. SUICIDE PREVENTION UPDATE AUGUST 2024 There was submitted a report by Strategic Lead – Education and Learning (24/290) (1) providing an update on the activity in relation to suicide prevention within Education and Learning; (2) summarising the current context; (3) considering some of the inherent challenges; (4) detailing the actions since last year; and (5) summarising the onward plans. Resolved: (i) The contents of Report 25/290, be noted. (ii) It be noted that work will be reported to the Children, Young People and Families Partnership on an ongoing basis. 7. SCOTTISH ATTAINMENT CHALLENGE FUNDING UPDATE 2024 There was submitted a report by Strategic Lead – Education and Learning (24/291) (1) providing an update on progress made in relation to the provision of support for children and young people affected by poverty and those who are care- experienced to achieve their full potential, focusing on targeted improvement activity in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing and in closing the poverty related attainment gap; and (2) outlining the range of measures implemented through Strategic Equity Funding, Pupil Equity Funding and Care Experienced Children and Young People’s Funding to improve performance and monitor the progress of improvements. Resolved: The contents of Report 24/291 be noted. 8. COMMUNITY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2024-2027 There was submitted a report by Strategic Lead – Housing and Communities (24/292) seeking approval for the 2024-2027 Community Learning and Development Plan. Resolved: Page 6 of 130
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(i) The work carried out to produce a new Community Learning and Development Plan covering 2024-27 be noted and approved. (ii) The draft Community Learning and Development Plan 2024-17, attached as Appendix 1 to Report 24/292, be approved. (iii) The draft Action Plan, attached as Appendix 2 to Report 24/292, be approved. (iv) The draft performance framework, attached as Appendix 3 to Report 24/292, be approved. 9. RAISING ATTAINMENT UPDATE 2023-2024 There was submitted a report by Strategic Lead – Education and Learning (24/293) providing a progress update on the Raising Attainment Strategy 2024-2027. Resolved: The contents of Report 24/293 be noted. 10. YOUTH STRATEGY 2024 There was submitted a report by Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice (24/294) seeking approval of the Youth Strategy 2024 and it’s accompanying Action Plan, based on the four themes of Safe, Voice, Citizenship and Community. Resolved: (i) The Youth Strategy 2024 be approved. (ii) The Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice, be requested to provide an annual progress report to this Committee. 11. VALEDICTORY – SHEENA DEVLIN The Convener made reference to Sheena Devlin, Strategic Lead for Education and Learning who was leaving Perth and Kinross Council. Sheena joined Perth and Kinross Council in August 2002, initially, taking up a post as headteacher at Dunbarney Primary School. The Convener together with members of the Committee and staff all thanked Sheena for her dedication and support over the years and wished her well for the future. Page 7 of 130
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EXECUTIVE SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE LEARNING AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE Minute of Hybrid Meeting of the Executive Sub-Committee of the Learning and Families Committee held on Monday 16 September 2024 at 1.00pm. Present: Councillors J Rebbeck, Bailie C Ahern, L Barrett, D Cuthbert and C Shiers. In Attendance: S Devlin and B Martin-Scott (both Education and Learning) and W Hacuma, A Brown and M Pasternak (all Legal and Governance). Apologies: Councillors S Carr and M Frampton. Councillor J Rebbeck, Convener, Presiding. 1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES The Convener welcomed all those present to the meeting. Apologies for absence were noted as above. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest made in terms of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct. 3. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minute of meeting of the Executive Sub-Committee of the Lifelong Learning Committee of 3 June 2024 was submitted, approved as a correct record. 4. STANDARDS AND QUALITY IN SCHOOLS, LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND PRE-SCHOOL CENTRES/DAY CARE OF CHILDREN There was submitted a report by the Strategic Lead – Education and Learning (24/252) setting out the key findings following inspections of schools and nurseries by Education Scotland/ His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) and of early learning and childcare (ELC) settings undertaken by the Care Inspectorate in the day care of children. Reporting is of inspections reported since the Executive Sub- Committee of Learning and Families Committee on 3 June 2024. Resolved: Having heard from the relevant officers on the key findings of the inspection reports and following consideration and questions from the Sub-Committee, the contents of Report 24/252 and its appendices, be noted. . 3(ii) Page 9 of 130
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EXECUTIVE SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE LEARNING AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE Minute of Hybrid Meeting of the Executive Sub-Committee of the Learning and Families Committee held on Monday 16 September 2024 at 1.00pm. Present: Councillors J Rebbeck, Bailie C Ahern, L Barrett, D Cuthbert and C Shiers. In Attendance: S Devlin and B Martin-Scott (both Education and Learning) and W Hacuma, A Brown and M Pasternak (all Legal and Governance). Apologies: Councillors S Carr and M Frampton. Councillor J Rebbeck, Convener, Presiding. 1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES The Convener welcomed all those present to the meeting. Apologies for absence were noted as above. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest made in terms of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct. 3. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minute of meeting of the Executive Sub-Committee of the Lifelong Learning Committee of 3 June 2024 was submitted, approved as a correct record. 4. STANDARDS AND QUALITY IN SCHOOLS, LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND PRE-SCHOOL CENTRES/DAY CARE OF CHILDREN There was submitted a report by the Strategic Lead – Education and Learning (24/252) setting out the key findings following inspections of schools and nurseries by Education Scotland/ His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) and of early learning and childcare (ELC) settings undertaken by the Care Inspectorate in the day care of children. Reporting is of inspections reported since the Executive Sub- Committee of Learning and Families Committee on 3 June 2024. Resolved: Having heard from the relevant officers on the key findings of the inspection reports and following consideration and questions from the Sub-Committee, the contents of Report 24/252 and its appendices, be noted. . 3(iii) Page 11 of 130
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NAME OF COMMITTEE / SUB-COMMITTEE: LEARNING AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE OUTSTANDING BUSINESS STATEMENT (OBS) (Report No. 25/16) Please note that this statement sets out outstanding decisions of Council / this committee / sub-committee along with an update and estimated completion date. Actions which are overdue are shaded for ease of reference. Where an update reflects that an action is complete then agreement will be sought to its removal from the OBS. No Date / Minute Reference / Report Number Subject Title Outstanding Action Update Lead Officer /Service Action Due/completed Action Expected 9. 23 October 2024 24/295 Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Work Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Work report to come to the Learning and Families Committee at least once a year. Whilst it was recognised that regular updates of the Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Work are presented at the Children, Young People and Families Partnership, members welcomed the opportunity to have the report brought to the Learning and Families Committee annually for discussion. Education and Learning Due 2025 10. 23 October 2024 24/296 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Update on current CAMHS waiting times across Perth and Kinross Consult with health colleagues to gather current figures on CAMHS waiting times and share this data with members. NHS/Education and Learning Due 4 Page 13 of 130
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Perth and Kinross Council Learning and Families Committee 29 January 2025 Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People and Families 2023-2026, Annual Progress Report 2023-2024 Report by Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice (Report No. 25/17) 1. Purpose 1.1 This report provides an update on the progress made in 2023-24 towards the priorities in the Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People and Families 2023-2026 (Appendix 1), hereafter referred to as the Tayside Plan. The Tayside Plan Report on Progress 2023-2024 (Appendix 2) details progress being made in relation to the five collective commitments outlined in the Tayside Plan. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee: • Notes progress detailed within the Tayside Plan Annual Report 2023-2024 (Appendix 2); and • Requests that a further annual progress report on the delivery of the 2023-2026 Plan be presented to the Learning and Families Committee in Autumn 2025. 3. Structure of Report 3.1 This report is structured over the following sections: • Section 4: Background • Section 5: Financial Implications • Appendices 4. Background 4.1 The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, requires that the local authority and relevant health board must, in respect of each 3-year period, prepare a children’s services plan; and that after the end of each one-year period they must publish a report on the extent to which children’s services and related services have been provided in accordance with the plan. Statutory Guidance for Children’s Services Planning is available to support community planning partnership areas in their preparation, implementation and review of their plans. 5 Page 15 of 130
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4.2 Governance of the progress towards the actions in the Tayside Plan is via the Tayside Regional Improvement Collaborative (TRIC) multi-agency leadership group. 4.3 This progress is regularly reported to the Perth and Kinross Children, Young People and Families Partnership where the Tayside Plan for infants, children, young people and families is considered in the context of several Perth and Kinross specific children’s services plans including the Promise, Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), Child Poverty and Mental Health and Wellbeing. 5. Financial Implications 5.1 A Scottish Government grant allocation of £790,426 for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 enabled the work of the TRIC and supported delivery of the five collective commitments of the Tayside Plan. A break-down of spend is detailed in the table below. Workstream Staff Costs (including full time equivalent (FTE) Other / Resource Costs Workstream Cost 2023-24 Infrastructure & Leadership £143,903 £5,000 £148,903 Pre-Birth and Early Years £20,000 £20,000 Learning & Attainment £176,117 £5,000 £181,117 Learning & Attainment - digital learning £375,406 £5,000 £380,406 Health & Wellbeing £20,000 £20,000 Looked after Children, Care Leavers & Young Carers £20,000 £20,000 Safeguarding and Child Protection £20,000 £20,000 Totals £775,426 £15,000 £790,426 Author Name Designation Contact Details Kelly McIntosh Director of Education and Lifelong Learning - Angus Council FBSCommittee@pkc.gov.uk 01738 475000 Approved Name Designation Date Arun Singh Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice 8 January 2025 Page 16 of 130
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Annex 1. Implications, Assessments, Consultation and Communication Strategic Implications Yes/None Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement Yes Corporate Plan Yes Resource Implications Financial None Workforce None Asset Management (land, property, IST) None Assessments Equality Impact Assessment N/A Strategic Environmental Assessment N/A Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) N/A Legal and Governance N/A Risk N/A Consultation Internal Yes External Yes Communication Communications Plan Yes 1. Strategic Implications Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement 1.1 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement in terms of the following priorities: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations. This report relates to Objective No. (i) and (ii). Corporate Plan 1.2 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the achievement of the Council’s Corporate Plan Objectives: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations. This report relates to Objective No. (i) and (ii). Page 17 of 130
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1.3 The report also links to the Education and Learning; and the Children, Families and Justice Services Vision, Values and Priorities in respect of the following key Priority area: • Best Start 2. Resource Implications Financial 2.1 The financial implications have been documented within the main body of the report at Section 5. The Head of Finance for Dundee City Council, as the holder of the TRIC budget, has been consulted in the preparaton of this report. Workforce 2.2 Not applicable. Asset Management (land, property, IT) 2.3 Not applicable. 3. Assessments Equality Impact Assessment 3.1 Under the Equality Act 2010, the Council is required to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between equality groups. Carrying out Equality Impact Assessments for plans and policies allows the Council to demonstrate that it is meeting these duties. 3.1.1 The proposals have been considered under the Corporate Equalities Impact Assessment process (EqIA) with the following outcome: (i) Assessed as not relevant for the purposes of EqIA. Strategic Environmental Assessment 3.2 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 places a duty on the Council to identify and assess the environmental consequences of its proposals. 3.2.1 The proposals have been considered under the Act; however, no action is required as the Act does not apply to the matters presented in this report. This is because the Committee are requested to note the contents of the report only and the Committee are not being requested to approve, adopt or agree to an action or to set the framework for future decisions. Page 18 of 130
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Sustainability 3.3 Under the provisions of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, the Council has to discharge its duties in a way which contributes to the achievement of sustainable development. Under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 the Council also has a duty relating to climate change and, in exercising its functions must act: • In the way best calculated to delivery of the Act’s emissions reduction targets. • In the way best calculated to deliver any statutory adaption programmes. • In a way that it considers most sustainable. 3.3.1 Not applicable. Legal and Governance 3.4 Not applicable. 3.5 Not applicable. Risk 3.6 No risks are associated with the proposals contained in this report. 4. Consultation Internal 4.1 Not applicable or This report has been reviewed by the Education and Learning Senior Management Team. External 4.2 The leadership group representatives from Angus Council, Perth and Kinross Council, Dundee City Council, the NHS Tayside National Health Service and Police Scotland have been consulted in the preparation of this report. 5. Communication 5.1 Not applicable. 2. Background Papers 2.1 No background papers, as defined by Section 50D of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (and not containing confidential or exempt information) were relied on to a material extent in preparing the above report: Page 19 of 130
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3. Appendices 3.1 Appendix 1 - Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People and Families 2023-2026 Appendix 2 - Tayside Plan Report on Progress 2023-2024 Appendix 3 - Supporting Data Appendix 4 - Headline Measures Page 20 of 130
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Appendix 1 Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People and Families 2023-2026 5 Page 21 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 2 Foreword As Chair of the Tayside Regional Improvement Collaborative Leadership Group, I’m delighted to introduce our ambitious Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People and Families for the period 2023-26. The priorities and actions outlined in this plan are designed to complement activities at a local level. As the revised title suggests, we’ve strengthened our focus on early years whilst continuing to coordinate improvements in support to children and young people. You will see from the content that we remain committed to addressing inequalities in income, health and wellbeing; narrowing the attainment gap; and protecting vulnerable families from harm. As a collaborative, we have been very conscious that certain infants, children, young people and families are more likely to face significant challenges for which they require additional support, at least at certain times in their lives. The Covid-19 pandemic has now ended but has had a disruptive and enduring impact, which has been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis. The importance of further enhancing early years support; improving pupil’s presence, participation and performance at primary and secondary school; promoting emotional health and wellbeing; and further strengthening child protection arrangements has been brought into even sharper focus. In the context of such key policies as the Scottish Government Child Poverty Delivery Plan, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Keeping the Promise Implementation Plan, Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) and Delivering Excellence and Equity, our new plan incorporates actions on how we will consistently support our workforce and how we will pro-actively target, listen and flexibly respond to vulnerable families. We want to jointly understand their challenges and work with them to build capacity and overcome barriers. We recognise that because this often involves multiple and overlapping needs, it requires a consistent holistic approach from all our services. The Regional Improvement Collaborative has been making good progress in improving support and this plan confirms our commitment to make further improvements over the next 3 years. As a Leadership Group, we will review internal governance arrangements which ensure that actions to address each priority are appropriately aligned and allow us to efficiently implement the plan at pace. We will also provide updates on progress to Scottish Government and within our respective local partnership and organisational governance arrangements at agreed intervals. In doing so, we will, wherever necessary, adapt our approaches and continue to both explore and respond to new opportunities whenever we can. Audrey May Executive Director, Children and Families Service, Dundee City Council Page 22 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 3 Key Statutory Drivers Our collaborative is driven by a range of key statutory requirements which share a similar theme of providing support which gives all infants, children, young people and families the best start in life and address inequalities in health, wellbeing, attainment and positive destinations. This includes the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, which outlines requirements relating to families in need of additional support; the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, which introduced new requirements relating to care leavers; the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017, which includes a focus on 6 priority groups; and the Education (Scotland) Act 2016, which places an emphasis on the importance of addressing inequalities. National Outcomes Our children grow up loved, safe and respected so that they realise their full potential Our children live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe Our children are respected, protected, fulfil their human rights and live free from discrimination We tackle poverty by sharing opportunities, wealth and power more equally Our collaborative work is built on Getting It Right For Every Child The Promise United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Trauma Informed workforce The Infant Pledge Vision Our children and young people will have the best start in life and Tayside will be the best place in Scotland to grow up Our Five Tayside Priorities 1. Our children will have the best start in life 2. Our children, young people and families will achieve and make positive contributions to communities 3. Our children and young people will enjoy good physical and mental health 4. Our children and young people will have their rights protected and their voices heard 5. Our children and young people will be safe and loved Our Guiding Principles Based on what people who know and use our services tell us and taking account of the fundamentals of the Promise our plan is underpinned by the following principles: Rights based – this means that there is evidence that children’s rights are considered in everything we do and that rights are promoted or enhanced by what we are doing. Easily understood and accessible – we will make sure that we clearly say what we are doing and what difference it will make. We won’t use confusing or stigmatising language, acronyms or jargon to ensure everyone has the same understanding of what we want to do. Based on what people with lived experience tell us – this means asking, listening, and acting on the voice and experience of people who use services and have lived experience. Linked clearly to evidence - it will be clear what our evidence base shows and we will measure the difference we are making. This will include use of data measures and the views of those accessing services, staff working with families, national impact reports and local research etc. Making the best use of resources - The benefits of working together on a Tayside basis and across different agencies/services will be clearly stated. Page 23 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 4 Key Policies and Strategies Compliance with our statutory requirements is shaped by a range of national policies and frameworks which promote both universal and targeted support. This includes the all- encompassing UNCRC, which outlines 54 Articles designed to ensure infants, children, young people and families benefit from all their social, political, economic, educational and cultural entitlements and are kept safe from harm. This is complemented by GIRFEC, which includes a focus on Health, Education and Social Work professionals acting as Named Persons and/or Lead Professionals for infants, children and young people with additional support needs and coordinating Child’s Plans. In Early Learning and Childcare settings and Schools, Achieving Excellence and Equity: National Improvement Framework and improvement plan 2023 sets out the vision and priorities for Scottish education. The Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) Framework for Recovery and Accelerating Progress sets out a refreshed mission to use education to improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty, with a focus on tackling the poverty-related attainment gap. Other key strategies we need to consider when framing improvement priorities include the Refreshed Narrative for Scotland’s Curriculum, the Additional Support for Learning: Action Plan (updated October 2021). In relation to children and young people at risk of significant harm, all partners within the collaborative play a key role and work in accordance with the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (2021). For children and young people on the edge of care or in the formal care system, the Independent Care Review promotes improvements in the 5 foundations of The Promise of Voice, Family, Care, People and Scaffolding and the Promise Oversight Report. As many people in the justice system are also parents or carers, the National Community Justice Strategy, which emphasises the importance of holistic support to address risks and needs, is also relevant. Further guidance to ensure the safeguarding of children is also provided in Early Learning and Childcare national frameworks, Child Protection guidelines and the Promise Oversight report. Each of these policies and strategies, alongside a requirement to make the best use of resources, avoid duplication, promote consistency and both support and challenge each other, encourage us to work as a regional collaborative with our third sector partners with a particular focus on addressing inequalities. This extends to work with other key partners, including Scottish Government, the Scottish Prison Service, Parole Board, Sheriff Courts, Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service, Health and Social Care Partnerships, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, Education Scotland, Care Inspectorate, Scottish Social Services Council, Kinship Carers, Foster Carers and Adopters. Our relationship with the Third Sector is important as we commission or spot purchase a range of services designed to provide extra support to vulnerable families and address inequalities. This includes funding from core budgets and other funding such as Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) and Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) funding. At a local level, each Children’s Service Planning Partnership (CSPP) will also be coordinating the deployment of Scottish Government Whole Family Wellbeing Funding (WFWF), which has been allocated to promote innovation and transformational change in the way we deliver preventative support to families. Our Third Sector partners will inform regional and local opportunities. Page 24 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 5 Regional Context Our approach towards leading, managing, delivering and commissioning support to parents/carers, infants, children and young people must also be informed by an understanding of regional and local demographics. We know that although the nature and extent differ across the 3 local authority areas, there are enough commonalities to encourage a shared approach. Crucially, these issues include children, young people and families experiencing poverty and the various inter-related ways this can impact on life chances. Our plan therefore complements the 3 Local Authority Poverty Delivery Plans or their equivalent. These Delivery Plans set out bold and ambitious actions needed with partners to provide the support families need both immediately and in the medium to longer term, to address the cyclical drivers and impact of poverty, including employability, income, housing, mental health and substance use. This regional plan describes priorities and actions designed to contribute towards addressing each of these factors and give families the opportunity to participate and be economically active. Area covered across Tayside Region Page 25 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 6 Source for Looked After and Child Protection figures: https://www.gov.scot/publications/childrens-social-work- statistics-scotland-2021-22/ Page 26 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 7 Message to Our Parents/Carers, Infants, Children and Young People As a collaborative, we want to assure parents/carers, infants, children and young people that we have taken all available