Agenda and draft minutes

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RESOLVED: That the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed

Officers introduced the report, noting that it was the third time this report had been presented to the Committee.

There had been an adverse movement of £200k, primarily due to the increased cost of care rather than an increase in demand. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) had shown no further adverse movement, which was considered positive, and forecasting was described as accurate and robust at this stage.

Officers expressed confidence in the savings plan, noting that the vast majority of planned savings were expected to be achieved.

£273,000 savings remained under review, linked to increasing residential provision. Officers anticipated that, subject to Ofsted registration of the new provision, these savings would be achieved by the end of the financial year. Ofsted had visited the new provision, and the Council awaited their decision.

Members asked if the service area would need to declare a budget deficit for the next year, noting that savings had been made but offset by overspends, particularly in care costs. Members also asked about the plan of action leading up to December Cabinet and February budget. Officers noted that the situation was challenging, with the cost of care being the main driver of overspends. Officers were going through STAR Chambers, and efforts were ongoing to increase residential provision and to reduce costs. Regular meetings and proposals were in place to address the overspend, but the final budget position was still uncertain. Officers expressed reasonable confidence in reducing costs but could not confirm the final outcome at this stage.

Officers confirmed that the budget for 2026/27 was being prepared for Cabinet consideration on 18 December, with a further report scheduled for the Select Committee in January. There was uncertainty regarding government funding allocations, with final figures expected after the Cabinet meeting. This was typical of recent years and made it difficult to predict the budget position.

Members referred to the DSG overspend of £12 million and requested an audit of in-house SEND capacity and capital works, noting that a lot of work had been ongoing in this area. Officers advised that there was an annual update on the SEND Sufficiency Strategy upcoming, with capital projects underway, particularly in secondary provision.

Members also asked about progress on the inclusivity agenda and support for schools. There had been positive trends in mainstream placements and ongoing work with schools to support inclusion, including outreach projects, and work with the Centre for ADHD and Autism.

Members asked about feedback from the DfE regarding Hillingdon’s progress in reducing the DSG deficit. Officers noted that the Council had received positive recognition from the DfE for its financial efficiency and improved outcomes. While the safety valve project had closed to new Local Authorities, further information on payments and new programmes was expected. The Committee commended officers and the team for their achievements.

Members asked whether schools were delivering the same service with less money due to changes in banding. Officers explained that the new banding model, developed with school leaders and a specialist  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

Officers introduced the annual performance report, noting that it was now presented in a new, clearer format. The report provided benchmarking for 2024-25. Officers advised that a bi-annual update would follow soon to ensure data remained current. The report highlighted areas of strong performance, cost-effectiveness, pressure points, and areas for improvement, particularly in placement sufficiency and demand management.

Members commended the presentation of the report, noting it as clear, concise and easy to read.

Members queried the reasons behind the increase in the number of children on child protection plans, which had risen to 240. Officers explained that this reflected both increased demand and complexity within families, as well as fluctuations due to family size. The number of child protection plans had remained relatively stable over the year, with no unusual demographic changes. Officers also noted that while the number of child protection investigations was high, work was ongoing to ensure appropriate intervention levels and to avoid unnecessary intrusion into family life.

Members noted social worker vacancy rates and recruitment challenges, highlighting that this was a national issue. Officers reported that the situation had improved over the past year, with a reduction in vacancies due to successful recruitment and retention initiatives including the London Pledge, improved internal conditions, and enhanced training and support. The Council had also benefited from apprenticeship programmes and a focus on developing newly qualified staff. Officers emphasised the importance of workplace culture and support in retaining staff, given that pay rates were broadly similar across London.

Members asked about the robustness and accuracy of the data underpinning the report. Officers advised that significant progress had been made in data quality, with high levels of confidence in the figures presented. Dashboards were regularly reviewed, and any anomalies were quickly identified and addressed. Officers acknowledged that occasional data entry errors could occur but stated that overall confidence was much higher than in previous years.

Members referenced the Council’s performance in reducing the number of young people classified as NEET, particularly in comparison to neighbouring boroughs. Hillingdon had implemented a team of NEET trackers, resulting in a significantly lower proportion of “not known” cases compared to the London average. The Council was focusing on early intervention, vocational options, and supporting young people before they left secondary school.

The Committee noted that while the Council had succeeded in reducing first-time entrants to the youth justice system, there was some concern that the reoffending rate among those already in the system remained high. Officers acknowledged this, though explained that the small cohort size skewed the percentages, and that the actual number of offences was low. The Council had undertaken detailed analysis with the Youth Justice Partnership Board and had implemented early intervention and diversion initiatives at police stations to address reoffending.

Members commended the take-up of early years free childcare places and noted the benefits for families.

Members asked about the underperformance in the completion rate of EHCPs within the 20-week target, and the associated costs of delays, including compensation and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

Officers introduced the Cared For Children & Young People Strategy, noting that it formalised existing practices and provided a clear and accessible framework for improving outcomes for children in care and care experienced young people. The strategy set out the Council’s responsibilities, priorities, and actions to strengthen support for young people, particularly through their journey in care and transition into adulthood. Officers emphasised the vision that every child and young person in care should have the same opportunities as any other child, with a focus on stability, well-being, and successful transitions into adulthood.