data into account when developing our priorities and actions. In each of the three partnership areas, work has taken place to engage with children, young people, families and communities to understand what matters most. Staff across the multi- agency workforce are committed to representing the voice of children and young people in key decisions affecting their lives, in developing supports and services and setting a strategic direction. The Promise, Children and Young People’s Rights and Participation Strategy and the Infant Pledge have influenced our work on engagement. Our message to parents, cares, children and young people: We are committed to ensuring families have the best possible start; to supporting you to reach your potential; to helping you enjoy good physical and mental health; to keeping you safe; and to listening to your needs and responding flexibly. We believe that having identified these as shared regional priorities, there are opportunities for us to share our resources and use them to enhance support in some key areas. Your rights are: You have the right to have your rights protected feel safe, secure and loved be successful be healthy the best start in life be ambitious Page 27 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 8 Our commitments are: We will listen to you support your relationships support your learning provide the right support help you be healthy and active support your independence Page 28 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 9 Governance including links with local Children’s Service Planning Partnerships The collaborative operates on a regional basis and its priorities and delivery plan complement activities at a local level. Our regional and local governance arrangements, in terms of how respective plans are developed, implemented and monitored, are therefore fully aligned and mutually informed. The links between respective partnership forums and regional and local plans are illustrated in the graphic below. Further details on Community Planning Partnerships and local strategic plans, including relevant connections with partnerships which are focused on specific themes such as child protection, healthy weight or substance use, can be found in the links towards the end of this plan. Page 29 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 10 What we have been doing and our next steps Progress of work led by the priority groups is detailed in the 2022-2023 annual report and is summarised below to demonstrate the connection between the previous plan and the next 3 years. Priority 1 – Pre-birth and Early Years There has been a key focus on improving transitions to Early Learning and Childcare (ELC), starting with a general mapping of support available for children with emerging developmental or additional support needs moving into ELC settings. During 2022-23, process maps were used to identify gaps in transition processes, identify Tayside-wide solutions and create a Pan- Tayside pathway. Also, in 2022-23, an Early Years tracking tool developed to monitor the progress of children aged 3-5 years, was refined by each local authority in response to evaluative feedback and is being used across Tayside by ELC staff to provide timely, targeted support for children in their learning and development, including onward transitions to P1. Following some refinements, this tool will be used across Tayside in session 2023/24 and will inform further developments. The transitions survey will also be repeated in 2023-24 to measure the impact of the new pathways and similarly inform next steps. Priority 2 - Learning and Attainment There has been a particular focus on building capacity to promote UNCRC, providing targeted support to specific groups and creatively enhancing digital learning opportunities. Professional learning sessions on Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) continued to be offered to all schools to help increase understanding of UNCRC and were attended by over 500 members of staff. The Tayside Virtual Campus was expanded to offer support to 35 learners engaging with 6 Advanced Higher subjects. The campus offers a blend of self-study, live delivery, webinars and tutorials. For session 2023-24, 180 young people are enrolled to study 7 Advanced Higher subjects and 1 Higher subject. National 1-3 resources have been developed and collated for learners in the Senior Phase in all STEM subject areas. A new website, Open Tay Learning, has been created to house these resources and has many accessibility functions to enhance learning for our young people with additional support needs and barriers to learning. Each local authority is now utilising the Digital Schools Award Scotland self-evaluation framework to develop their digital pedagogy. Our Tayside Leadership, Development and Induction programme continued in 2022/23 with participation of another 15 Head Teachers from across Tayside. Following COVID-19 and recovery, reciprocal visits resumed in this session to support local authority central teams and build the capacity of school leaders across Tayside. Priority 3 – Health and Wellbeing Following extensive consultation and engagement ‘Helping Tayside’s Children & Young People Feel Great and Ready to Learn’ Tayside’s Child Healthy Weight Strategy (CHWS) was co-produced and subsequently launched in 2021. Pressures relating to the cost-of-living crisis and increasing numbers of families living with food insecurity sets a clear and ongoing need for implementation and spread of a Whole Systems Approach to Child Healthy Weight across Tayside. This work will be informed by the early adopter work in Dundee and the need to advance the realisation of the vision of the CHWS ‘for every child in Tayside to grow up in Page 30 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 11 a community and environment that supports them to feel great and ready to learn so that they can achieve optimum health and flourish to their best of abilities’. Following the launch of ‘Connected Tayside: An Emotional Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Children and Young People’ in November 2021, an implementation plan was similarly developed. The Children and Young People’s Charter and a padlet of resources have been developed, including links to e-learning modules, the previously developed Emotional Health and Wellbeing Toolkit and a variety of useful links to support teachers, parents and carers. Additional supports have been provided through CAMHS and ‘Living Life Well’, the overarching population-wide mental health strategy for Tayside. Alongside the above, and in line with national strategies, work on both suicide prevention and the voice of the infant has been actively developed. Priority 4 – Care Experienced Children and Young People The focus for PG4 changed to key aspects of the 5 foundations of The Promise, including the coordination of some regional activity and some shared learning about local initiatives which could be transferred between areas. This included work with Strathclyde University Centre of Youth and Criminal Justice, the 3 Local Authorities and NHS Tayside to carry out a regional self-evaluation of practice against new national Secure Care Standards. The group also reviewed data pertaining to the school attendance of care experienced children and young people. Actions to develop better support for these cohorts of young people were identified and have included work on transitions and additional support at home, school and the community. A focus on maintaining relationships with brothers and sisters was taken forward in Angus, with a view to scaling this up to a Tayside-wide model. This will inform action plans on how to maximise opportunities to maintain relationships, including in respect of brother/sister informed assessments, obtaining the views of brothers and sisters and placement capacity. It is also helping to confirm some constraints and complexities, such as children being placed into adoption well before much younger brothers or sisters are born, either with the same or a different father, all with parental rights and responsibilities. Priority 5 – Safeguarding and Child Protection Founded upon research carried out for Tayside by Dr Sharon Vincent from Northumbria University, PG5 has focused on the inter-related themes of workforce development, practitioner guidance and peer learning. This has, in turn, informed local Child Protection Committee Improvement Plans, including additional learning from case reviews and further workforce development. Tayside Practitioner Guidance on Chronologies, Concern for Unborn Babies and Inter-Agency Referral Discussions (IRDs) were all reviewed and refreshed, ensuring compliance with the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (2021). Following the publication of National Guidance for Child Protection Committees Undertaking Learning Reviews, local arrangements have been updated and Significant Case Reviews (SCRs) and Initial Case Reviews (ICRs) replaced with multi-agency Learning Reviews. Angus and Dundee Child Protection Committees have jointly commissioned a consultant to review and develop local learning review guidance for all Protecting People arrangements. Page 31 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 12 Looking forward Having reviewed the work undertaken previously through the annual report and after analysis of local data and national policy developments, we have agreed the priorities and actions as a focus for collaboration and joint learning and these are set out in the plan below. The 2023-26 Tayside plan is an ambitious 3 year plan with some work to be carried out on refining our performance framework. We will continue to work to this plan in partnership with other key strategic partnerships including Child Poverty, Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Child and Adult Protection Committees and Community Planning Partnerships more widely. Additionally, each of the respective local authorities and their partners have established robust Whole Family Wellbeing Plans to support early and effective help for families. This will further enhance the collaborative commitment of partners across Tayside to deliver on the strategic priorities specified in this plan. (For details, please see attached plans for each local authority area and NHS Tayside). Our overall thematic priorities have been refreshed as collective commitments to infants, children, young people and families across Tayside as follows: • Our Children will have the best start in life. • Our children and young people will achieve and make positive contributions. • Our children and young people will enjoy good physical and mental health. • Our children and young people will have their rights protected and their voices heard. • Our children and young people will be safe and feel loved. Please refer to the Delivery Plan below for further detailed actions and measures. Page 32 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 13 Delivery Plan and measures of success April 2023 – March 2026 What We Want to Achieve How We Will Achieve It We will …. What will success look like? Baseline Data Our children will have the best start in life Ensure clear pathways are in place for early identification of need in children pre-birth to age 3 with specific attention to: • Pre-birth support pathways • Transition pathways into early years settings for children with significant early concerns in relation to their development or emerging additional support needs Families with identified needs are matched with support at an early stage. Reduced number of concerns identified at 27- 30mth review compared to 13–15 month review (showing success of early intervention). Increased % of children aged 3-5 newly enrolled at LA ELC where significant early concerns were raised with the ELC prior to child starting (indicating good information sharing). Infant mental health is understood and promoted. Unborn baby referrals per quarter (data for Feb- Apr’23) – no audit data yet Angus: 40 Dundee: 46 Perth & Kinross: 27 % of children with concerns identified at 13- 15mth & 27-30mth Angus: 13.4% (16.0%) Dundee: 16.6% (17.5%) Perth & Kinross: 15.0% (16.6%) Tayside: 14.9 (16.8 %) (figure in brackets is 27- 30mth; both figures 2021- 22) 93 children or 51% of children newly enrolled at LA ELC aged 3-5 with significant early concerns raised prior to starting nursery Provide accessible, responsive, and flexible parenting support Increased availability of Solihull programme delivered in local areas. Increased range and uptake of supports and services available to families in local communities. Evidence of engagement and involvement of fathers/those in a fathering role in children’s health, education, and child’s plans Solihull staff training data - figures show 2022-23 (italics and brackets show total trained to date): Angus Council: 52 (737) Dundee CC: 89 (432) Perth &Kinross C: 103 (364) NHS Tayside: 147 (199) Local monitoring of Whole Family Wellbeing Plans – outcome measures. Page 33 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 14 What We Want to Achieve How We Will Achieve It We will …. What will success look like? Baseline Data Our children and young people will achieve and make positive contributions to communities Implement effective strategies to increase school attendance Increased attendance across all groups. Increased attendance and attainment for children living in SIMD 1 and/or looked after at home. Attendance 2020/21 Angus: 92.8% Dundee: 90.6% Perth & Kinross: 91.9% Attendance gap by SIMD SIMD 1 – most deprived, and in italics SIMD 5- least deprived) Angus – 89.9% (95.0%) Dundee- 88.2% (94.6%) Perth & Kinross: 88.9% (93.7%) - 2020/21 data Attendance gap for looked after children all pupils in normal font, LAC in italics) Angus – 92.8 (86%) Dundee – 90.6% (88%) Perth & Kinross: 91.9% (89%) - 2020/21 data Implement plans focused on raising attainment and meaningful engagement (participation). Reduced attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people. Measures as set out in each of the local authority stretch aims. Page 34 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 15 What We Want to Achieve How We Will Achieve It We will …. What will success look like? Baseline Data Our children and young people will enjoy good physical and mental health. Ensure full implementation of the Child Healthy Weight Tayside Strategy. Increased proportion of children with a healthy weight Reduced inequality in healthy weight between children living in the most and least deprived areas in Tayside. A revised Child Health Weight outcomes framework is under development. Proportion of Children with Healthy Weight by SIMD quintile (SIMD 1 – most deprived, in italics SIMD 5- least deprived) Angus – 59.2% (89.3%) Dundee - 68.5% (76.5%) Perth & Kinross - 73.2% (74.6%) Tayside 68.2% (78.5%) Work collectively to support uptake of immunisation for children across Tayside. Increased proportion of children receiving all immunisations. First MMR by age 24mths Angus: 91.4% Dundee: 89.7% Perth & Kinross: 92.6% Scotland: 93.4% Implement the Tayside Action Plan to reduce suicide in children and young people Reduced number of children and young people completing suicide Increased number of identified staff trained in suicide intervention. Increased satisfaction with information sharing from child death/suicide review. Tayside Suicide Review Group (TSRG) Data Set Continued implementation of ‘Connected Tayside; an emotional health & wellbeing strategy for children & young people’ (2021-23) Tayside Mental Health pathways are fully implemented and supports are accessible. Health and Wellbeing survey will show an increase in pupils who say they feel positive about their future. % of pupils who feel positive about their future Angus: 70.2% Dundee: 74.6% Perth & Kinross: 78.0% Scotland: 72.8% Page 35 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 16 What We Want to Achieve How We Will Achieve It We will …. What will success look like? Baseline Data Our children and young people will have their rights protected and their voices heard Support the multi-agency workforce to promote rights, choice and control for children and young people on how their views are heard and represented and how they are involved in decisions that affect them. Children and young people will have access to independent advocacy, informal advocacy and digital tools to support participation. Attending child’s planning meetings will be supported and the environment inclusive. Children with additional needs will have support to share their views and be involved in decisions. Views are well represented at child’s planning meetings. Children’s Hearing decisions are fully informed by the views of children and young people. Staff will have access to training on UNCRC, The Promise, engagement and feel confident in supporting young people. Local performance measures will be shared, and best practice built upon including outcomes from local self-evaluation, audit, feedback from young people, and use of digital tools. Number of schools with Rights Respecting Schools Awards (July 2023): Gold - 16 Silver - 36 Bronze - 87 Registered – 42 Promote and protect relationships that are important to children and young people when children are separated from their families and it is safe to do so. When children are separated from people that are important to them, there are clear plans to maintain and promote safe family time. National Data set for siblings will be implemented and monitored Page 36 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 17 What We Want to Achieve How We Will Achieve It We will …. What will success look like? Baseline Data Our children and young people will be safe and feel loved Ensure appropriate housing options are in place for vulnerable families including pregnant women and families with children. Children and families are secure in good quality accommodation that meets their needs. Reduction in the number of children growing up in temporary accommodation. Households with children or pregnant women in temporary accommodation on 30.09.2022 (and no. of children in brackets): Tayside: 100 (245) Further develop approaches to identifying, responding, and managing risk to young people aged 12 – 18 including: • Young people at risk of secure care • Young people subject to Care and Risk Management (CARM) planning. • Young people who go missing Young people in our settings feel informed and feel that their rights have been respected. Young people at risk of harm have access to appropriate support and clear plans to address need and risk. Secure care standards will be implemented with evidence of rights-based practice. CARM data set under development. Make progress toward the implementation of Bairns’ Hoose Principles. Provide trauma responsive supports and services to children and young people involved in child protection. To be established following outcome of Pathfinder Bid. Introduce the Scottish Child Interview Model for children and young people. Reduced requirement for children and young people to attend Court. To be established as part of implementation programme. Page 37 of 130
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Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 18 Glossary for acronyms Acronym Full words ASN Additional Support Needs ASL Review Additional Support for Learning Review AVS Angus Virtual School CAMHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service CfE Curriculum for Excellence EBSA Emotionally-based school avoidance ELC / EY Early Learning and Childcare / Early Years ELKLAN Speech, language and communication courses EPS Educational Psychology Service FSM Free School Meals GIRFEC Getting it Right for Every Child IRDs Inter-agency Referral Discussions IEP Individual Education Programme LLW Live Life Well MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccination PIPS Performance in Primary Schools PHS P1 BMI Body Mass Index of Primary 1 children in Scotland PSE Personal and Social Education QAMSO Quality Assurance Moderation Support Officer RRS Rights Respecting Schools RSHP Relationships Sexual Health and Parenthood SAC Scottish Attainment Challenge SBAR Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation SDS Skills Development Scotland SHANARRI Wellbeing indicators – safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active respected, responsible, included SIMD Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation SNSA Scottish National Standardised Assessment SOLAR Science of Language and Reading SRS Sound Reading System STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics SYP Scottish Youth Parliament TLAG Tayside Learning and Attainment Group TMSRG Tayside Multiagency Suicide Review Group TRIC Tayside Regional Improvement Collaborative UNCRC United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Page 38 of 130
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1 Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People & Families 2023-2026 Report on Progress 2023-2024 TAYPLAN-2326-001 Our children will have the best start in life Ensure clear pathways are in place for early identification of need in children pre-birth to age 3 With specific attention to: • Pre-birth support pathways • Transition pathways into early years settings for children with significant early concerns in relation to their development or emerging additional support needs Progress Updates (i)Families with identified needs are matched with support at an early stage:- Baseline data - unborn baby referrals per quarter. Data for Feb-April 2023 was Angus 40; Dundee 46; Perth & Kinross 27 Data for Feb-April 2024 was Angus 49; Dundee 44; Perth and Kinross 23 Angus Angus continues to monitor and evaluate the local Pre-birth Resource Allocation Meeting (PRAM) with 6 monthly reports submitted to our Protecting People Angus Strategic Committee’s (PPASC) Practice and Policy subgroup. From April 2023 to January 2024 there were 131 women referred to PRAM, (17% of all booked pregnancies in Angus). Women were, on average, 14 weeks into their pregnancy at point of referral, a figure that demonstrates early intervention for pre-birth babies. 5 Page 39 of 130
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2 The PRAM Outcomes for referrals were: Direct referral to Social Work 35% Social Work Assessment (following PRAM) 22% Universal services 18% Family Nurse Partnership 7% Glen Clova 2% Perinatal Mental Health 2% The number of Child Concern Reports has increased marginally from an average of 512 per quarter in 2020/21 to an average of 520 per quarter in 2023/24. The number of Initial Referral Discussions has seen a gradual decrease over the past few years from 272 in 2020/21 to 200 in 2023/24.There has been a commensurate decrease in Joint Investigative Interviews from 131 in 202/21 to 117 in 2023/24 and in the number of children subject to Child Protection Investigations from 294 in 2020/21 to 124 in 2023/24. At least part of the decline is explained by a move to categorise Pre-Birth Assessments as assessments rather than investigations, the number of these referrals are detailed above. Conversely the requirement for Forensic Medical Examinations has increased from 13 in 2020/21 to 20 in 2023/24. Dundee In the Dundee partnership continues to implement the Tayside Unborn Baby (UBB) Protocol and provide support to parents, babies and infants via a range of services. This has included support from Health Visitors, New Beginnings, Locality Social Work Teams and the Family Nurse Partnership. To further enhance support, the partnership has also recently deployed Whole Family Wellbeing Funding (WFWF) to fund 2 initiatives focused on providing additional support to pregnant and vulnerable women and Corra Funding to implement Infant Pledge with parents and babies. Currently, Page 40 of 130
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3 we are engaging with The Wave Trust to explore how to further shift resources towards enhancing preventative support in the first 1,000 days of a child's life. This will continue to be a key priority, with 187 referrals involving concerns about unborn babies in 2023-24. There are also a disproportionate number of babies and infants on the Child Protection Register or in care when compared with the national averages. In 2022-23, 13.8% of children had at least one developmental concern recorded at 13-15 months review and 17.7% of children had at least one developmental concern recorded at 27-30 months review. This is a 0.1% increase from previous year and a 2% increase from around 15% pre Covid-19 Perth & Kinross The partnership in Perth and Kinross continues to implement the Tayside Multi-Agency Practitioner’s Guidance: Concern for Unborn Babies – often referred to as the Unborn Baby ‘Protocol’. This guidance continued to help practitioners identify needs, risks and vulnerabilities for unborn babies at an early stage, resulting in regular referrals to the Unborn Baby Multi-Agency Screening Group (UBB MASG). The purpose of this group - which meets fortnightly and includes representation from Social Work, Health and the Police - is to share information regarding the identified needs, risks and vulnerabilities in each referred case, and to decide on appropriate actions and interventions. The UBB MASG has continued to perform a very effective operational function in our partnership – resulting in early, and proportionate, interventions with vulnerable parents to make safe and supportive plans for babies pre-birth. Thirty three of 79 cases (42%) referred to UBB MASG during the reporting period were allocated to the First Steps Team for Social Work assessment. The figure of 42 % is positive as it shows that more than half of cases referred to UBB MASG were able to be returned to Universal Services or referred to the Third Sector for a lower level of intervention. For UBB cases where Social Work assessment was required, the First Steps Team continued to provide a high-quality early intervention service to parents and babies. This was grounded in a strong ethos of relationship-based practice and a focus on keeping babies in the care of their parents where possible, or placing babies in the care of extended family members where this was not possible. Midwifery, the Family Nurse Partnership and the Health Visiting Service continued to be key partners to the First Steps Team. A Mental Health Nurse and Drug and Alcohol Worker are part of the First Steps Team - this provided early and focused interventions to address parental mental health and substance misuse issues. The team implemented the Lanarkshire Infant Mental Health Indicator Set during the reporting period. This provided for earlier identification and increased understanding of mental health needs in infants, and helped practitioners understand by observing behaviour, how the infant is feeling and interpreting their surroundings. To support the implementation of the Lanarkshire Indicator Set into practice, First Steps had monthly consultations with NHS Tayside’s Lead Clinician for Infant Mental Health. Page 41 of 130
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4 Thirty-one unborn/babies were subject to Child Protection Registration during the reporting period. Eighteen pre-birth Child Protection Planning Meetings were held, and 4 Initial Child Protection Planning Meetings (after the baby was born). Eight babies became Looked After and accommodated (7 via Child Protection Order, and one via Section 25). This figure means that 10% of unborn babies referred to UBB MASG during the reporting period were later placed outwith the care of their parents. Seven babies were approved for permanence during the period - 6 for Adoption and 1 for Permanent Kinship Care. The First Steps team also offer Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) to families referred to their service, to support and empower families to utilise supports in their wider network and make a family plan to enhance the support to the family and the safety of the baby. This approach has helped babies remain within their family where it is safe to do so, including supporting them to identify kinship options where needed. (ii)Reduced number of concerns identified at 27-30month review compared to 13-15 month review: Baseline data - children identified with concerns at 13-15 and then 27-30 months. Data from 2020-2021: Angus 13.4%, 16.0%; Dundee 16.6%, 17.5%; Perth and Kinross 15.0%, 16.6% Data from 2022-2023: Angus 13.5%, 17.4%; Dundee 13.2%, 18.2%; Perth and Kinross 14.6%, 17.4% In 2022-23, the percentage of children in Angus identified with concerns at 13-15 months, then 27-30 months increased. In both Dundee and Perth & Kinross, the percentage of children identified with concerns at 13-15 months decreased, and the percentage with concerns at 27-30 months increased. (iii)Increase the percentage of children aged 3-5 newly enrolled in LA ELC for whom significant concerns were raised prior to enrolment. Baseline Data 2022 - 51% (93) of children with significant concerns raised prior to enrolment 2023 – 51% (128) of children with significant concerns raised prior to enrolment. Number of 3-5-year olds (Tayside combined) Page 42 of 130
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5 Currently enrolled 2022 - 3,420 2023 - 4,432 Newly enrolled 2022 - 2,392 (70%) 2023 - 1,722 (39%) Newly enrolled: with significant early concerns 2022 - 183 (8%) 2023 - 251 (15%) Newly enrolled with early concerns: raised prior to enrolment 2022 - 93 (51%) 2023 - 128 (51%) - Significant increase in the number of 3-5-year-olds currently enrolled across Tayside (influence by increase in the number of settings reporting at 121 up from 93 last year) - Decrease in both the number and percentage newly enrolled - Increase in the number and percentage newly enrolled with significant early concerns Page 43 of 130
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6 - Increase in the number of early concerns raised prior though the percentage has remained at 51% (iv) Infant mental health is understood and promoted This is an outcome of the Solihull training programme, further details are provided below on page 6. Our children will have the best start in life We will provide accessible, responsive, and flexible parenting support Progress Updates (i) Increased availability of the Solihull programme. Baseline data For 2022-2023 - Number of staff trained during the year: Angus 52; Dundee 89; Perth and Kinross 103; NHS Tayside 147. For 2023-2024 – Number of staff trained during the year: Angus (93, including follow-up training); Dundee 32; Perth & Kinross 38; NHS 39. In 2023-24, Angus had the following numbers attend the sessions offered: • Number of staff trained at Foundation Level Solihull Approach – 81 • Number of staff who attended Solihull in Practice session – 12 (this is a follow up to foundation training and offered 3-6 months after completion of foundation training) • Number of staff who attended our first Solihull Celebration Event – 30 (this was a celebration of practice to recognise 5 years of delivery in Angus) • A total of 818 staff have now completed the training. All trained staff are encouraged to point parents to the free online materials https://inourplace.co.uk/scotland/ and the Family Nurture Support Team offer the Solihull Parenting Programme to parents Page 44 of 130
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7 Dundee For the academic year 2023 to 2024 Dundee had 32 staff members attend training. There were challenges in enabling staff to be released for training. This applies to staff in both local authority and private sector settings. A total of 464 staff have now completed the training. Perth & Kinross In 2023-24, a further 38 employees accessed the Solihull programme. A total of 403 staff have completed the training. (ii) Increased range and uptake of supports and services available to families in local communities. Baseline data - local monitoring of Whole Family Wellbeing Plans Angus Whole Family Wellbeing funding has been used in Angus to take an enhanced focus on pregnant women and families with at least one child under 3. During this period consultation and engagement has taken place to inform a plan which includes enhanced welfare rights and housing support to pregnant women, extension of the Angus gender specific women’s support service Glen Clova, enhanced early intervention support through a third sector contract and support to a third sector led project looking at choice points and access for families. Data measures have been developed. Updates and an annual report on the outcomes for families with a child under 3 will be reported to the Integrated Children’s Services Board. Dundee Over the last 12 months, the service worked with other Childrens Service Planning Partnership (CSPP) partners to coordinate deployment of Scottish Government Whole Family Wellbeing Funding. The delivery of services continues to be monitored by a WFWF Steering Group and details of impact will be included in the next Our Promise Annual Report. The partnership continues to implement a Team Around the Child framework, which includes a focus on parents/carers needs where there are concerns about a family. In an Addressing Neglect and Enhancing Wellbeing initiative, over 70% of parents/carers said they felt engaged in the process and this is now being scaled across all schools in the city. Page 45 of 130
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8 There are also a range of targeted or specialist supports, including from a Birch Programme for mothers who have experience of having a child removed from their care; a New Beginnings Team supporting vulnerable pregnant women; a Family Nurse Partnership for young families; the Caledonian Programme for both perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse; and a number of commissioned services such as Home Start supporting 600 parents a year, One Parent Families Scotland supporting 200 parents a year and Parent to Parent, supporting 500 families a year. The partnership also delivers advocacy services for parents and is in the process of carrying out a review to raise awareness of available advocacy services and make best use of available capacity from different providers. Perth & Kinross Perth and Kinross Council’s vision is to create a place where its citizens can live life well, free from poverty and inequities. The five regional priorities outlined in the Tayside Plan link well with the journey to achieving this vision. The main national drivers have been the UNCRC, The Promise, GIRFEC, and the Infant Pledge as well as the ongoing development of a Trauma informed workforce. These drivers feed into local PKC plans which support a rights based, inclusive approach to supporting infants, children, young people and their families at an early point in need so they are able to achieve their life potential. PKC have taken these drivers, combined with a focus on Whole Family Well Being, and begun to shift services from crisis intervention to early help. This shift has been supported by the ethos of the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund through the development of community resources like ‘Letham for All’ as well as a self-referral service for families at the earliest point in need. These changes are in the early stages but PKC hope to see increasing numbers of families accessing early supports in the coming year. (iii) Evidence of engagement and involvement of fathers/those in a fathering role in children's health, education and child's plans. Angus Council Since the Involving Dads Steering Group formed in April 2022, Angus has seen a number of soft outcomes to practice, with a wider focus on involving Dads in the lives of their children and considering factors which affect them. These small changes to practice have been seen to gain momentum and start to embed in day-to-day practice locally. In addition, there have been some significant service developments across multiple sectors which have taken big steps in improving father’s visibility and engagement for professionals supporting families. Page 46 of 130
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9 The multi-agency group continue to meet and will continue to focus on topical priorities for Dads and for services supporting them and their families, in order to direct and support the work of individual service specific subgroups. The group will continue to adopt a “what else can we do” when considering the question “what about Dad?” Dundee Local GIRFEC Guidance stipulates that both parents with Parental Rights and Responsibility must be invited to Team Around The Child Meetings and that where this is not possible or appropriate due, for instance, to safety issues, alternative arrangements are made to engage with any absent parent. The ANEW initiative indicates that where they do attend they find it helpful. In relation to Initial Child Protection Planning Meetings (ICPPMs), over the last 12 months at least one parent was present at 93% of meetings, an improvement from 81% over the previous year. The respective attendance of mothers and fathers is monitored and in the last quarter 5 fathers and 3 mothers were not present but in all meetings at least one parent attended. To enable attendance, meetings are sometimes delayed when it is defensible to do so because parental contributions are considered more important than meeting procedural timescales. The partnership has recently committed to conduct a survey of parent/carer views of meetings and wider support to inform developments. Perth & Kinross Most childcare services have actions identified in their improvement plans to increase the involvement of fathers / male carers. The Parenting and Family Learning team indicate that they have increased male participation by 64% but there is still a great deal of work required to get where we want to be in the provision of services for male parents /carers. The Child Protection Committee Improvement Plan also now has an action to improve the voices of fathers across services in recognition that there is work to do in this area. Our children will have the best start in life We will refine the Early Years tracking tool and embed use across Tayside from 2023-24 Progress Updates Tools for capturing children’s development, learning and progress for children aged 2 – 3 years and 3 – 5 years are being implemented and embedded across Tayside following agreement of the process/method. Page 47 of 130
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10 Ongoing support is available to settings to consider the sensitive and meaningful interpretation of information available within the tool, to inform planning and improvements. Professional dialogue and reference to traces of learning continues to be essential when completing and using these tools. Our children will have the best start in life We will repeat the transitions survey in 2023-24 to measure the impact of new pathways and inform next steps Progress Updates The transitions survey was repeated in 2023-24. Results show that whilst the % of children newly enrolled at LA ELC aged 3-5 with significant early concerns raised prior to starting nursery remained at 51%, there was a notable increase from 93 to 128 children recorded. The survey will be repeated in 2024-25 when findings will be analysed, and feedback will be sought on use of the pathways. Improvements will be made as appropriate. Page 48 of 130
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11 TAYPLAN-2326-002 Our children and young people will achieve and make positive contributions to communities We will implement effective strategies to increase school attendance Progress Updates (i) Increased attendance across all groups. (ii) Increased attendance and attainment for children living in SIMD 1 and /or looked after at home Baseline data: Overall attendance 2020-2021 (LGBF)- Angus 92.8%; Dundee 90.6%; Perth and Kinross 91.9% Overall attendance 2022-2023 (LGBF)- Angus 90.0%; Dundee 89.0%; Perth and Kinross 90.0% Attendance gap between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 2020-2021 - Angus 5.1pp; Dundee 6.4pp; Perth and Kinross 4.8pp Attendance gap between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 2023-2024 - Angus 6.6pp; Dundee 6.8pp; Perth and Kinross 6.7pp Attendance gap for looked after children 2020-2021 (LGBF) - Angus 6.8pp; Dundee 2.6pp; Perth and Kinross 2.9pp Attendance gap for looked after children 2022-2023 (LGBF) - Angus 7.2pp; Dundee 5.9pp; Perth and Kinross 3.2pp Angus In Angus during 2023-24, overall attendance at primary school was 92.8%, an increase of 0.4pp compared to the previous year. Attendance levels vary from school to school. The attendance gap between children living in SIMD 1 and 5 was 4.5pp, a decrease of 0.2pp compared to the previous year. In 2023-24, the attendance of primary school children cared for away from home increased from 93.2% to 94.0% (0.8 percentage points (pp)). Attendance for primary school children looked after at home decreased from 91.6% to 80.9% (10.7pp), although it should be noted that this group represents 17 children and percentages may be Page 49 of 130
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12 disproportionately affected by this. Attendance at primacy school for children with previous care experience decreased from 87.1% to 87.0%. In 2023-24, overall attendance at secondary school increased from 87.5% to 87.6% (0.1pp), compared to the previous year. Attendance levels also vary between schools. The attendance gap for young people living in SIMD 1 and 5 was 8.6pp, a decrease of 0.7pp compared to the previous year. In 2023-24, the attendance of young people at secondary school who are cared for away from home increased from 87.6% to 88.3% (0.7pp). For young people looked after at home, attendance decreased from 54.2% to 52.5% (1.7pp), continuing a decreasing trend since 2020-21. This group comprised 18 young people in the reporting period. Attendance at secondary school for young people with previous care experience decreased by 0.5pp from 75.5% to 75.0%. Over 2023-24 Angus Council retained a team of three Engagement Officers (EOs) and two Resource Workers (RW), funded by Strategic Equity Funding and the Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund within the Arbroath North and Brechin clusters. The EOs supported 27 primary school children with an increase in attendance of between 4.8 - 11.3%. For those supported in secondary, attendance remained stable over the year. The EO team uses a range of interventions to encourage children to attend school and engage in their learning. These include providing social opportunities to build relationships between children, staff and families; after school activities; and partnership working to support transition from primary to secondary school. The EO team also provide links to other agencies and are supporting Young Carers. In October 2023 and April 2024 holiday activity programmes ran at Hayshead and Warddykes Primary Schools, in partnership with the Active Schools Team, providing an opportunity for families to participate in community activities, engage with Council services and build relationships. From October 2023 the EO Team in Brechin also provided support to families affected by Storm Babet. Dundee Page 50 of 130
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13 Dundee partnership approaches include improved use of data to promote better targeting of pupils with declining attendance and the shared development of holistic approaches which address the root causes at home, school and/or in the community. In 2023-24, the overall attendance rate for the whole school population in Primary and Secondary Schools was 89% compared with 85.4% for care experienced children and young people. Attendance rates for care experienced children and young people in Local Authority Foster Care (92.2%) and External Foster Care (87%) are higher than or close to the mainstream school population but lower for those at home (55%) and in Kinship Care (83%). We are therefore reviewing Looked After Children Scottish Attainment Challenge funding and the extent to which Pupil Support Workers can more effectively target support at these smaller cohorts of children and young people in each Secondary School. The focus on pupils in Kinship Care is augmented by the creation of a Kinship Care Team and the development of new practical and therapeutic supports with Sport Scotland, What Matters to You and Place 2 Be Parenting Programmes. While these programmes have a positive impact on targeted cohorts of pupils, they have not yet raised attendance of the overall school population and the partnership will continue to prioritise. Perth & Kinross In Perth and Kinross overall primary attendance has improved slightly, with figures of 93.1% in 2023/24 compared with 92.7% in 2022/23. However, it still remains 2% lower than pre-pandemic levels (95% in 2018/19). Secondary attendance was 86.9% in 2023/24 with no change from 2022/23. This remains significantly lower (4%) than pre-pandemic levels (90.6% in 2018/19). There are differences between schools, however, with percentages ranging from 82.5% to 89.3%. Combined attendance across Primary and Secondary schools for children and young people with no care experience was 89% compared with 90% for child and young people Looked After Away from home, 77% for those Looked After at Home, and this drops to 74% for children and young people who are previously Looked After. Attendance rates for Care experienced children in Primary has risen from 89% in 2022/23 to 90.4% in 2023/24. In our Secondary schools this has fallen from 81.3% in 2022/23 to 78.2% in 2023/24 and this is an ongoing focus area for us. Our Young Carers are another cohort of children and young people we are focusing on tracking education outcomes for including attendance. For children and young people with no additional support needs the average attendance across primary and secondary schools combined in 93%, compared to 79% attendance for our Young Carers. We are continuing to work with our PKAVS Young Carers partners ensure schools have appropriate support in place to maximise attendance. A range of approaches have been taken to improve attendance in Perth and Kinross schools Page 51 of 130
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14 including engagement with Education Scotland, and in-depth data analysis identifying trends and patterns in absence codes. These, along with SEF-funded support from the Educational Psychology Service, including a literature review of attendance interventions, provide an evidence base for the Staged Intervention Framework for Attendance as well as informing and enabling the delivery of specific projects to support families and staff in schools with addressing non- attendance. A total of £75,000 has been invested in this area and it is anticipated that 2024/25 attendance data will show improvement across both primary and secondary sectors. Perth Autism Support have been commissioned to provide targeted support for up to 50 families in the first year through the ‘Connecting Families’ programme at a cost of £40,000. This project is designed to support families affected by poverty where their child or young person has an attendance level between 60% and 70%. Working with the family, they will identify barriers to attendance, agree actions and signpost to additional support services where that is appropriate. Care Experienced Children and Young People funding has been used to contribute to a Promise Improvement Lead role with a focus on improving outcome for care experienced young people through partnership working. Additional Youth Workers are in place within secondary schools supporting care experienced young people in 1:1 work and facilitating our Champions Boards. Our children and young people will achieve and make positive contributions to communities We will implement plans focused on raising attainment and meaningful engagement (participation). Progress Updates (i)Reduced attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people. Baseline data - local authority stretch aims for 2023-24: Progress towards reducing the attainment gap can be found in Appendix 3. Page 52 of 130
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15 TAYPLAN-2326-003 Our children and young people will enjoy good physical and mental health. We will ensure full implementation of the Child Healthy Weight Tayside Strategy. Progress Updates (i)Increased proportion of children with a healthy weight (ii) Reduced inequality in healthy weight between children living in the most and least deprived areas in Tayside. Baseline data: Gap between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 (2021-22) - Angus Council 30.1pp; Dundee City Council 8pp; Perth and Kinross Council 1.4pp; Tayside 10.3pp. Gap between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 (2022-23) – Angus Council 10.8pp; Dundee City Council 10.7pp; Perth & Kinross - 1.8pp; Tayside 9.1pp A wide range of work to deliver on the Tayside Child Healthy Weight strategy (CHWS) has continued over the first 12 months of this plan, building on the existing strategic commitments, aligning existing resource and maximising partnership opportunities. These include: Activities, events, workshops and focus groups to support a collective understanding of the issue of child healthy weight (CHW) across Tayside; to better understand the complexities of childhood obesity and identify collective and aligned actions. Whole Systems Approach to CHW event in April 2024 to harness senior level support and leadership to further develop a shared understanding of the causes and complexity of childhood obesity, focus collective effort and existing resource to where it is needed most (shared responsibility), identify which of the local levers for child healthy weight are to be prioritised (for Dundee), improve the alignment of child healthy weight with existing and overlapping priorities, and to ensure consistency with performance measure/s related to child healthy weight. Page 53 of 130
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16 The whole systems approach is being operationalised within existing governance structures of Angus Community Planning Partnership (CPP), specifically the Best Start, Bright Futures (Child Poverty) group that sits within Angus Integrated Children’s Services Partnership. The rationale being that this offers an opportunity for a more coordinated and aligned approach to action planning and strategic alignment with minimisation of duplication and overlap in Angus. Our children and young people will enjoy good physical and mental health. We will work collectively to support uptake of immunisation for children across Tayside. Progress Updates (i) Increased proportion of children receiving immunisations. Baseline data: From 2022-23 Angus 91.4%; Dundee 89.7%; Perth & Kinross 92.6%. Baseline data: From 2023-24, Angus 93.2%, Dundee 88.0%; Perth & Kinross 92.5% In addition to the single agency (NHS Tayside) Immunisation Steering Group, a new Childhood Immunisation Leadership Group has recently been established to focus on improving immunisation uptake. Partner membership of this group is currently being considered and established and early work is underway to review and improve data collection and reporting. A new multi-agency childhood immunisation oversight group is also being considered to enable optimal support from all partners in improving childhood immunisation attendance by families. Page 54 of 130
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17 Our children and young people will enjoy good physical and mental health. We will implement the Tayside Action Plan to reduce suicide in children and young people Progress Updates (i) Reduced number of children and young people completing suicide. Number of completed suicides in Tayside 2017-2021 for ages… 0-17: 6 0-19: 12 Source: TMSRG" (ii) Increased number of staff trained in suicide intervention. (iii) Increased satisfaction with information sharing from child death/suicide review The Tayside Suicide Prevention Leadership Group action plan has driven work to reduce suicide in children and young people in Tayside in the last 12 months. This has included awareness raising across agencies working with children and young people. A capacity building programme and delivery of suicide prevention training continues underway across Tayside and staff working with children and young people have been a target group to receive this training. Training to support staff in understanding self-harm is also available. A new information sharing pathway has been implemented between CAMHS and the named person to improve the co-ordination of support between agencies and reduce risks to young people. An assessment is being carried out to determine whether this pathway can be widened to include children and young people with risks presenting to physical health services. Awareness of services and what each provides remains an area of focus with a communications bulletin for schools, parents and others currently being developed to help improved shared understanding. Page 55 of 130
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18 Our children and young people will enjoy good physical and mental health. We will continue implementation of ‘Connected Tayside; an emotional health & wellbeing strategy for children & young people’ (2021-23) Progress Updates (i) Tayside mental health pathways are fully implemented and supports are accessible. Implementation of the TRIC produced, ‘Connected Tayside’ strategy (2021) has continued, both within each core agency and collaboratively over the first 12 months of the new 3-year plan. The strategy’s ambitions remain pertinent and align with the national Mental Health & Wellbeing strategy (June 2023), and all local and regional activity will extend for the duration of the current plan (2023-26), as a minimum. A partnership approach to oversight, evaluation of impact and any future strategy refresh is currently being explored. (ii) The Health and Wellbeing survey will show an increase in pupils who say they feel positive about the future The national Health and Wellbeing Survey has not yet been re-run, so there is no update regarding children and young people feeling positive about the future. Page 56 of 130
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19 TAYPLAN-2326-004 Our children and young people will have their rights protected and their voices heard We will support the multi-agency workforce to promote rights, choice and control for children and young people on how their views are heard and represented and how they are involved in decisions that affect them. Progress Updates (i) Children and young people will have access to independent advocacy, informal advocacy, and digital tools to support participation. (ii) Attending child's planning meetings will be supported and the environment will be inclusive. Baseline data: July 2023, number of Tayside schools with Rights Respecting Schools accreditation - registered 42, Bronze 87, Silver 36, Gold 16 July 2024, number of Tayside schools with Rights Respecting Schools accreditation – registered 57, Bronze 60 (Angus and PKC), Silver 50, Gold 22 (iii) Children with additional needs will share their views and be involved in decisions. (iv) Views are well represented at child's planning meetings (v) Children's hearing decisions are fully informed by the views of children and young people (vi) Staff will have access to training on UNCRC, The promise, engagement and feel confident in supporting young people. Angus To ensure that the voices of children, young people and families are heard, and they are able to influence decisions that impact them, funding has been increased for Independent Advocacy services throughout Angus. As part of the Page 57 of 130