Officers highlighted the importance of language, noting that terminology had been updated in response to feedback from young people. For example, the terms “cared for children” and “care experienced young people” were now used, and references to “cases” and “placements” had been replaced with “children” and “homes.” The strategy had been co-produced with young people, partners, and professionals, ensuring that their voices were central to its development.

Members welcomed the strategy and its ambitions, particularly the involvement of young people in its development.

Members asked how the Council inspired ambition and achievement among cared for children and whether this was driven by foster carers, corporate initiatives, or a collective approach. Officers advised that promoting aspiration was a collective responsibility, involving everyone in the young person’s life, including carers, teachers, and the wider Council. Officers described various initiatives, such as employing care experienced young people, involving them in events and interview panels, and providing opportunities to develop skills and independence. The Virtual School and Participation Team also played key roles in supporting aspirations, both academic and vocational.

Members noted the change in language and asked what alternative terminology young people preferred. Officers explained that while some young people disliked some of the terminology, some phrases (such as looked after children) had to be used for statutory and legal purposes. The Council continued to work with young people to refine language and ensure it reflected their preferences, with the strategy remaining in draft form to accommodate ongoing feedback.

Members asked about youth justice and reoffending. Officers reported that significant work had been undertaken to reduce reoffending, including diversionary activities and partnership working. The Council had established high-risk panels to collectively plan for young people known to youth justice services, focusing on early intervention and prevention. The creation of a specialist adolescent service was also highlighted as a key development in supporting at-risk young people.

Members commended the comprehensive nature of the strategy and stressed the importance of regular review, suggesting that the voices of young people should be heard more frequently than annually. Officers confirmed that regular checks and balances were in place, including independent reviews and ongoing engagement with young people. 

Members also asked about the long-term outcomes for care experienced young people after leaving care. The Council was committed to supporting care experienced young people into independence through pathway plans, the Staying Close scheme, and ongoing contact and support up to age 25 (and beyond in some cases,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

Officers introduced the fostering offer in Hillingdon, including information on recruitment, support, achievements, impact, and future plans.

The fostering offer had been launched in May 2024 to improve recruitment and retention of foster carers and outcomes for cared for children. Hillingdon had established a strong community, or ‘village’, for children. This including recruiting the best possible carers for young people as this is what the young people deserved.

Recruitment of foster carers had been highly successful, with over a 120% increase in inquiries compared to the previous year. Hillingdon was also part of the West London Fostering Hub, and had received some of the highest number of inquiries (127) among eight local authorities.

Over 20% of inquiries converted to expressions of interest, while most rejections were due to unsuitable requests or living arrangements.

The Care Friends app had been introduced in September to incentivise foster carers to promote recruitment, with other boroughs consulting with Hillingdon on its strategy.

There were currently 78 fostering households, with 13 more expected to be approved by the end of the financial year. Of these, 34 were single carers with the remainder being couples.

The service aimed to widen ethnicity and religious representation of foster carers, reflecting Hillingdon’s diversity. Over 50% were from the global majority.

Age ranges of foster carers were broad, ranging from 20 to 80 years old. The longest-serving foster carer had been with Hillingdon for 40 years.

Twelve connected carers provided family link fostering for 17 children, contributing to the sufficiency strategy.

Specialist placements, including parent and child placements, were being developed. There was currently one parent-and-child carer, with growth in this area anticipated.

Foster carers could receive up to £1,500 per week for children with higher or more complex needs, alongside annual energy bill contributions, Council Tax reductions, and reimbursement of Merlin passes.

Trauma-informed training was provided, including access to over 100 online and in-person courses, with additional consultations from the MAPS team.

Recruitment used real-life stories and digital tools to attract carers from diverse backgrounds.

Foster carers were celebrated through events and award schemes, including appreciation events and long-service awards. This included awards for resilience, sibling support, community impact, exceptional care, and two long service awards for 10- and 40- years service. The ‘Star by Far Award’ had been introduced bi-monthly to recognise carers going above and beyond.

Feedback was regularly sought from carers, children, and professionals to highlight positive relationships and experiences.

All cared for children aged 2–18 had an allocated education officer in the virtual school team, who would lead their Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings, which also involved foster carers, social workers, and designated teachers, to celebrate successes, note areas of praise and development, and set SMART targets. The voice of foster carers was very important in these meetings, and it was noted that children who were living with foster families tended to have better outcomes than those who did not. The Virtual School worked alongside the foster team and could address any school  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

Members noted that there appeared to be more reports going to the Cabinet Member rather than to Cabinet, citing the School Organisation Plan, Annual Education Standards report, the Care Strategy for Children and Care Experienced Young People and Determination of Relevant Area for Admissions Arrangements.

Officers noted that in general, more service level reports would go to the Cabinet Member rather than to Cabinet.

Members suggested that there had been a change and asked for the reasons why. Officers would follow up.

RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the Forward Plan

Members asked to have an audit of venues used in the past year for the Youth Offer.

Members also highlighted the Co-Opted Member vacancies of the Committee. Officers noted that these would look to be filled in line with the upcoming local elections.

RESOLVED: That the Committee considered the report