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20 expansion of advocacy services, an additional £60,000 annual investment in advocacy for children, young people and families has allowed us to work in partnership with Angus Independent Advocacy (AIA) to provide Family Advocacy as well as recruiting an additional young person advocate for children. We have also continued to commission individual advocacy and group advocacy from Who Cares? Scotland. Young people’s views gathered from this work have fed into the improvement work across all services involved in supporting care experienced children. The expansion of advocacy services will ensure we continue to promote the rights of care experienced children and young people to express a view and have that view given due weight upholding United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, Article 12). Increased access to independent advocacy has been evident in social work assessments, reports, and attendance at care planning meetings where children’s views have been supported by the use of independent advocacy. During 2022- 23, 57 children and young people received a regular support service from AIA with the average age being 10yrs old. The areas children requested advocacy support with were wide ranging and included family time, current placement and future planning, mental health support, education issues, and transitions. Over the last year we have seen younger children from 12 months old being supported through non-instructed advocacy by both Who Cares? and AIA. Children ‘looked after’ continue to have individual planning meetings reviewed in accordance with the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 by independent Quality and Review Officers who offer case objectivity to the multi-agency child’s planning meeting. Following on from covid restrictions, Review Officers are offering choice on how meetings are held by rolling out digital, direct, and blended meeting options for children and families to support their engagement. Training has been provided to staff and organisations that fall within the remit and responsibilities of being corporate parents. This training has been embedded into our online learning system in Angus Council. The training explains and helps promote understanding of our duties and responsibilities as corporate parents. The Promise Ambassadors have attended sessions with social work staff, head teachers, Angus wide leadership events as well as groups in the community such as the Rotary Club. During these sessions they provide context and engagement about their lived experience and how the role of a corporate parent is so important and the difference, individually and collectively, that corporate parents can have on the experiences of and opportunities for our care experienced young people. Our Promise Hangout group continues to take place monthly for care experienced children and young people aged 5 and above. Since it opened in 2022 attendance has remained high with approximately 15-20 children and young people attending each month. Feedback from children note that they enjoy being able to spend time with other children with similar lived experience and have a sense of belonging. Children and young people have opportunities Page 58 of 130
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21 to meet with professionals in a relaxed environment, build relationships and have fun. Corporate parents are regularly in attendance volunteering at the group including review officers, children’s reporter, advocacy workers, active schools staff and the chief social work officer. This also offers an opportunity for children to have their say on the strategic direction of services. Young people also have the opportunity to get involved with project work and provide their views. Examples in 2023 include a focus group of young people who worked with Mairi Damer, a Communications and Media Consultant for Child Protection Committees Scotland, contributing to the design, language, and content of the new Child Protection Committee Scotland "Keeping Safe" campaign. Our young people came up with the creative social media idea of using Tik Tok adverts as a way of reaching large amounts of young people. Dundee The service has collaborated with NHS Tayside and Dundee University to develop an Infant Pledge resource entitled ‘Hello in There Wee One’. This is designed to promote active listening and positive attachments between vulnerable expectant mothers and their babies. Launched in September 2024, it will be piloted in the New Beginnings Team, which supports pregnant women who are at risk of having babies or infants provided with alternative care. For older children, the service continued to roll-out Mind of My Own (MOMO), a digital app which enables users to provide comments on the support they are receiving or would like to receive. This is then used to inform responses both on a day- to-day basis and during planning and review meetings, to place the child or young person at the centre. It provides an alternative option to 1:1 method to listen and respond more effectively. In all 8 Secondary Schools, Champions Boards continued to be co-led by Pupil Support Workers and young people. As a result of their involvement in a Champions Board, 20 care experienced young people have now completed a Columba 1400 Leadership Academy, 17 have gained Saltire Awards and 2 have gained Emergency First Aid at Work SCQF Level 6. When asked to complete a sentence ‘If it wasn’t for the Champions Board’, some said: • ‘I wouldn’t have completed Columba 1400’ • ‘I wouldn’t have the confidence to join other groups’ • ‘I wouldn’t have met other CE pupils or other schools’ • ‘I wouldn’t have applied to join the Army and volunteered at St Andrews PS’ The service also rolled out training on Brothers and Sisters Staying Together and Connected. This includes an emphasis on listening to the child or young person’s views as a core part of an assessment process, including whether they can Page 59 of 130
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22 live with a sibling, remain in contact or know of their whereabouts. In the context of constraints such as complicated kinship arrangements and brothers or sisters in specialist care, the proportion remaining with at least 1 increased from 43% to 51%. Perth & Kinross As part of the Perth and Kinross Youth Strategy, our Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) have encouraged and supported the development of the Youth Forum to drive forward the strategy, which is being supported by the Children’s Rights Officer. The forum will be chaired by an MSYP, with representatives from a range of youth organisations, ensuring that there is a collective voice from our young people. It is anticipated in time, that the forum will challenge and support policies and practice in the best interests of young people. Perth and Kinross continue to fund Independent Advocacy Perth and Kinross to provide individual advocacy for any young person involved with social work. During the reporting period Perth and Kinross have started to develop champions boards in schools which act as a space where care experienced young people can come together, benefit from each other’s experiences and express their views. During the reporting period all 11 secondary schools have developed champions boards. We continue to train our staff in the use of talking mats which is a communication tool to allow children to express their views. Staff have reported that this tool has been a great addition to their toolbox and have been surprised by the information gained as a result. Page 60 of 130
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23 Our children and young people will have their rights protected and their voices heard We will promote and protect relationships that are important to children and young people when children are separated from their families and it is safe to do so. Progress Updates (i) When children are separated from people who are important to them, there are clear plans to maintain and promote safe family time. (National dataset for siblings will be implemented and monitored) Angus Work has taken place supporting the very important relationships between brothers and sisters including development of training materials, guidance documents on assessments, and improving our spaces for brothers and sisters and other family members to spend family time together. As part of this work, we are developing data measures including looking at where children were living in the same household prior to becoming accommodated compared to where they were placed on admission to identify numbers of family groups that have been separated. Family household compositions can be complex and difficult to extract from our client index system. During 2023/24, 62.8% of placements of brothers and sisters living away from home (not in residential care) were with at least one sibling. Where living with their family is not possible, we focus on supporting children to stay together with their brothers and sisters where safe to do so. Where this is not possible, it is important that we nurture and support those lifelong relationships. Identifying important relationships to the child and ensuring arrangements are in place when a child becomes looked after is recorded at the initial reception into accommodation meeting (held with 72 hours) and monitored through the subsequent child planning meetings. Dundee The service has rolled out mandatory training in Siblings Staying Together and Connected to all teams. This training has been informed by The Promise, UNCRC, Children Acts and Looked After Children (Scotland) regulations and presumes brothers and sisters should remain together. It confirms the legal definition of a sibling and outlines assessment processes which inform whether can safely remain together, stay in touch and/or know of each others' whereabouts, including Page 61 of 130
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24 strengths and risks of living together or apart. It encourages their views to be considered and recorded to inform decision making. It also acknowledges complexities and constraints, such as a brother or sister in secure care, complicated kinship arrangements and adult siblings. The service is also building local care capacity in Kinship Care, Foster Care and Residential Care to enable brothers and sisters to live together or more easily see each other. In the financial year 2023-24, 55% of the 117 children newly looked after were placed with at least one sibling, an increase from 52% in 2022-23. This includes both those on a CSO at home and those in other care arrangements. For only those accommodated away from home, 51% were placed with at least one sibling, an increase from 43% in the previous year. 71% of children on CSOs at home resided with at least one sibling, though this has decreased slightly from 78% in 2022-23. In the second half of 2024-25, an audit will be carried out to establish the number of brothers and sisters living together, the extent to which this training continues to promote improvements and any barriers or constraints. Perth & Kinross In Perth and Kinross we have been monitoring the number of brothers and sisters placed together as part of the Corporate Parenting plan for the past three years. Over the reporting period we have seen a positive improvement in the number of brothers and sisters placed together. During the period 1 August 2023 – 31 July 2024, 60% of brothers and sisters living away from home are with at least one brother or sister. It is recognised nationally that providing data for this area is extremely difficult within current systems and we are part of the working group addressing this. We are implementing the use of a connections tool which will be completed by Social Worker at the beginning of our involvement and will identify who is important to the child/young person. This information will then form part of a child’s plan. We are also introducing a sibling assessment which can be completed earlier, which will evidence whether they should be placed together or apart. We continue to recruit foster carers who are able to take sibling groups and will move children and young people if necessary, in order to place siblings together. We are also looking to develop a space where siblings who are living apart can come together in an informal way and spend time together. Page 62 of 130
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25 During this reporting period, there were two occasions where we supported families with either an extension or conversion of their property to facilitate siblings being accommodated in either a kinship or foster placement. Perth and Kinross continue to promote the use of lifelong links as a way in which children and young people can reconnect with those important to them as well as understanding their journey. During the reporting period 13 children and young people benefited from this approach. Page 63 of 130
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26 TAYPLAN-2326-005 Our children and young people will be safe and feel loved We will ensure appropriate housing options are in place for vulnerable families including pregnant women and families with children Progress Updates (i) Children and families are secure in good quality accommodation that meets their needs. (ii) Reduction in the number of children growing up in temporary accommodation. Baseline data: Published September 2022, households including children or pregnant women in temporary accommodation, 100 households with a total of 245 children. Published September 2024, households including children or pregnant women in temporary accommodation, 90 households with a total of 190 children. Angus Many care leavers face independence alone and feel isolated as many lack a ‘safety net’ of family and friends. A trauma informed approach is therefore essential when supporting care leavers, with relationships at the heart of good practice. In Angus, a person-centred decision making with support approach is taken to ensure the most appropriate accommodations options are made available to our care leavers. This is to increase the likelihood of the young person sustaining the accommodation in the longer term. Housing and the Horizon team (TCAC) worked in partnership to develop a join housing protocol in 2013 to support their corporate parenting responsibilities by jointly addressing the diverse accommodation and support needs of care leavers and other young people engaged with the Horizon team. The joint housing protocol recognises that living independently does not always work out for some individuals, services need to be more responsive to individual need with a return to care being an option where appropriate. This year the Housing protocol was reviewed and updated. Since the protocol was introduced the number of care experienced young people (looked after less than 5 years ago) applying as homeless has reduced by 46%. The joint protocol ensures services work together to be responsive to the individual needs of young people. Page 64 of 130
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27 Dundee In Dundee, a Housing Protocol gives an outright priority for housing to all care leavers; 2 new supported accommodation facilities have been established in the last 12 months; and there are a small number of designated tenancies specifically for care leavers. For families with pregnant women or dependent children who are at risk of homelessness, mainstream properties in the community are used as temporary accommodation. There is an option for any family to remain in a network flat and have it as their permanent accommodation should they be happy there. Perth and Kinross In Perth and Kinross, there is a strong record around homelessness and, through the Home First approach, evidenced by the lowest prevalence of people requiring temporary accommodation in Scotland in the last 5 years (by population). There has been particular success in enabling families with children to directly access secure tenancies, avoiding the need for temporary accommodation, and where this is not possible, a furnished temporary flat in the community is provided on the basis that this could subsequently be transferred to a secure tenancy, avoiding the need for the family to move again. There is a strong partnership with Perthshire Women’s Aid and provide refuge accommodation which again can be transferred to a secure tenancy if appropriate. A Common Housing Register provides a single route into around 97% of social-rented accommodation in Perth and Kinross provided by the Council and 3 Housing Association partners. The Common Housing Register is underpinned by a Common Allocations Policy which includes a Strategic Need pathway, enabling the prioritisation of care experienced young people and families with children in certain circumstances. Our children and young people will be safe and feel loved We will further develop approaches to identifying, responding, and managing risk to young people aged 12–18 This will include: • Young people at risk of secure care • Young people subject to Care and Risk Management (CARM) planning. • Young people who go missing Page 65 of 130
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28 Progress Updates (i) Young people in our settings feel informed that their rights have been respected. (ii) Young people at risk of harm have access to appropriate support and clear plans to address risk need and risk. (iii) Secure care standards will be implemented with evidence of rights-based practice. Baseline data (CARM data set under development) Angus The CARM project has progressed well over the past year. The Multiagency steering group has directed this under the guidance of a senior practitioner and development officer who are dedicated to this work through CORRA foundation funding. Due to the expansion of our criteria to include children at risk to self this has increased our numbers of young people subject to CARM. This is viewed as a positive outcome as it now ensures there are robust multi-agency risk management plans in place for this small group of young people. In addition to this, we have introduced a policy that all children and young people must be considered for CARM to ensure that a risk management plan is clearly in place for their return to the community and afford them with the best opportunity to have positive outcomes. Some tasks in progress to support the work of CARM include: • . Short film to support professionals understanding of CARM • . Short film to support children/young people and families understanding of CARM • . CARM card resource for CYP /families and professional • . Introduction of Mock CARM training • . Development of staged development programme for those involved with CYP at risk of harm to self or others. Dundee In the last 12 months we have completed a comprehensive partnership review of approaches towards vulnerable adolescents which will lead to the introduction of a new co-located multi-disciplinary team in April 2025. The team will Page 66 of 130
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29 focus on young people in formal Child Protection and Youth or Criminal Justice processes up to age 26 years for care leavers. At the same time, parallel developments include single management oversight of Adolescent Team and Young People's Houses; sustained £1.1m funding to 4 Third Sector organisations providing additional targeted support; new Practice Standards; a revised Continuing Care Protocol; the introduction of Care and Risk Management Procedures; and 2 new supported accommodation facilities. Quantitative data shows comparatively high numbers of over 12's referred to IRDs and more progressing to CPPMs where a higher proportion are also placed on the Child Protection Register. Seven young people have been risk assessed, supported and managed via the CARM Protocol. In an audit of Social Work cases involving young people, over 83% were rated as Good or better overall. There have been no admissions to Secure Care for 18 months and there has been a 17% reduction in the number of missing episodes from Young People's Houses. Perth and Kinross A Care and Risk Management (CARM) Protocol was ratified by Perth and Kinross Child Protection Committee during the reporting period. This provides clear inter-agency guidance for practitioners on how to effectively manage and support young people aged 12 and above whose behaviour is presenting, or may present, a risk of serious harm to themselves or others. The protocol strengthens existing inter-agency child protection and risk management arrangements and is in keeping with national guidance – i.e. Framework for Risk Assessment Management and Evaluation (FRAME) with Children Aged 12-17 (Standards, Guidance and Operational Requirements for Risk Practice). The purpose of the protocol is to improve the identification of, and response to, risk of serious harm as it applies to young people who meet the CARM definition - and to provide a coherent framework within which to manage risk more effectively. A key aim is to identify and build upon strengths and protective factors which can support the delivery of risk management strategies that will reduce harmful behaviours and build capacity in the young person. Work is currently underway to ‘operationalise’ the protocol and implement it into practice. This is expected to be completed over the coming reporting period. We have recently undertaken engagement with our young people, youth work providers and partners as part of a consultation exercise to develop a Youth Strategy. Part of the strategy will seek to address behaviours and offer support and opportunities for early intervention, preventing escalation of risks. Page 67 of 130
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30 Our children and young people will be safe and feel loved We will make progress toward the implementation of Bairns’ Hoose Principles Progress Updates (i) Provide trauma responsive supports and services to children and young people involved in child protection. Baseline data: to be established following outcome of Pathfinder bid The Tayside Pathfinder continue to work towards meeting the Bairns Hoose Standards. An oversight Group is well established and is serviced by a Tayside Delivery Group who also oversee implementation Groups across the 3 LA’s and NHS. The Scottish Government are supporting Quality Improvement work across services and a collaborative aim alongside drivers are in the process of being finalised. Project Plans are also being drafted to support the improvement work to fully meet the Bairns Hoose Standards in line with the StART tool. To support the implementation of the Bairns Hoose an extended timeline has been agreed up to March 2027. Funding applications have been agreed with each Bairns Hoose site upgrading co-located facilities and tendering for therapeutic support services. Our children and young people will be safe and feel loved We will introduce the Scottish Child Interview Model for children and young people. Page 68 of 130
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31 Progress Updates (i) Reduce the requirement for children and young people to attend court. Baseline data: to be established as part of the implementation programme SCIM Implementation started in Tayside started in September 2023 with initial information sessions held by the National Implementation and Training Group. SCIM planning and implantation continued over the following months along with recruitment. 12 candidates were selected, six police officers and six social workers. All attended local and national training commencing locally in March 2024, followed by 4 weeks at Scottish Police College in Tulliallan and a final week locally in June 2024. All candidates were successful in their training and all are now deployed as interviewers. Plans are in place to have all interviewers co-located in their respective areas, this work is ongoing. SCIM went live in Tayside on 13th May 2024, following the successful completion of the interviewers 4 weeks training. Since that time, they have undertaken 28 interviews (as of 12th July) with several currently in the planning stages to be completed in the near future. Since the go live date 17 interviews have taken place using the 5 Day JII Model (old model). This represents SCIM interviews making up around 62% of all interviews of children since going live. Progress in terms in terms of internal and collective proves maps continue to be evaluated and modified as required and these are discussed collectively at the SCIM Implementation Groups. Our children and young people will be safe and feel loved We will jointly commission the development of local learning review guidance for all Protecting People arrangements Progress Updates Learning review guidance has been prepared and is in use by both Angus and Dundee. Some further revisions may be made based on practical usage. In Angus, a learning review group has been established which has oversight of all learning review requests, decisions and recommendations. Page 69 of 130
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Appendix 3 We will implement plans focused on raising attainment and meaningful engagement (participation). (i)Reduced attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people. The Scottish Government has identified five core stretch measures of attainment and participation. Local authorities are required on progress towards closing the poverty- related attainment gap for these measures. Progress for the three Tayside councils is set out below. Chart 1 – Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Level – Literacy (P1,4, 7 combined) (LGBF) Data presented for 2023-24 is currently subject to validation through Scottish Government processes. As such, this data may change. Based on the latest available information, in 2023-24 the poverty-related attainment gap for literacy increased by 3.2 percentage points (pp) in Angus. The gap decreased by 1.9pp in Dundee and by 1.8pp in Perth & Kinross. 20.0 19.0 21.8 25.0 20.4 19.9 19.9 18.0 27.0 20.9 22.8 21.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 ACEL P1, 4, 7 combined : Literacy Angus SIMD Q1-5 Gap Dundee SIMD Q1-5 Gap Perth & Kinross SIMD Q1-5 Gap 5 Page 71 of 130
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Chart 2 – Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Level – Numeracy (P1,4, 7 combined) (LGBF) Data presented for 2023-24 is currently subject to validation through Scottish Government processes. As such, this data may change. In 2023-24, the poverty-related attainment gap for numeracy increased by 7.2pp in Angus, and 4.4pp in Perth & Kinross. The gap decreased by 1pp in Dundee. Chart 3 – Proportion of school leavers achieving 1 or more pass at SCQF Level 5 (Insight) In 2022-23, the poverty-related attainment gap for school leavers achieving one or more passes at SCQF Level 5 increased by 0.6pp in Angus, and by 1.5pp in Dundee. The gap decreased by 7.1pp in Perth & Kinross. Data for 2023-24 will be available after the next update to Insight (the national senior phase benchmarking tool) in February 2025. 22.4 15.0 13.5 21.2 17.3 13.6 16.3 15.3 23.7 16.8 17.6 22.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 ACEL P1, 4, 7 combined : Numeracy Angus SIMD Q1-5 Gap Dundee SIMD Q1-5 Gap Perth & Kinross SIMD Q1-5 Gap 22.9 20.1 20.719.5 16.5 18.0 27.9 23.6 16.5 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 1 or more passes at SCQF Level 5 (Leavers) Angus SIMD Q1-5 Gap Dundee SIMD Q1-5 Gap Perth & Kinross SIMD Q1-5 Gap Page 72 of 130
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Chart 4 – Proportion of school leavers achieving 1 or more pass at SCQF Level 6 (Insight) In 2022-23, the poverty-related attainment gap for school leavers achieving one or more passes at SCQF Level 6 increased by 5.7pp in Angus. The gap decreased by 3.6pp in Dundee, and by 5.8pp in Perth & Kinross. Data for 2023-24 will be available after the next update to Insight (the national senior phase benchmarking tool) in February 2025 Chart 5 – Proportion of 16-19 year olds participating in education, employment or training. In 2023-24, the poverty-related attainment gap for the annual participation measure decreased by 3.9pp in Angus, and 4pp in Dundee. The gap increased by 0.6pp in Perth & Kinross. 44.8 30.4 36.133.9 33.0 29.4 41.6 34.7 28.9 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 1 or more passes at SCQF Level 6 (Leavers) Angus SIMD Q1-5 Gap Dundee SIMD Q1-5 Gap Perth & Kinross SIMD Q1-5 Gap 7.5 13.1 12.0 8.1 11.5 11.8 12.5 8.5 9.8 7.3 13.7 14.3 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Annual Participation Measure (16-19 year olds) Angus SIMD Q1-5 Gap Dundee SIMD Q1-5 Gap Perth & Kinross SIMD Q1-5 Gap Page 73 of 130
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Proportion of school leavers achieving 5 plus awards at SCQF level 5 or higher (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Proportion of school leavers achieving 5 plus awards at SCQF level 6 or higher (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Proportion of school leavers from SIMD Q1 achieving 5 plus awards at SCQF level 5 or higher (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 5 Page 75 of 130
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0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Proportion of school leavers from SIMD Q1 achieving 5 plus awards at SCQF level 6 or higher (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 82% 83% 84% 85% 86% 87% 88% 89% 90% 91% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Proportion of school leavers achieving literacy and numeracy at SCQF level 4 or above (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 52% 54% 56% 58% 60% 62% 64% 66% 68% 70% 72% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Proportion of school leavers achieving literacy and numeracy at SCQF level 5 or above (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland Page 76 of 130
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89% 90% 91% 92% 93% 94% 95% 96% 97% 98% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Proportion of pupils entering positive destinations after leaving school (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Leavers' average total tariff SIMD Quintile 1 (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Leavers' average total tariff SIMD Quintile 2 (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland Page 77 of 130
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0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Leavers' average total tariff SIMD Quintile 3 (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Leavers' average total tariff SIMD Quintile 5 (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Leavers' average total tariff SIMD Quintile 4 (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland Page 78 of 130
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65% 70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Proportion of pupils who stay on from S4-S5 (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 2018-2020 2019-2021 2020-2022 2021-2023 2022-2024 Proportion of pupils who stay on from S4 to S6(increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 86% 87% 88% 89% 90% 91% 92% 93% 94% 95% 2016-17 2018-19 2020-21 2022-23 School attendance rate, overall (%) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland Page 79 of 130
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89% 90% 91% 92% 93% 94% 95% 96% 2016-17 2018-19 2020-21 2022-23 School attendance rate, primary (%) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 83% 84% 85% 86% 87% 88% 89% 90% 91% 92% 2016-17 2018-19 2020-21 2022-23 School attendance rate, secondary (%) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 2018-20 2019-21 2020-22 2021-23 Proportion of school leavers who are looked after achieving literacy and numeracy at SCQF level 4 or above Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland Page 80 of 130
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78% 80% 82% 84% 86% 88% 90% 92% 94% 96% 98% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 % of children and young people looked after in community settings Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Proportion of children with at least one developmental concern recorded at 27 - 30 months Child Health Review (reduce) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 2018-19 2019-2020 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Proportion of children with no speech, language and communication concerns identified at 27/30 months Child Health Review (increase) Angus Dundee Perth & Kinross Scotland Page 81 of 130
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Perth and Kinross Council Learning and Families Committee 29 January 2025 Future of The City of Perth Early Childhood Centre Report by Strategic Lead – Education and Learning (Report No. 25/18) 1. Purpose 1.1 To gain approval to initiate a formal statutory consultation process to form the basis of moving towards formal closure of the original site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC). 2. Recommendation 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee: • Considers the current Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) context and provision available to families within the North Perth ELC Community; • Reviews the information contained in the report, and within the Options Appraisal (Appendix 1), as to the reasons behind the seeking of approval for consultation to formally close the original site of CoPECC; • Agrees to the preferred option within the Options Appraisal to initiate the statutory consultation process to form the basis of moving towards formal closure of CoPECC and the continuation, on a permanent basis, of the service currently being provided within Goodlyburn Primary School; and • Requests the Strategic Lead – Education and Learning brings back a future report to this Committee to decide upon the future of CoPECC once the statutory consultation has been completed. 3. Structure of Report 3.1 This report is structured over the following sections: • Section 4: Background • Section 5: Proposals • Appendices 4. Background 4.1 The original standalone CoPECC in the ELC community of North Perth at McCallum Court was opened in 2002. It was registered with the Care Inspectorate to provide care to a maximum of 100 children, aged between two years old and those not yet attending primary school. 6 Page 83 of 130
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As well as ELC, the service provided family support and learning opportunities and was included within Perth and Kinross Council’s (PKC) planning for delivering the 1140 hours expansion of ELC to all eligible children. It became one of five Early Childhood Centres in Perth and Kinross offering year-round flexible childcare options to families. 4.2 The building was affected by floods in 2002 and 2010 for which insurance claims were made. In August 2020, due to extensive rainfall during thunderstorms, many areas across Perth and Kinross, including Perth city, were flooded, damaging over 225 buildings. CoPECC was one of these buildings and the centre was closed to families as a result and another insurance claim was made. Due to the extent of the flood damage to the building, the centre was temporarily decanted to the Perth Grammar School Community Wing where families were able to continue to access their children’s ELC places. 4.3 The site of the original CoPECC at McCallum Court flooded severely several times at substantial cost to insurers and PKC. Following the last flood in August 2020, the site was subsequently deemed as uninsurable, and as such, PKC is not able to develop this site with any permanent structure. In October 2021, due to significant vandalism at the building, it was agreed that the building would be demolished. 4.4 By April 2022, an interim arrangement was made by combining the current nursery at Goodlyburn Primary School with CoPECC to become Goodlyburn and CoPECC which is located within Goodlyburn Primary School and managed by the Centre Leader. This service continues to deliver ELC to 74 children at any one time, including two year olds, providing continuity of service for families in the community of North Perth and enabling all eligible children to access high quality ELC. 4.5 From the flooding in August 2020, all eligible children in the ELC Community of North Perth have been able to access their full 1140 hour ELC entitlement. Since the expansion took place in 2020, within North Perth, two further PKC Early Childhood Centres, five PKC nursery settings, four funded provider nursery settings and five childminders within the community have been established. 4.6 The CoPECC merger with Goodlyburn Primary School nursery has also supported the delivery of continued high-quality ELC provision within the North Perth community. In February 2024, the setting underwent inspection by the Care Inspectorate and achieved gradings of ‘Very Good’ under the Quality Indicators 1.1, 1.3, 3.1 and 4.3, and a ‘Good’ grading under Quality Indicator 2.2. The full Care Inspectorate inspection report for the Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre is available on their website. 4.7 CoPECC is successfully delivering ELC from its current site at Goodlyburn Primary School, and all families residing in the North Perth ELC Community can access their funded ELC place within the current capacity. 4.8 An Options Appraisal (Appendix 1) has determined that a standalone centre on the previous site at McCallum Court is no longer required. Page 84 of 130
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5. Proposal 5.1 It is proposed to initiate the necessary statutory consultation process to formalise the continuation of ELC delivery at the Goodlyburn Primary School location and close the CoPECC site at McCallum Court. 5.1.1 The continuation of the service within Goodlyburn Primary School and other ELC settings in the North Perth ELC Community provide all families access to funded ELC places and associated support and services. 5.2 The Corporate Asset Management Framework (Report No. 24/18 refers) sets out the Council’s approach to asset management and investment, and introduced the concept of the Asset Challenge as a key element of its methodology. This requires any decision on the use, maintenance and investment in any asset to be evidence based and in alignment with the Council’s corporate priorities and service delivery requirements, while recognising community need, climate change considerations and the overarching question of affordability. 5.3 Councils, as Education Authorities, have a statutory duty in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make adequate and efficient provision of school education across their entire area for the current school population and future patterns of demand. Councils also have a statutory responsibility in terms of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 to achieve best value. 5.4 It is important, in light of the significant investment and cost associated with the school estate, that it is managed in an efficient and effective manner, and that the priorities which are addressed meet the wider strategic objectives of the Council and the needs of our communities. 5.5 The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 compels local authorities to apply robust consultation procedures to all proposals for school closures (including nurseries). PKC is committed to providing stakeholders with reassurance that the consultation and decision-making process and procedures are fairly, fully and rigorously carried out. 5.6 It is proposed that a statutory consultation exercise takes place on a proposal to close the original site of CoPECC by May 2025, with agreement to formalise permanent delivery of the ELC from the site at Goodlyburn Primary School from January 2026. Author Name Designation Contact Details Bernadette Martin-Scott Service Manager, Early Years and Child Care FBSCommittee@pkc.gov.uk 01738 475000 Annie Carr Quality Improvement Officer, Early Years and Childcare Page 85 of 130
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Approved Name Designation Date David Macluskey Strategic Lead – Education and Learning 20 January 2025 Page 86 of 130
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Annex 1. Implications, Assessments, Consultation and Communication Strategic Implications Yes/None Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement Yes Corporate Plan Yes Resource Implications Financial None Workforce None Asset Management (land, property, IST) None Assessments Equality Impact Assessment None Strategic Environmental Assessment None Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) None Legal and Governance None Risk None Consultation Internal None External None Communication Communications Plan Yes 1. Strategic Implications Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement 1.1 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement in terms of the following priorities: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations. This report relates to Objective No. (i and ii). Corporate Plan 1.2 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the achievement of the Council’s Corporate Plan Objectives: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations. This report relates to Objective No. (i and ii). Page 87 of 130
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1.3 The report also links to the Education & Children’s Services Vision, Values and Priorities in respect of the following key Priority area: • Best Start 2. Resource Implications Financial 2.1 There are no financial implications applicable at this stage. Workforce 2.2 There are no workforce implications applicable at this stage. Asset Management (land, property, IT) 2.3 There are no asset management implications in this report. The site is not appropriate for a construction development by PKC. 3. Assessments 3.1 Under the Equality Act 2010, the Council is required to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between equality groups. Carrying out Equality Impact Assessments for plans and policies allows the Council to demonstrate that it is meeting these duties. *The Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) undertaken in relation to this report can be viewed by clicking here. 3.1.1 The proposals have been considered under the Corporate Equalities Impact Assessment process (EqIA) with the following outcome: (i) Assessed as relevant and actions taken to reduce or remove the following negative impacts: • Reduction in the offer of funded ELC places in North Perth. • Loss of ELC in immediate area surrounding McCallum Court. Strategic Environmental Assessment 3.2 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 places a duty on the Council to identify and assess the environmental consequences of its proposals. 3.2.1 The proposals have been considered under the Act; however, no further action is required as it does not qualify as a PPS as defined by the Act and is therefore exempt. Page 88 of 130
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Sustainability 3.3 Under the provisions of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, the Council has to discharge its duties in a way which contributes to the achievement of sustainable development. Under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 the Council also has a duty relating to climate change and, in exercising its functions must act: • In the way best calculated to delivery of the Act’s emissions reduction targets. • In the way best calculated to deliver any statutory adaption programmes. • In a way that it considers most sustainable. 3.3.1 This is not relevant for the purposes of this report. Legal and Governance 3.4 Legal and Governance Services have been consulted on proposals within this report. 3.5 Not applicable. Risk 3.6 No significant risks have been identified. 4. Consultation Internal 4.1 The report has been written in consultation with PKC colleagues in the Early Years team, Education and Learning Senior Management Team, Human Resources, Finance and Business Support, and Property. External 4.2 External Consultation has not taken place at this stage. 5. Communication 5.1 If approved, a formal consultation process will take place. 2. Background Papers 2.1 No background papers, as defined by Section 50D of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (and not containing confidential or exempt information) were relied on to a material extent in preparing the above report. 3. Appendices 3.1 Appendix 1 – Options Appraisal: Future of the City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) Page 89 of 130
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Education & Children’ Improving Lives Together Ambition Compassion Integrity Ed Future of the City of Perth Early Childhood Centre Options Appraisal Report Education & Learning Appendix 1 6 Page 91 of 130
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1. Introduction The Corporate Asset Management Framework (Report No. 24/18 refers) sets out the Council’s approach to asset management and investment, and introduced the concept of the Asset Challenge as a key element of its methodology. This requires any decision on the use, maintenance and investment in any asset to be evidence based and in alignment with the Council’s corporate priorities and service delivery requirements, while recognising community need, climate change considerations and the overarching question of affordability. It is important, in light of the significant investment and cost associated with the school estate, that it is managed in an efficient and effective manner, and that the priorities which are addressed meet the wider strategic objectives of the Council and the needs of our communities. 2. Background The original standalone City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) in the ELC community of North Perth at McCallum Court was opened in 2002. It was registered with the Care Inspectorate to provide care to a maximum of 100 children, aged between 2 years old and those not yet attending primary school. As well as ELC, the service provided family support and learning opportunities and was included within Perth and Kinross Council’s (PKC) planning for delivering the 1140 hours expansion to ELC to all eligible children. It became one of five Early Childhood Centres in Perth and Kinross offering year-round flexible childcare options to families. The building was affected by floods in 2002 and 2010 for which insurance claims were made. In August 2020, due to extensive rainfall during thunderstorms, many areas across Perth and Kinross, including Perth City, were flooded, damaging over 225 buildings. CoPECC was one of these buildings and the centre was closed to families as a result and another insurance claim was made. Due to the extent of the flood damage closing the building, the centre was temporarily decanted to Perth Grammar School Community Wing where families were able to continue to access their children’s ELC places. The site of the original CoPECC at McCallum Court flooded severely several times at substantial cost to insurers and PKC. Following the last flood in August 2020, the site has subsequently been deemed as uninsurable, and as such, PKC will not be able to develop this site with any permanent structure. In October 2021, due to significant vandalism in the building, it was agreed that the building would be demolished as soon as possible. As a result, CoPECC can no longer be located on this site. By April 2022, an interim arrangement was made by combining the current nursery at Goodlyburn Primary School with CoPECC to become Goodlyburn and CoPECC which was located within Goodlyburn Primary School and managed by the CoPECC Centre Leader. This service continues to deliver a full year 50-week Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) service to 74 children at any one time, including 2-year-olds, providing continuity of service for families in the community of North Perth and enabling all eligible children to access high quality ELC. All children who would have Page 92 of 130
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attended CoPECC on the original site can now access their funded ELC either at the new site or at an alternative provision of their choice in the community. Section 8 of this document provides further information on ELC availability and accessibility in the North Perth ELC Community. 3. Current Position This report is the options appraisal for the future of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) since the original site can no longer be used. This will be submitted to Lifelong Learning Committee of the Council which will determine whether any statutory consultation will proceed. After the damage caused by flooding in August 2020, all eligible children in the North Perth ELC Community have been able to access their full 1140-hour ELC entitlement in other settings. CoPECC is successfully delivering ELC from its current interim site at Goodlyburn Primary School, and all families residing in the North Perth ELC Community can access their funded ELC place within the current capacity. A two further PKC Early Childhood Centres, 5 PKC nursery settings, 5 funded provider nursery settings and 6 childminders within the community offer families funded places for ELC. Letham ECC was built as a new extension to Letham Primary School as part of the ELC expansion, and Riverside ECC is part of the newly built Riverside Primary School opened in June 2023. 4. Legislation Councils, as Education Authorities, have a statutory duty in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make adequate and efficient provision of school education across their entire area for the current school population and future pattern of demand. Councils also have a statutory responsibility in terms of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 to achieve best value. The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 requires local authorities to apply robust consultation procedures to all proposals for school closures (including nurseries). PKC is committed to providing stakeholders with reassurance that the consultation and decision-making process and procedures are fairly, fully and rigorously carried out. The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 amends the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000 by adding in new duties to address inequality of outcome. These duties apply in different ways to both Scottish Ministers and education authorities. Where the education authority is making or implementing strategic decisions about education, it is required to have due regard to the need to carry out its functions in a way which is designed to reduce inequalities of outcome. This is particularly directed in the Act towards children who experience those inequalities through socio-economic disadvantage. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 requires local authorities to provide all children of pre-school age access to 600 hours of ELC. Secondary legislation was passed in 2019 amending the 2014 Act, so that from 1 August 2020, the amount of funded ELC eligible children are entitled to increased to 1,140 hours a Page 93 of 130
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year. The local government settlement provides funding for local authorities to deliver funded ELC to all eligible children. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the funded ELC entitlement is available for all eligible children in their area. 5. Community Engagement (if any) It is proposed that a statutory consultation exercise takes place on a proposal to permanently close CoPECC at the site at McCallum Court and continue delivery of an ECC from Goodlyburn Primary School. Children will instead continue to access their ELC funded entitlement at this ECC or in the other available options in the community according to the preferences of parents/carers. 6. Location Since April 2022, Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre has been located within Goodlyburn Primary School in the area of North Perth. This location is 0.8 miles distance from the original site at McCallum Court. The primary school (p1-p7) has a capacity of 300, with a current roll as of September 2024 of 221 children. The school shares a site with Perth College UHI and is one of two schools within Perth and Kinross offering Gaelic Medium Education. The catchment of Goodlyburn PS includes the Fairfield community area, in which CoPECC was originally located, providing well-established links between the old and new sites. The school is situated within a residential area, but is well located for access to the conveniences of the city centre including Perth Royal Infirmary and Letham Hub. Socio Economic Factors CoPECC has historically served the communities of Tulloch, Goodlyburn and Balhousie, within the North Perth ELC Community. The wards of Perth City Centre and Perth City North are those estimated to have the highest levels of child poverty within Perth and Kinross (Briefing_Note_Poverty_Estimates_Perth_and_Kinross_2022_-_June_2023.pdf) CoPECC was originally the only ECC which served that community and provided an enhanced ELC offer before implementation of the 1140 Expansion to ELC in 2020. Following implementation of the expansion, two further ECCs serve the North Perth Community, and a further large nursery offering extended models of attendance is located at St John’s Academy as part of the North Inch Community Campus. All these settings have strong links with health and social care professionals and offer family learning opportunities and support. Resources such as full-time nursery teachers and full-time Early Years Family Learning Practitioners have been allocated in recognition of the community context and to support positive outcomes. 7. Development / Housebuilding Page 94 of 130
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Recent housebuilding has taken place at Huntingtower, located off the A95, approximately 1.4 miles from Goodlyburn Primary School. The site offers a range of 3, 4, and 5 bedroom homes and is located within the school catchment area of Ruthvenfield Primary School. Ruthvenfield PS continues to have enough capacity to mitigate any increase in demand caused by this housebuilding project. Future projections for Goodlyburn Primary School intake also remain steady indicating that the housebuilding at Huntingtower will have little impact on uptake: Current Roll – 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2028/29 219 222 219 210 Continued development and housebuilding at Bertha Park is ongoing. This new housing development will eventually include 3000 new homes with 25% offered as affordable housing. Bertha Park High School opened in 2019 and has mitigated the increase in demand for secondary spaces. Future plans for a new primary school and ELC setting located at Bertha Park have been approved by the Learning & Families Committee as part of the School Estate Transformation programme to mitigate the projected increase in demand for places (Report No. 22/265) and no impact on Goodlyburn PS or on the ELC estate was noted under these analyses. 8. The School within the Community Early Childhood Centre’s (ECC) have been established in areas of deprivation & provide extended support for more vulnerable families. They offer an extended model of provision from 0800-1800 hrs over 50 weeks. They also contribute to the delivery of parenting interventions and family learning. ECC’s work with local partners and provide opportunities for workforce development and providing a model of high quality ELC. Following the ELC expansion, there are two other EECs serving the North Perth ELC Community: Letham and Riverside. Like Goodlyburn & CoPECC, these centres deliver ELC 50 weeks a year and are supported by full-time nursery teachers, Early Years Family Learning Practitioners (EYFLPs) and link to Health Visitors and Social Workers. All ECCs also offer Strong Start places for two-year-olds, and Letham has recently undergone a service redesign whereby it now offers wrap around care (WAC) for children aged three and older before and after school and throughout all school holidays providing further flexibility for working families. CoPECC is successfully delivering ELC from its current site at Goodlyburn Primary School, and all families residing in the North Perth ELC Community can access their funded ELC place within the current capacity at the range of ELC settings offering funded places. There is additional flexibility to expand the capacity within North Perth by offering additional ELC places at Letham ECC should demand increase. The continued delivery of an enhanced offer of an ECC to serve the North Perth community which has the highest levels of deprivation across Perth and Kinross is Page 95 of 130
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now well-established at the Goodlyburn PS site. The three ECCs in North Perth – Goodlyburn & CoPECC, Letham ECC and Riverside ECC – provide critical services and support to the children and families of North Perth and are located in response to the recognised level of deprivation within this community. Other large nurseries in the community include Tulloch PS Nursery and St John’s Academy Nursery and are supported by nursery teachers and EYFLPs and link to Health Visiting and Social Work teams. These nurseries also offer Strong Start places. At its current site at Goodlyburn PS, Goodlyburn & CoPECC currently operates from three different playrooms and also accesses a family room, quiet space and office. A large outdoor area underwent investment as part of the 1140 ELC Expansion and the children also access a purpose-built outdoor classroom. The majority of children attending CoPECC at its previous site at McCallum Court resided in the Goodlyburn, Tulloch & Balhousie catchments. Since the site closed due to the flood damage, a new ECC has opened at Riverside Primary School. Along with large nurseries at St John’s RC Academy and Tulloch Primary School, as well as a number of Private/Voluntary/Not for Profit ELC settings and childminders, all children in these communities have access to funded ELC places. At the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School, Goodlyburn & CoPECC continues to deliver high quality ELC primarily to children residing in the surrounding areas of Tulloch, Letham and Goodlyburn. A small number of parents and carers residing in communities out with the local area, such as Scone and Crieff, are choosing to access funded ELC for their children at Goodlyburn & CoPECC possibly due to the setting’s proximity to their place of work in the city, or their study at Perth College UHI. The current service delivers ELC to 74 children at any one time, including 2-year- olds. Please note that due to the variety of attendance patterns that can be accessed, there can be more than 74 children on the register at any one time. The following table demonstrates uptake over the previous two years: Session Number of Children Spaces Remaining 2024/25 71 8 2023/24 69 10 In local authority settings serving the North Perth ELC Community uptake is as follows: Setting Care Inspectorate Registered Capacity Total Number of Children accessing ELC session 2023/2024 Total Number of Children accessing ELC session 2024/2025 Spaces Remaining session 2024/2025 Page 96 of 130
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Goodlyburn and CoPECC 74 69 71 8 Letham ECC 116 81 87 15 Riverside ECC 82 71 90 6 St John’s Nursery 85 91 88 11 St Ninian’s Nursery 24 16 24 1 Tulloch Nursery 66 59 67 3 Our Lady’s Nursery 30 30 29 5 Methven Nursery 40 43 47 0 Total 517 460 503 49 The different attendance models of ELC provide further flexibility and accessibility to a larger number of children than implied by the Care Inspectorate Registered Capacity. In addition to the above, there are four further funded provider nurseries and five childminder settings delivering funded places in the North Perth Community. These settings work in partnership with the council to deliver high-quality funded ELC. The data in the table accounts for all applications received for session 2024/25 for intakes at August, January and April and includes those children who have deferred entry to primary one and are accessing an additional year of ELC and two year olds accessing Strong Start places. 9. Building Information / suitability In July 2010 the original CoPECC building suffered major flooding. Insurance settlement for the building refurbishment along with the costs for the displacement of the pupils during the rebuild and contents was £735k and was on a like for like basis. PKC installed flood preventative measures in the building to minimising risk of future flooding as part of reinstatement works. No further measures were possible at that time as all options had been implemented, yet some risk remained. The estimated building damage from the flooding in August 2020 was estimated at approx. £575k. No building work was undertaken and there was further damp and Page 97 of 130
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deterioration which was not covered by insurance. In addition, the insurance excess would have increased to around £1m for future claims due to the ongoing likelihood of repeated damage, leaving it, in effect, uninsurable. Property Services and the flooding team within the Council advised that there were no definitive control measures that could be put in place to avoid this risk. As a result of the continued risk and costs, the building was demolished. 10. Financial Information The cost of a new building or extension would be significant. As the site where the ECC was previously located has been deemed unusable, the purchasing of new land would also be required. 11. Options for Consideration The following options are considered for the future of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre: • Option One - Initiate the statutory consultation process to form the basis of moving towards formal closure of CoPECC and the continuation on a permanent basis of the ECC service currently provided within Goodlyburn Primary School. • Option Two - Consider building a new standalone building to house CoPECC or build an extension to the current Goodlyburn PS building to support delivery of the ECC. • Option Three – The ECC is fully closed and the site at Goodlyburn PS reverts back to a nursery setting offering standard 45-week attendance models. The two other ECCs in the North Perth ELC Community would continue delivery of an enhanced service. 11.1 Assessment of Option One The ECC can continue to exist within its current location within Goodlyburn Primary school and the North Perth ELC community, minimising any risk of reduced access to high-quality ELC delivery to families and the community. Current staff positions will remain, minimising risk to jobs and there will be the continued delivery of a third ECC within North Perth, one of the most deprived communities in the authority. All costs incurred from moving the Centre to its current site at Goodlyburn PS have already been consumed within previous ELC budgets so cost-savings can be made and no additional costs incurred. Although the relocation of CoPECC to Goodlyburn PS was originally planned to be temporary until a permanent solution was found, the changes have been positive and less disruptive than anticipated. ELC delivery remains high-quality and all children within North Perth have been able to access their full 1140 funded entitlement since the closure of the original CoPECC building in 2022. Sections 7 and 8 of this report indicate that there is not any anticipated increase in demand for ELC places based on current data, and that there is some flexibility to increase places at Letham ECC if required. Page 98 of 130
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As Goodlyburn & CoPECC is open 50 weeks per year, there is the opportunity for additional sessions of ELC to be offered to those children and families in the community who would benefit most from continued engagement and access to high- quality learning opportunities as part of PKC’s Support for Children and Families Process. The Centre Leader monitors children and families who require additional support and engagement within the setting and offers ELC sessions throughout the school holidays. Goodlyburn & CoPECC also accepts holiday referrals for children attending ELC settings in the North Perth area who close during school holidays, to promote engagement, reduce risk, and allow for continued access to high-quality learning opportunities for families in the community who will benefit most from the offer. 11.2 Assessment of Option Two CoPECC can continue to exist and support the North Perth Community within a fit for purpose building or extension to Goodlyburn PS. This would provide children with high-quality spaces designed for modern ELC delivery. If a standalone option is progressed, the setting at Goodlyburn PS would revert back to a nursery. However, this option will be considered to go against Asset Challenge methodology with evidence provided above showing that a new building or extension is excessive to the needs of the service. Goodlyburn & CoPECC provides the full operational delivery of an ECC within its current site, providing this essential service within the North Perth ELC Community. Should plans for building of a standalone building or extension take place, it would likely be at least 2026 before building works would be ready to commence. Estimated costs, including an estimate of inflation to that period, are £5,635,468 for the standalone option and £5,444,920 for the extension. The standalone is estimated to be 650m2 and the extension 622m2; however, plans for these options were never finalised and further changes could see the costs increase further. 11.3 Assessment of Option Three The ECC is permanently closed to allow the site at Goodlyburn PS to revert to a nursery setting offering 45-week attendance models. Continued delivery of funded ELC sessions on site and within the community will minimise risk to families and community and two further ECCs at Letham PS and Riverside PS will also continue to deliver the enhanced services attributed to these services within the North Perth ELC Community. However, this option will lead to a reduction in the provision of an ECC within the North Perth community and across Perth and Kinross ELC. Goodlyburn & CoPECC currently serves one of the communities in Perth and Kinross which is most likely to benefit from the enhanced services offered by an ECC. A reduction to a 45-week nursery model will also provide fewer childcare options to families in the community. There is a potential risk to jobs should the reversion to a nursery lead to a change to management structure, ELC spaces offered, and number of weeks the service is open annually. Page 99 of 130
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12. Analysis of Preferred Option Option One is the preferred option. The merger between CoPECC and Goodlyburn has been successful, and the service is well-led by the Centre Leader. The site provides a variety of spaces to support delivery and its proximity to Perth College UHI and the city centre supports parents and carers opportunities to access employment and higher education. Maintaining a third ECC within North Perth allows PKC’s Education and Learning Service to maintain its vision of providing the best start to all children, promoting inclusion within disenfranchised communities, and providing the right support at the right time to get it right for every child and family. As an ECC, the site delivers year-round childcare options providing flexibility for parents and carers and also maximising ELC capacity, allowing PKC to fulfil its statutory duty to provide access to 1140 hours of funded ELC to all eligible children. Closure of the original CoPECC building at McCallum Court has not impacted upon the ability of children in North Perth to access their funded ELC places since 2022. The delivery of an enhanced ECC model has been retained within the North Perth Community. There is capacity to absorb some further increases in demand within North Perth ELC settings. The Nursery at Perth College UHI permanently closed in June 2024 and the children affected were offered alternative ELC provision within the local authority, further demonstrating the stability of the current context. The merger with Goodlyburn Nursery is currently temporary; however, delivery of the ECC service at Goodlyburn PS provides a large well-maintained outdoor space at its current site and has easy access to further green spaces within the College grounds. The Centre Leader has led ongoing development of the children’s experiences and spaces in the setting, both indoors and outdoors, and the environment was graded as Good by the Care Inspectorate during inspection in February 2024. Investment in the outdoor space, including the building of an outdoor classroom has taken place to support children’s access to high-quality experiences and spaces. Should this option be approved, the title of the ECC will also be put to consultation to formalise the merger and provide finality. 13. Community Impact Risk to the community is low and no impact is envisioned. Goodlyburn Primary School is located 0.8 miles from the original COPECC site and serves mostly the same communities. The North Perth ELC Community will continue to be served by three ECC services, as well as the myriad of other ELC choice. This range of options and targeting of ECC services serves the North Perth community well and allows allocation of resources within one of Perth and Kinross’ most deprived communities. 14. Impact on Travel Arrangements There are a range of funded provider ELC and childminder settings across the North Perth ELC community which enable parents and carers to access the setting of their choice. Unlike schools, ELC settings do not have catchment areas. The Statutory Page 100 of 130
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ELC Consultation 2023/24 found that respondents with a child accessing ELC listed “accessing the ELC setting closest to their home” as the most important factor when making their choice (81%). Therefore, travel arrangements are unlikely to be impacted as Goodlyburn & CoPECC continues to be situated close by on the Goodlyburn site, serving the same local communities. As ELC settings do not have catchments areas like schools do, other ELC options which may be situated closer to a parent’s home address are open to families and allow them choice. As the ECC continues to operate within North Perth, an area discussed earlier as one experiencing deprivation, there is no socio-economic impact identified as the service still exists and is available within the community. 15. Educational Benefits Statement The CoPECC merger with Goodlyburn Primary School nursery has supported the delivery of continued high-quality provision within the North Perth community. In February 2024, the setting underwent inspection by the Care Inspectorate and achieved gradings of ‘Very Good’ under Quality Indicators 1.1 & 1.3, 3.1 and 4.3 and ‘Good’ under Quality Indicator 2.2. The full Care Inspectorate inspection report for the Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre is available on their website. Children’s wellbeing continues to be a priority within the setting as highlighted within the inspection report: “Children were nurtured as they experienced caring, responsive, and compassionate interactions which supported their wellbeing. Children's wellbeing was effectively supported through personal planning which was reviewed regularly with families and children. Staff knew children well and were aware of their individual needs. When required, staff worked closely with other professionals. They were skilled at recognising where children may benefit from additional interventions. This was managed sensitively to ensure children received the support that was right for them in a timely manner. This ensured children were supported to achieve their full potential (p.4).” This is an educational benefit to the children attending the ECC as their individual needs are met responsively and their wellbeing is prioritised. When children feel safe, secure and nurtured, they are more likely to engage in learning experiences and have a good basis for continued development. Goodlyburn & CoPECC was also recognised for the support given to families tailored to the needs and context of the local community: “A key strength of the setting was the proactive and positive relationships developed with families and other professionals to ensure each child's needs were fully met. Partnership working was highly effective, as staff recognised the importance of engaging with children and their families at the earliest possible stage. Ongoing opportunities such as Peep learning together sessions provided rich, meaningful experiences for families to engage in. This contributed to supporting the holistic needs of each child and their family to improve their wellbeing (p.4).” Strong partnerships with parents and carers in the early years build a robust foundation for parental engagement and involvement throughout the rest of a child’s educational journey throughout school, providing well- founded educational benefits. Page 101 of 130
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Children’s continued learning and development was also highlighted as high-quality practice: “Staff had high aspirations to enable children to be successful. Children's voice was valued, and they were empowered to lead their own play and learning. As a result, children were confident, happy and motivated to learn. Effective questioning provided opportunities to widen children's thinking skills and consolidated their learning through play experiences. This supported children to achieve their potential” (p.4). It is one of the key priorities for PKC’s Education and Learning service that all children are provided with the best start. When children are provided with high- quality ELC opportunities, they are able to progress well towards meeting their developmental milestones and towards the Curriculum for Excellence benchmarks. The educational benefit of the ECC provision is allowing children to learn and progress at an early age supporting prolonged engagement and attainment as they move into school. The learning that children currently experience at the Goodlyburn site is enhanced by weekly visits to Westbank ELC outdoor learning site. This project works to provide better outcomes for nursery aged children living in the most deprived areas of Perth and Kinross by combating limited access to the outdoors, an inequity of particular note in a local authority with such contrasting geographical locations impacting children’s access to learning in the outdoors. Limited access to learning outdoors is identified as a contributing factor leading to the opening of the attainment gap whilst access to high quality outdoor learning is research backed to serve as a tool to close this gap. The impact on children at Goodlyburn & CoPECC from accessing Westbank include making more outdoor play choices and engaging in a greater range of physical activity both at the project site and in the context of their own environment at the setting. In addition, there has been increased capacity in identified children to regulate their emotions on site thus enhancing opportunities for play and learning, and increased engagement from families since the launch of the project with family members invited to remain on site to play alongside their child. Realising the Ambition, Scotland’s National Framework for the Early Years, attests that the Golden Thread of ELC provision in Scotland is Quality. Research has shown that children from disadvantaged backgrounds, can benefit from improved educational and wellbeing outcomes by accessing world class early years education. The key element of providing high quality ELC, is a workforce that is professional, knowledgeable and skilled to deliver rich daily experiences and interactions. The staff team at Goodlyburn & CoPECC is made up of a number of Early Years Practitioners each assigned a group of key children with which to build positive relationships and plan for high quality learning experiences based on the child’s needs, interests and stage of development. The practitioners are led by a well- experienced management team comprised of the Centre Leader, a Principal ECP and two Senior ECPs. The learning and teaching are enhanced through a full-time nursery teacher leading a learn through play pedagogy. In addition, the setting has 1.5 FTE Pupil Support Assistants to provide additionality to support all children to reach their potential and 1.5 FTE Early Years Family Learning Practitioners who Page 102 of 130
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deliver family learning opportunities on-site and provide individual family support as needed. Within the site at Goodlyburn PS, the spaces now used for the delivery of ELC include the former nursery space, an unutilised classroom, and the Nurture base which was moved to a new location within the school. Some offices and other storage spaces were also given to the Centre staff within the building, allowing operations to proceed without a huge impact to the children or staff. The benefit to the school staff and children has enhanced by close partnership working with the primary one teacher to support successful ELC to school transitions. The school roll has remained consistent and not impacted by the increase of ELC spaces, and the additional provision in the school such as the Nurture approach and the Gaelic Medium Education offer are still available and accessible within this location, providing educational benefits to the children who access and benefit from these at all stages. There has been no impact on other users of the school premises that has been made apparent throughout the time Goodlyburn & CoPECC has been operational on the Goodlyburn site. The creation of a wraparound care service at Letham ECC since January 2024 has provided a new holiday childcare service within the North Perth Community which families attending Goodlyburn PS can access. This benefits parents who work or study, or provide options to those who would like to. This aligns with the Scottish Government’s key strategy to reduce child poverty by helping families at risk of poverty into work (Child poverty - Poverty and social justice - gov.scot). Reducing child poverty is also envisioned to provide educational benefits including narrowing of the attainment gap. As stated above, current birth rate patterns do not indicate that the continued delivery of an ECC from Goodlyburn PS will impact future pupils. 16. Financial Impact All costs incurred to support the move from the previous CoPECC building at MacCallum Court to relocation within Goodlyburn Primary School have already been consumed within previous ELC budgets, so no financial impact is envisioned. 17. Environmental Impact No environmental impact is envisioned. 18. Proposed Timeline The proposed timeline for Option One is as follows: Event Completed By Committee Approval January 2025 Formal Consultation May 2025 Consultation Evaluation June 2025 Consultation Report Published July 2025 Committee Decision on Future of CoPECC October 2025 Page 103 of 130
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Implementation of Decision January 2026 19. Conclusion Since the original CoPECC building was damaged by flooding in 2020 and deemed uninsurable due to ongoing high-risk factors, the service has successfully transitioned to deliver high-quality ELC as part of a temporary merger with Goodlyburn Primary School Nursery Class. The continuation of the service within Goodlyburn Primary School and other ELC settings in the North Perth ELC Community provide all families access to funded ELC places and associated support and services. Current local and national financial context requires any decision on the use, maintenance and investment in any asset to be evidence based and in alignment with the Council’s corporate priorities and service delivery requirements. As a result, it is recommended that a statutory consultation exercise takes place on a proposal to permanently close CoPECC at the site at McCallum Court and continue delivery of an ECC from Goodlyburn Primary School to formalise and make permanent the current operation. Page 104 of 130
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Perth and Kinross Council Learning and Families Committee 29 January 2025 Additional Support Needs Special Education Provision (Primary and Secondary Schools) - Options Appraisal Report by Strategic Lead – Education and Learning (Report No. 25/19) 1. Purpose 1.1 This report requests that the Learning and Families Committee considers options to improve and increase intensive-level education for children and young people with complex additional support needs (ASN) in all Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) school localities. 1.2 If the recommended option is supported, it would be implemented over three phases. Phase 1 involves the development of new Intensive Support Provisions (ISPs) in Kinross High School, Perth High School and a primary school in the Perth Academy catchment area. All three new ISPs will require that a statutory consultation be undertaken to permanently establish a new stage of education within the schools. Work is ongoing to identify a suitable primary school for a new ISP within the Perth Academy catchment area. A further report in relation to this, will be brought to the Learning and Families Committee on 2 April 2025. 1.3 Phase 2 and Phase 3 will involve the development of new ISPs in an additional five schools. Reports seeking agreement for statutory consultations to be undertaken, in relation to the proposals for Phase 2 and Phase 3 schools, will be brought to future meetings of the Learning and Families Committee in due course. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee: • Considers the options outlined in the Options Appraisal (Appendix 1) to increase provision of locally available ISP placements for children and young people with complex and multiple ASN in PKC schools; • Agrees to progress with the recommended Option 3 (Appendix 1); • Agrees to progress Phase 1 of Option 3 to establish new ISPs in one primary school and two secondary schools; • Requests the Strategic Lead (Education and Learning) to prepare and publish proposal papers to establish ISPs as new stages of education in Kinross High School and Perth High School, in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010; 7 Page 105 of 130
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• Requests the Strategic Lead (Education and Learning) to formally consult the appropriate bodies and persons on the terms of the proposal papers, in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010; • Delegates authority to the Strategic Lead (Education and Learning) to investigate and manage any alleged omissions or inaccuracies during the consultation process and to take appropriate action in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010; • Requests the Strategic Lead (Education and Learning) to prepare a report on the results of the Statutory Consultations and report back on the outcome of these consultations at a future meeting of the Learning and Families Committee in due course; and • Requests the Strategic Lead (Education and Learning) brings a further report to the Learning and Families Committee on 2 April 2025 in relation to identification of a primary school within the Perth Academy catchment area, within which, a new ISP can be accommodated. 3. Structure of Report 3.1 This report is structured over the following sections: • Section 4: Background/Main Issues • Section 5: Options for Consideration • Section 6: Statutory Consultation Process • Appendices 4. Background/Main Issues 4.1 PKC, as an Education Authority, has a statutory duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make adequate and efficient provision of school education across its entire area for the current school population and future pattern of demand. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 places duties on PKC to provide additional support to enable children and young people to benefit from their education. 4.2 The ASN Transformation Programme aims to significantly improve educational experiences provided for children and young people with ASN in Perth and Kinross. The programme's vision is to help these children thrive, gain independence, and lead fulfilling lives by ensuring that they can access the best possible learning environment and support whilst in PKC Early Learning and Childcare settings or schools. 4.3 In Perth and Kinross, and across Scotland, there is a rising number of children and young people with ASN. Data collected in September 2024 identified that 39% of children and young people in PKC schools have ASN, reflecting a notable increase over recent years. Within this overall identified percentage, it is evident that there is also a rise in the number of children and young people with complex and multiple needs. Page 106 of 130
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4.4 There are currently fifteen ISPs distributed across nine primary schools (six secondary catchment localities) and six secondary schools for children with complex or multiple needs who are unable to benefit from mainstream education. Together, these ISPs provide special education for 300 children and young people aged 5 to 18 years old. Several of the ISPs are currently at capacity or over-capacity. 4.5 A feasibility study considered the rise in complex and multiple ASN and the availability of ISP placements. This highlighted the current capacity issues; inequity of opportunity and an associated transport budget overspend. It emphasised the need for expansion and better geographical distribution of ISPs to improve the experience of children, young people and families, reduce travel costs and the demand for independent special school placements. 4.6 This report presents options that can be implemented to address the areas identified as requiring improvement. The proposal will increase capacity in localities, reduce travel distances and the associated costs, and improve the educational experience of children, young people and their families. 5. Options for Consideration 5.1 Options have been explored to address the increasing requirement for ISP placements for children and young people with ASN. Consideration of each option is detailed in Appendix 1. A summary of the options are as follows: • Option 1: Maintain existing ISP provision. • Option 2: Establish additional ISPs by redistributing existing resource to provide some specialist education to almost all secondary schools and their primary catchments. • Option 3: Establish additional ISPs through new Scottish Government funding and the redistribution of resource to increase placement capacity, extending availability of specialist education to almost all secondary schools and their primary catchments. 5.2 The recommended option is Option 3, which will involve establishing additional ISPs to provide sufficient placements for the current and projected number of children and young people with complex or multiple ASN who require intensive-level (special) education close to their home locality. 5.3 This will require the development of eight additional ISPs over the next four-year period. Development of each ISP will require careful consideration to ensure that the proposed school will have capacity and accommodation that can be suitably adapted to meet the ASN of the children and young people placed there and that there is no detrimental impact on the wider school population. 5.4 There will require to be a Statutory Consultation undertaken for each new ISP (see Section 6 below) as developing a new permanent ISP constitutes establishment of a new stage of education within schools which do not Page 107 of 130
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currently have an ISP. This is a relevant proposal under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 requiring a statutory consultation to be undertaken. 5.5 Phase 1 of Option 3 will be completed in academic year 2025/26. It is proposed a Statutory Consultation is completed on a proposal to permanently establish new ISPs by January 2026 in two secondary schools, Perth High School and Kinross High School. At the same time, further assessment of the school estate will be undertaken to identify a suitable school to accommodate an ISP in a primary school within the catchment area of Perth Academy. It is proposed that the outcome of that assessment is brought forward to the Learning and Families Committee on 2 April 2025 with a request to undertake a Statutory Consultation on this option. 5.6 Phase 2 of Option 3 will involve assessment of the school estate to consider options to incorporate a new ISP in the Community School of Auchterarder secondary school and also an ISP in one of its catchment primary schools; and in St Johns (RC) Academy and also an ISP in one of its catchment primary schools. 5.7 Phase 3 of Option 3 will involve developing a new ISP for primary aged children in the Kinross High School catchment area. 6. Statutory Consultation Process 6.1 The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 places duties on Education Authorities to provide additional support to enable children and young people to benefit from their education. Education Authorities have a statutory duty in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make adequate and efficient provision for school education across their area. This duty applies in respect of both the current school population and anticipated pattern of demand. In addition, Councils have a statutory duty to secure best value in terms of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003. 6.2 If Option 3 is agreed, the proposal to establish ISPs at Perth High School and Kinross High School will be progressed through formal consultation of the appropriate bodies and persons on the terms of the proposal paper for each school, all in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. Authors Name Designation Contact Details Fiona Mackay Service Manager, Inclusion FBSCommittee@pkc.gov.uk 01738 475000 Sarah Stephen Quality Improvement Officer, Inclusion Page 108 of 130
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Approved Name Designation Date David Macluskey Strategic Lead – Education and Learning 20 January 2025 Page 109 of 130
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Annex 1. Implications, Assessments, Consultation and Communication Strategic Implications Yes/None Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement Yes Corporate Plan Yes Resource Implications Financial Yes Workforce Yes Asset Management (land, property, IST) No Assessments Equality Impact Assessment Yes Strategic Environmental Assessment No Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) Yes Legal and Governance Yes Risk No Consultation Internal Yes External Yes Communication Communications Plan Yes 1. Strategic Implications Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement 1.1 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement in terms of the following priorities: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations. This report relates to Objective No. (ii). Corporate Plan 1.2 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the achievement of the Council’s Corporate Plan Objectives: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations. This report relates to Objective No. (ii). Page 110 of 130
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1.3 The report also links to the Education and Learning; and the Children, Families and Justice Services Vision, Values and Priorities in respect of the following key Priority area: • Learning and Achievement 2. Resource Implications Financial 2.1.1 The revenue cost of the current scope, of the overall project, has been estimated at £98,658. 2.1.2 The revenue costs associated with the implementation of the recommended option primarily relates to staffing and are set out in Appendix 1. Teaching costs will be met from within the current Education and Learning budgets. Additional support staff costs will be funded from Scottish Government funding for ASN. It is anticipated that the roll out of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the recommended option will reduce the need for independent school placements, and it is proposed that this reduction will fund the staffing required for Phase 3. 2.1.3 Capital construction work will be required to support the development of the proposed ISP environments and will require budget funds to support the adaptations to create appropriate learning environments. Detailed costings to support completion of the work required in Phase 1 are being developed and will be reported to a future Learning and Families Committee prior to being formally asked to make any final decisions following the statutory consultation. 2.1.4 Any resource implications arising from the statutory consultation are likely to relate primarily to staff time and will therefore be contained within the Education and Learning revenue budget. 2.1.5 The Strategic Lead – Finance and Business Support has been consulted on the proposals within the report. Workforce 2.2 As a result of this report, there will be workforce implications in terms of resourcing any statutory consultation for several teams across Council services which include Business Support, Finance, Property, Human Resources and Legal Services. As part of the statutory consultation, there is a requirement to consult with staff affected by the proposal. Asset Management (land, property, IT) 2.3 N/A. Page 111 of 130
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3. Assessments Equality Impact Assessment 3.1 Under the Equality Act 2010, the Council is required to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between equality groups. Carrying out Equality Impact Assessments for plans and policies allows the Council to demonstrate that it is meeting these duties. 3.1.1 The proposals have been considered under the Corporate Equalities Impact Assessment process (EqIA) with the following outcome: • Assessed as relevant and actions taken to reduce or remove the following negative impacts: • An Equality and Fairness Impact Assessment and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Assessment will be undertaken as part of the statutory consultation process. Strategic Environmental Assessment 3.2 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 places a duty on the Council to identify and assess the environmental consequences of its proposals. 3.2.1 The proposals have been considered under the Act: however, no further action is required as it does not qualify as a PPS as defined by the Act and is therefore exempt. Sustainability 3.3 Under the provisions of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, the Council has to discharge its duties in a way which contributes to the achievement of sustainable development. Under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 the Council also has a duty relating to climate change and, in exercising its functions must act: • In the way best calculated to delivery of the Act’s emissions reduction targets. • In the way best calculated to deliver any statutory adaption programmes. • In a way that it considers most sustainable. 3.3.1 This report seeks to reduce emissions by establishing ISPs in the local communities of children and young people allocated a placement, which will reduce the number of miles they require to be transported to and from school. Legal and Governance 3.4.1 Councils, as Education Authorities, have a statutory duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make adequate and efficient provision of school education across their entire area for the current school population and future Page 112 of 130
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pattern of demand. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 places duties on Education Authorities to provide additional support to enable children and young people to benefit from their education. 3.4.2 Establishing a new permanent ISP would be considered to be a new stage of education within a school. This requires a statutory consultation in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 which sets out a comprehensive framework for this consultation process. The consultation exercises required will be undertaken in accordance with the 2010 Act. 3.4.3 Legal Services has been fully consulted in relation to this report and the proposed consultation exercise. 3.5 Not applicable. Risk 3.6 Risks associated with delivery of this workstream of the ASN Transformation Programme are included and monitored in the programme’s risk profile. 4. Consultation Internal 4.1 The Strategic Leads for Legal and Governance, Finance and Business Support, and Services for Children, Families and Justice and key officers in Legal, Business Support, Property Services and Finance have been consulted in the preparation of this report. Headteachers, directly related to Option 3, have also been consulted. 4.2 School staff will be involved in the statutory consultations undertaken. External 4.3 The statutory consultation exercise to be undertaken in respect of this proposal will consult with all statutory stakeholders. 4.4 Informal consultation with stakeholders has already been undertaken through ASN Transformation Programme exercises. 5. Communication 5.1 A communications plan will be prepared and implemented to support each statutory consultation exercise. Page 113 of 130
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2. Background Papers 2.1 No background papers, as defined by Section 50D of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (and not containing confidential or exempt information) were relied on to a material extent in preparing the above report. 3. Appendices 3.1 Appendix 1 - Development of Intensive Support Provisions - Options Appraisal Page 114 of 130
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1 Appendix 1 Development of Intensive Support Provisions – Options Appraisal 1. Introduction The Additional Support Needs (ASN) Transformation Programme aims to significantly improve the educational experience for children and young people with additional support needs in Perth and Kinross. The programme's vision is to help these children thrive, gain independence, and lead fulfilling lives by ensuring they can access the best possible learning environment and support whilst in Perth and Kinross Council Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings or schools. Nationally and locally, there are a rising number of children and young people with ASN, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Social, Emotional & Behavioural Needs (SEBN), and other complex needs. The Pupil Census 2024 data reported 6,973 P1 – S6 pupils with ASN, representing 39% of the total number of pupils, up from 35% in 2023. Within these figures it is also the case that there is a rise in the complexity and level of need. To meet these growing needs, the programme is structured around four key workstreams: People, Policy, Partnerships, and Place. By delivering improvement in each of these areas, Education and Learning will transform the education offer for children and young people with additional support needs and, in turn, the education offer to all children. This paper supports delivery of the Place workstream and considers the need to establish additional Intensive Support Provisions (ISPs) to enable children and young people with complex and multiple additional support needs to be able to access the education they require within or close to their own community. The placement of children and young people in ISPs close to their own communities will reduce travel distances for children accessing ISPs. A recent feasibility study has highlighted the current capacity issues, inequity of opportunity and transport budget overspend. The study emphasised the need for expansion and better geographical distribution of ISPs to reduce travel costs, improve the experience of children, young people and families and reduce demand for independent special school placements. There is other related activity underway to improve and standardise existing ISP environments and review the ISP staffing model to ensure it is able to effectively meet the increasingly complex needs of children now accessing ISPs. 2. Background There has been a significant increase in the number of children and young people with complex and multiple ASN over recent years. The Staged Intervention Framework for ELC settings and schools, with realignment of resource established a structure of enhanced support to enable more children and young people with complex needs to be able to access their right to a mainstream education (Presumption of mainstream). 7 Page 115 of 130
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2 The availability of enhanced support has positively impacted children by placing them in the most suitable environment for their needs and has reduced the number of children escalating to intensive-level education. This enhanced support is not a replacement for ISP placements, which are still necessary for children with complex and multiple needs who are unable to benefit from mainstream education. However, sustainable investment in enhanced support is necessary as without it an increased number of children will require ISP placements. Support at this enhanced level typically includes targeted Pupil Support Assistant (PSA) support and Outreach Teacher intervention. Temporary additional funding provided in 2024/25 enabled the addition of Early Childhood Practitioner (ECP) and Play Assistant support to augment the enhanced support teams. These supports have enabled mainstream schools and class teachers to adapt to successfully included children with needs at this level in their local mainstream schools. There has also been an increase in the number of children and young people who experience significant sensory overload in mainstream environments but are able to access a mainstream curriculum. There are difficulties in reducing the stimulus in busy school environments to provide the low-arousal environments needed by these children and young people. This has led to an increase in levels of emotional-based absence, particularly for young people in the secondary sector, and demand for ISP and independent special school placements, which creates pressure in the overall system. To begin to address this level of need, a class with a low-stimulus environment was established in Coupar Angus Primary School ISP in August 2024 to support up to six primary-aged children identified as requiring an alternative to their mainstream setting. Related to this is an increase in parental placing requests for independent special schools and ASN Tribunals if placing requests are refused. The increased number of children and young people unable to access their education in a mainstream setting, even with the introduction of specific enhanced support, due to the complexity of their needs, has increased the demand for ISP placements. Education provided at this level is also known as special education. The complexity of needs of children requiring this level of support includes many children being non-verbal, requiring personal care, and/or requiring a low-arousal environment. 3. Current Position The current Perth and Kinross Council provision for children and young people with complex ASN who require specialist, intensive-level, education is outlined below. Fairview School is a purpose-built special education school that serves children and young people aged 3 to 18 years old with profound and complex ASN. The school has a capacity of 65 pupils and operates at full capacity most years. The staffing ratio at Fairview is 4 staff members for every 6 pupils, and the school consists of 11 classes, including one nursery class. The senior leadership team includes a headteacher, a depute headteacher, and two principal teachers. Page 116 of 130
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3 There are 15 Intensive Support Provisions (ISPs) based within nine primary schools and six secondary schools. Together these ISPs provide special education for children and young people aged 5 to 18 years old. Children and young people are allocated a place in an ISP, in line with the Council’s Admissions Policy, by a panel of Education and Learning Officers who consider a comprehensive assessment of the children and young people’s needs. The limited number of ISPs means that some children and young people are placed in ISPs out with their secondary school catchment. The current overview of placements across primary and secondary Intensive Support Provisions is as follows: Primary Provision No of Classes Capacity Current placements Pupils outwith catchment Coupar Angus 3 22 19 21% Crieff 2 16 15 20% Errol 1 8 8 66% Inch View 2 16 20 43% Oakbank 2 16 17 47% RDM 4 20 24 33.3% Riverside 2 16 20 30% Tulloch 2 16 17 29.4% Secondary Provision No of Classes Capacity Current placements Pupils outwith catchment Bertha Park 4 32 30 67% Blairgowrie High 4 32 33 9% Crieff High 2 16 18 17% Perth Academy 4 32 35 37% Perth Grammar 4 32 33 21% All-through Provision No of Classes Capacity Current placements Pupils outwith catchment Breadalbane 2 16 11 54% ISPs with 2 or more classes have a Principal Teacher with a teaching commitment and a staffing ratio of 2 staff (1 teacher/1 PSA) to 8 children/young people, with the exception of RDM Primary where class sizes are restricted due to room capacity. The decision to exceed the standard capacity of an ISP is taken following careful consideration of the needs of existing children and young people, staffing and classroom capacity. With the increasing complexity of need requiring higher staff:pupil ratios it will not be possible to exceed capacity in many future situations. In total, the current ISPs provide education for 300 children and young people. The current distribution of schools with an ISP means that some of the secondary schools and their associated group of catchment primary schools do not have an ISP, resulting in children and young people being placed in a school outside their local community. For example, there are no ISPs in primary or secondary schools within the catchments for: Page 117 of 130
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4 • Community School of Auchterarder • St John’s Academy • Kinross High School Additionally, Perth High School does not have an ISP despite having three primary schools with ISPs in its catchment area, conversely Bertha Park High School has an ISP but does not have any catchment primary schools with an ISP. The lack of ISPs in these catchments has several implications. It can result in a sense of community disconnection for children and young people being placed outside their local areas. It means that some of the most vulnerable children and young people in Perth and Kinross Council schools are having to travel significant distances to school each day and for some this can increase feelings of distress before the school day has even begun. It also leads to increased transport costs as children need to travel to schools outside their local communities, requiring longer journeys, therefore with an environmental impact. Addressing the gaps and expanding provisions in more catchments will help ensure, as far as possible, that children and young people with ASN can access education within their local communities, reducing transport costs and fostering a stronger sense of belonging. Pitlochry High School and catchment primaries also do not have an ISP at either primary or secondary stage. Where required the children and young people from this catchment access the ISPs at Breadalbane Academy as the two catchments come together to form the Highland Local Management Group. 4. Projected placement requirements The allocation of ISP placements is considered by Education and Learning professionals following assessment of the additional support needs of the children and their ability to access learning in a mainstream school. Children can be placed in an ISP placement for P1 or at any point through primary or secondary school if this is deemed required. Assessments are compiled by the ELC setting or school the child currently attend, the child’s parents and Inclusion teachers (early years) and Educational Psychologists. The local authority also has a duty to consider any placing requests made by parents for any specific ISP. It is possible to predict the number of secondary ISP placements required in future years based on the number of children and young people already assessed and placed in an ISP. However, it is anticipated that demand will increase as some of the children in receipt of enhanced support in primary schools will require an ISP placement by the time they start secondary school. Predictions for how many placements will be needed each year will to be tested over time, as currently most children involved are only in P1 or 2. If provision of enhanced support in primary schools reduces, it will increase pressure for more ISP placements. The number of children presenting at P1 who require a primary ISP placement is less predictable over the long-term as the number has grown and it is not yet clear if the year-on-year number has stabilised. It is important to note that the demand for placements could Page 118 of 130
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5 also vary as a result of families moving into the area. Analysis of previous years indicates this could be as high as 10 children or young people a year. Current projections based on the information available for both primary and secondary sectors indicate that there are not sufficient placements in ISPs to meet the level of need for the academic year 2025/26. Without additional ISP placement capacity, Education and Learning will be required to meet the increased cost of providing additional teachers and PSAs to support more enhanced level of support within mainstream. Primary – August 2025 Local Management Group Highland Perthshire Blairgowrie Crieff Perth High Perth High Perth High Perth Academy Perth Grammar Perth Grammar Name of ISP School Breadalba ne Coupar Angus Crieff Errol Inch View Oakbank RDM Riverside Tulloch Total Available placements in ISP 8 16 16 8 16 16 20 16 16 132 Current placements filled 4 15 15 8 21 17 24 20 17 141 P7 leavers June 2025 1 2 3 1 3 2 4 5 3 24 Total available spaces to accommodate P1 intake August 2025 5 3 4 1 0 1 0 1 2 17 Number of children being considered for possible P1 placement in an ISP – decisions on requirement for ISP placements will be made following consideration of assessments by the end of January 2025 36 Secondary – August 2025 Name of ISP school Bertha Park Blairgowrie Breadalbane Crieff High Perth Academy Perth Grammar Total Total available placements in ISP 32 32 8 16 32 32 152 Current placements filled 29 35 7 20 36 33 160 S6 leavers May 2025 2 6 1 3 4 7 25 Confirmed S1 intake 6 2 1 2 8 7 25 Total spaces available following S1 intake August 2025 -1 1 1 -3 -8 -1 -11 * Minus numbers indicate the number of placements over capacity Based on the above data it is clear that there will be an insufficient number of ISP placements in the years from August 2025 onwards without development of additional classes in existing ISPs or additional ISPs. Page 119 of 130
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6 5. Legislation Councils, as Education Authorities, have a statutory duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make adequate and efficient provision of school education across their entire area for the current school population and future pattern of demand. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 places duties on Education Authorities to provide additional support to enable children and young people to benefit from their education. Councils also have a statutory responsibility in terms of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 to achieve best value, including considering occupancy and the efficient use of resources. The Council's Learning Estate Strategy (2021) provides information on the overall objectives and future priorities of Perth & Kinross Council in relation to delivery of these statutory obligations in relation to the school estate. The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 amends the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000 by adding in new duties to address inequality of outcome. These duties apply in different ways to both Scottish Ministers and Education Authorities. Where the Education Authority is making or implementing strategic decisions about education, it is required to have due regard to the need to carry out its functions in a way which is designed to reduce inequalities of outcome. This is particularly directed in the Act towards children who experience those inequalities through socio-economic disadvantage. 6. Options Considered The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 places a duty on education authorities to plan and make provision for children and young people with additional support needs, which includes those with complex or multiple needs. Education and Learning are therefore required to keep under review and take action to ensure that education provision in the local authority area includes sufficient provision of intensive level education for children and young people with complex or multiple ASN. To address this duty, three options have been identified: • Option 1: Maintain existing ISP provision. • Option 2: Establish additional ISPs by redistributing existing resource to provide some specialist education to almost all secondary schools and their primary catchments. • Option 3: Establish additional ISPs through new Scottish Government funding and redistribution of resource to increase placement capacity, extending availability of specialist education to almost all secondary schools and their primary catchments. Page 120 of 130
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7 Options 1 and 2 will not deliver the number of placements required for children and young people with complex or multiple need in future years. The preferred option is Option 3 which would be delivered over three phases between January 2025 and December 2028. This will provide sufficient capacity to meet current and projected needs, including ensuring almost all children and young people are able to access education in their local community. Option 3 includes redistributing staff resources from some existing ISPs as they reduce in size following children and young people realigning to ISPs in their secondary school or associated primary school catchment area. It will also require capital and revenue funding to increase overall capacity. Delivery of Option 3 will involve establishing additional ISPs in • one primary school and two secondary schools in Phase 1; • two primary schools and two secondary schools in Phase 2; and • two primary schools in Phase 3. By increasing placement capacity, it will be possible for some ISPs to include classes with low-stimulus environments for children able to access mainstream curricula but experiencing significant sensory overload in a mainstream environment. This approach ensures that the needs of children with complex autism are met within their local communities rather than through placements in independent special schools. 6.1 Option 1: Maintain Existing ISP Provision Maintaining the current number and spread of ISPs without any expansion or redistribution of resources would present significant limitations on the Council’s ability to meet its statutory duties. This would manifest as follows: • Significant unmet needs: There will be an insufficient number of ISP placements for children and young people with complex or multiple additional support needs, leading to children and young people having to remain in mainstream placements with significant additional staffing and associated costs. This would result in potential dissatisfaction among parents and carers including formal complaints, and increased staffing costs. • Increased Placing Requests and ASN Tribunals: An insufficient number of ISP placements may also lead to increased placing requests for independent special school placements. This would likely result in more legal disputes and ASN tribunals, as a result of parental dissatisfaction with their child’s educational offer and significant budgetary implications due to the cost of such placements. • Increased staff reports of incidents of distressed, challenging, violent or aggressive behaviour in schools: this can impact on the wellbeing of the pupil themselves, the learning of others and staff wellbeing, placing additional strain the council's workforce and negatively impact the local authority’s reputation. • Impact on staff morale and attendance: Staff would be under continued pressure to meet the complex needs of students without sufficient resources, Page 121 of 130
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8 negatively impacting their feeling of job satisfaction. This could lead to higher staff turnover and difficulty in maintaining a stable and experienced workforce. 6.2 Option 2: Extend ISPs by Redistributing Existing Resources This option involves establishing four new ISPs by reducing the size of existing ISPs and redistributing the existing staff to the new provisions. It would not involve allocation of any new resource. While this approach offers some improvements in relation to better coverage of school catchment areas and therefore access to a local ISP for more children and young people, it has limitations: • Limited Impact on meeting current needs: Redistributing existing resources would not create any additional placements and, therefore, would not be sufficient to meet the current demand for placements required for children and young people with complex or multiple ASN. This could lead to continued capacity issues and unmet needs and parental dissatisfaction. • This will not meet predicted future demand: As the number of children with ASN continues to rise, this option would not be sustainable in the long term. Education and Learning would still face challenges in providing adequate support, leading to potential increases in placing requests for independent special schools and associated costs. • As a result, similar implications would arise as laid out in under option 1. 6.3 Option 3: Extend ISPs by Redistributing Existing and Adding New Resources to All Localities The preferred option is to extend ISPs to provide specialist education environments in all secondary school catchment areas (that is, for the secondary school and at least 1 catchment primary school) following full consultation with school communities. Revenue costs to deliver this will be funded by redistributing existing resources as children and young people in existing ISPs move into their own catchment and allocating budget from additional Scottish Government funding for ASN. This will support the full cost of staff teams based upon nationally agreed staff:pupil ratios. This approach offers several benefits: • Sustainable model: Once ISPs are established in almost all areas, there will be flexibility to adjust the number and type of placements in each provision to align with changing needs, including reducing the number of placements offered in a particular ISP if they are not required to meet need. Therefore, this option provides a sustainable model to meet the changing needs of children with ASN, recognising that assessment of the reasons for the recent increases needs time to inform future modelling. It ensures that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively over time to support all children and young people. • Phased implementation: The implementation will be delivered through three phases, with Phase 1 being delivered in 2025, Phase 2 in 2026 and Phase 3 by the end of 2028. This will ensure that there is sufficient capacity, budget and workforce development to support implementation. • Development of ISPs will include creating some classes in ISPs with low- stimulus environments for children able to access mainstream curricula but not a mainstream environment. This is identified as a current gap in provision. Page 122 of 130
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9 • Most children and young people requiring intensive level education will be able to access this within their secondary school catchment area, this will reduce the requirement for home to school transport and the related spend. Phase 1 • Primary School 1 - To identify a Perth City primary school in the Perth Academy catchment area with suitable capacity within the school building for an ISP. The request to progress to statutory consultation to create this additional primary ISP will be brought to the April 2025 Learning and Families Committee meeting. If agreed, the development of this ISP will require additional and redistribution of existing resources. To support children in the catchment who require this provision from August 2025, interim arrangements will be in place at the identified school until the consultation is concluded and a final decision made by Learning and Families Committee. • Primary School 2 – It is identified that an ISP is required at the primary level in the Kinross High School catchment area, however a review of school buildings has identified that neither Kinross nor Milnathort Primary Schools have capacity to support the introduction of a two-class ISP. Alternative options will be explored and brought forward as Phase 3. In the interim, children from this area assessed as requiring an ISP will primarily be allocated a space in the Errol ISP from August 2025 to enable children from the same area to remain together, however it will mean that these children will still need to travel outwith their local area to access the ISP. • Secondary Schools - Perth High School and Kinross High School have been identified as having suitable building capacity within their schools to support establishment of ISPs. The next step will be to initiate a formal consultation and following this, to bring finalised recommendations to Learning and Families Committee in due course. If agreed, the developments will require redistribution of existing resources and allocation of new Scottish Government funding for ASN to provide additional staff resources. To support young people in the catchment who require this provision from August 2025, interim arrangements will be in place at both schools until the consultation is concluded and a final decision being made by Learning and Families Committee. Phase 2 • Primary Schools – Identification of 2 primary schools that could progress to formal consultation following assessment of building capacity in the catchments of St John’s RC Academy and Community School of Auchterarder. The request to progress to consultation on the two primary school ISPs will be brought to Learning and Families Committee by November 2025. If agreed, the development of these ISPs will require redistribution of existing and the allocation of Scottish Government funding for ASN. • Temporary primary ISP class – Development of an additional class in an existing primary ISP to provide a temporary class for children in the Bertha Park High School catchment to allow for the future possible development within any new primary School in this catchment. Page 123 of 130
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10 • Secondary Schools– Community School of Auchterarder (Secondary) and St John’s RC Academy have been identified as having sufficient capacity within their buildings to support establishment of ISPs. This will involve formal consultation and if agreed, the developments will require the allocation of Scottish Government funding for ASN and redistribution of existing resources. Phase 3 • A best-value option to provide an ISP to meet the needs of primary-aged children with complex and multiple needs in the Kinross High School catchment area will be identified and progressed. This may require more significant building work. • This phase will address any remaining gaps in provision and ensure that all school catchment areas have adequate support for students with ASN. 7. Summary of Analysis of Preferred Option Option 3 is the preferred option and would be implemented over three phases: phase 1: Jan 2025 to December 2025, phase 2: January 2026 to December 2026 and phase 3: January 2027 to December 2028. The phased implementation approach ensures that the pace of delivery can be monitored closely and adjusted as required to be responsive to local contexts. It also allows for a well-considered approach to the efficient allocation of resources. Implementation of this option will provide a comprehensive and sustainable solution that addresses both current and future levels of complex and multiple ASN. It will enable children with complex ASN to access appropriate education closer to home, fostering stronger community ties and will reduce the stress of long commutes. It will provide a specialist learning environment supported by highly skilled staff. This option meets short and long-term needs and provides a sustainable model to meet the needs of the current demographic profile of children with ASN. The establishment of ISPs in all geographic secondary school catchment areas will reduce transport costs and emissions, enable class sizes in ISPs to have child-to- staff ratios in line with national recommendations, and create space in existing ISPs to provide low-stimulus environments to meet the emerging needs of neurodiverse children and young people. When built, the new primary school at Bertha Park will provide the Primary School ISP for this catchment as this has been included in planning from the outset. Due to the small school roll of Pitlochry High School, lack of suitable space in the school and close links of the school with Breadalbane Academy as part of the Highland Local Management Group (LMG), it is not considered cost effective at this time to establish primary or secondary ISPs in the school catchment. However, it is recognised there may be benefits from developing the well-established nurturing and inclusive environment that already delivers enhanced-level support in the school. 8. Community Engagement Page 124 of 130
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11 A statutory consultation exercise will be undertaken to provide an opportunity for the existing community of the schools involved in each phase, and families with children who would be eligible to attend the school in the next two years, to share their views on the development of the proposed ISPs in their schools. A proposal document will be published and available to various stakeholders, including parents, pupils, staff, community councils, elected members, and relevant officials. Public meetings will be held to explain the proposals and gather feedback. The Council aims to build trust with parents and carers by delivering on its promises to provide equitable access to education, reliable transport options, and necessary support services. This engagement will ensure transparency and allow the community to voice their opinions and concerns. 9. Location Phase 1 The proposed new ISPs will be established in 3 school settings: • Perth High School • Kinross High School • Perth Academy primary catchment – To be confirmed following assessment of building capacity to identify one primary school in the Perth Academy catchment area with suitable space for an ISP Perth High School is situated in Oakbank Road, Perth, PH1 1HB. A new school building will be operational from August 2025 and will offer secondary education for both girls and boys from S1 to S6, with capacity for 1600 pupils and current enrolment of 1487 pupils. The new Intensive Support Provision (ISP) will utilise specialised classrooms and areas tailored to meet the needs of children with ASN. Kinross High School is situated in Muirs, The Muirs, Kinross KY138FQ. The school offers secondary education for both girls and boys from S1 to S6, with capacity for 1286 pupils and current enrolment of 912 pupils. The new Intensive Support Provision (ISP) will utilise existing spaces in the school building, transforming them into specialised classrooms and areas tailored to meet the needs of children with ASN. Assessments of building capacity are being undertaken to identify a suitable Perth- City primary school in the catchment area of Perth Academy with sufficient physical space to include an ISP. The Perth Academy primary catchment includes 7 primary schools (Balbeggie, Collace, Goodlyburn, Guildtown, Letham, RDM (already has an ISP) and Viewlands). This work will be undertaken in January and February 2025 and a recommendation brought back to Learning and Families Committee in April 2025. In addition, an additional class will be established in the existing ISP at Errol Primary School to accommodate primary age children from the Kinross High School Page 125 of 130
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12 catchment area who have been assessed to require an ISP placement. This class will be a temporary addition until a primary ISP can be established in a primary school in this catchment area. Phase 2 Community School of Auchterarder is situated at New School Lane, Auchterarder, PH3 1BL. The school offers Early Learning and Childcare for children aged 2 – 5 years old and education for both girls and boys from P1 to S 6, with capacity for 1313 pupils and current enrolment of 979 pupils. The new Intensive Support Provision (ISP) for children and young people from P1 to S6 will utilise existing spaces, transforming them into specialised classrooms and areas tailored to meet the needs of children with ASN. The associated primary schools are Aberuthven, Blackford, Community School of Auchterarder and Dunning primary Schools. St John’s RC Academy is a Roman Catholic denominational school situated in the North Inch Community Campus, Gowans Terrace, Perth, PH1 5BF. The school offers Early Learning and Childcare for children aged 2 – 5 years old and education for both girls and boys from P1 to S6, with capacity for 1256 pupils and current enrolment of 1056 pupils. The new Intensive Support Provision (ISP) for children and young people from P1 to S6 will utilise existing spaces, transforming them into specialised classrooms and areas tailored to meet the needs of children with ASN. The associated primary schools are Our Lady's, St Dominic's, St Stephen's and St John's RC Primary Schools. Phase 3 Bertha Park catchment area includes Auchtergaven, Dunbarney, Forgandenny, Logiealmond, Methven, Pitcairn and Ruthvenfield Primary Schools. In addition, there are plans approved to build a new primary School in Bertha Park. It has already been agreed that an ISP will be included in this new primary School. Kinross High School catchment area includes Arngask, Cleish, Fossoway, Milnathort, Portmoak and Kinross Primary Schools. 10. Socio Economic Factors Agreement and implementation of Option 3 addresses socio-economic disparities by ensuring that almost all children and young people, regardless of their background and needs, have access to the education and support they need within their local community. Perth and Kinross Council is committed to addressing poverty. Families where someone has a disability are one of the groups of people at greatest risk of very deep poverty. (Briefing_Note_Poverty_Estimates_Perth_and_Kinross_2022_- _2023.pdf) Improving access to education in the child’s local community will support Page 126 of 130
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13 children in families experiencing poverty to have better outcomes in relation to both learning and wider life outcomes. Reduced travel distances for children accessing ISPs will also enable parents to have easier access to their child’s school so that they can have an active role in supporting their child’s learning. Currently, parents may need to travel up to 30 miles to attend a parent contact or planning meeting at their child’s school or to collect their child if they are ill. Establishing ISPs in locality areas reduces the cost of school related travel for parents and strengthens the connection between schools and their local communities, promoting inclusion and accessibility for all children and families. 11. The School within the Community The proposed ISPs will enhance the local communities by providing improved educational infrastructure and ensuring equitable access to services within local areas. They will foster greater parental involvement, making it easier for parents to participate in school activities and support their child's education, and community engagement and inclusion of children and young people with ASN. The presence of the ISPs will strengthen partnerships with local organisations, providing additional opportunities for children and young people and supporting the development of lifelong support systems. 12. Projected overall provision of a localised ISP model Implementing a localised ISP model over 3 phases, as proposed in Option 3, will increase overall capacity to meet the required specialist educational placements for children and young people with complex and multiple ASN in Perth and Kinross. This will increase the number of classes from 16 to 22 in primary provisions, and from 19 to 23 in secondary provisions. School catchment Primary ISP Secondary ISP Bertha Park Phase 3 - as part of new primary School build – 2 classes Existing ISP - 4 classes - expected to reduce to 2 classes Blairgowrie Existing ISP - 3 classes Existing ISP - 4 classes - expected to reduce to 3 classes Breadalbane Existing ISP - 1 class Existing ISP - 1 class Crieff Existing ISP - 2 classes Existing ISP - 2 classes Kinross Phase 3 - 2 new classes Phase 1 – 1 new class with option to extend to 2 classes when required Perth Grammar Existing ISPs - 4 classes Existing ISP - 4 classes Perth High Existing ISPs - 5 classes Phase 1 – 2 new classes Perth Academy Existing ISP - 4 classes - 20 placements due to room capacity – reduce to 2 x 8 placements classes Existing ISP - 4 classes Phase 1 – additional ISP - 2 classes Page 127 of 130
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14 Community School of Auchterarder Phase 2 – 1 new class Phase 2 – 1 new class St John’s Phase 2 – 1 new class Phase 2 – 1 new class 13. Building Information/Suitability The proposed ISPs in Phase 1 and Phase 2 will be situated within existing school buildings and will comprise various accommodations, including ASN classrooms, nurture/lifeskills space, sensory/low-stimulus/breakout/quiet rooms, and dedicated outdoor play areas for the children and young people in placement. These facilities will be designed to provide appropriate environments for children with complex needs, ensuring they have access to the resources they need to thrive. The design will incorporate best practices and lessons from existing successful provisions, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity throughout. The allocation of rooms identified for the new ISPs will not negatively impact other children and young people in the schools concerned. 14. Financial Information and Impact This proposal focuses on maximising use of existing school buildings where possible to provide a wider education offer while also reducing the cost of school transport. The proposal also supports the wider strategic objectives of the Council and the needs of our communities by providing more localised education for children and young people with complex and multiple additional support needs. The revenue costs associated with implementation of Option 3 primarily relate to staffing. Teaching costs for the new ISPs will be met from within the current Education and Learning budgets by realignment of posts. The additional support staff costs for the initial phases will be funded from the Scottish Government funding for additional support needs. It is anticipated that the roll out of Phases 1 & 2 will reduce the need for independent school placements and it is proposed this reduction will fund staffing required for Phase 3. Summary ISP Proposal Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Total New ISP Settings 3 2 2 7 Additional classes 4 3 3 10 Realignment of teaching FTE from other areas of PKC 5.02 3.82 3.93 12.77 Additional PSA posts (no of posts) 6 3 3 12 Costs of additional PSA posts £180,370 £90,185 £87,533 £358,088 Additional costs due to Promoted post £49,329 £32,886 £16,443 £98,658 Total additional costs £229,699 £123,071 £103,976 £456,746 Capital construction work will be required to support the development of ISP environments that meet the needs of children and young people placed in these settings. Therefore, budget will be required to support adaptations of appropriate learning environments. Detailed costings to support completion of work required in Page 128 of 130
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15 Phase 1 are being developed and will be reported to a future Committee prior to the Learning and Families Committee being asked to make a final decision following statutory consultation. 15. Impact on Travel Arrangements The establishment of the additional ISPs will provide an opportunity for children and young people who are already in ISPs outwith their catchment areas to move to an ISP closer to their home. This will be taken forward on an individual basis with the agreement of families, recognising the importance of consistency for many of the children and young people involved. Transport arrangements for the newly established ISPs will be made in line with the current Perth and Kinross Council policy for home to school transport. Modelling of the distances children and young people will need to travel if Option 3 is implemented has demonstrated that the additional ISPs will reduce the need for some pupils to travel significant distances, lowering costs and reducing the environmental footprint of the Council. Any savings that are achieved through this will offset future inflationary pressures in the home to school transport budget. 16. Environmental Impact Reduced travel distances for children accessing ISPs will result in a lower environmental impact and reduced transportation costs, creating a more sustainable model of education delivery. This approach aligns with the Council's sustainability goals and fosters stronger community connections. By reducing the need for long- distance travel, the Council will also lower the environmental impact associated with commuting, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future. 17. Education Benefits Statements An Education Benefits Statement (EBS) will be prepared and included in the Statutory Consultation proposal paper for each school where a new ISP is proposed. The EBS will provide an analysis of impact of the ISP for children or young people that will attend the ISP and for all children or young people in the school. A separate EBS will be provided for each school as the benefits may differ in each school, however a summary of general benefits is set out below. It is intended that ISPs will be fully accessible and equipped with modern solutions to meet specific needs, ensuring the best learning opportunities for every pupil. They will include accommodation with dedicated spaces such as classrooms, a sensory room, a medical room, and outdoor play areas. Staff will have appropriate qualifications and expertise, working in partnership with various agencies like Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy to meet each child's needs. Pupils will have Individualised Education Plans to ensure their needs are met with a differentiated curriculum. Page 129 of 130
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16 The provision will offer one-to-one and small group learning and include building skills for social and personal relationships. There will be access to subject teachers as appropriate to the age and stage of the children and young people to provide a full curriculum. Reduced travel will benefit pupils by reducing anxiety and improving readiness for learning. The proposal will not impact current teaching sets and will comply with accessibility standards. It aims to enhance the Local Authority’s capacity to support young people with severe and complex ASN within mainstream education. Children and young people will be supported to access school community events alongside their mainstream peers, providing opportunities for all of the children and young people to develop their understanding of and learn from each other. Page 130 of 130