There was submitted a joint revenue and capital budget monitoring report by the Director of Finance & Resources and the Director of Children's Services for the period to 8 November 2024.

The report intimated that the projected revenue outturn at 31 March 2025 for Children’s Services was an overspend of £0.901 million (0.3%) against the revised budget for the year. The projected capital outturn at 31 March 2025 for Children’s Services was a breakeven position. A number of revenue and capital budget adjustments were detailed at sections 6 and 7 of the report respectively.

DECIDED:

(a) That the projected revenue outturn position for Children’s Services, detailed in Table 1 of the report be noted;

(b) That the projected capital outturn position for Children’s Services, detailed in Table 2 of the report, be noted; and

(c) That the budget adjustments, detailed in sections 6 and 7 of the report, be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Children's Services relative to the progress made towards implementing Renfrewshire's Keeping Brothers and Sisters
Together Policy.

The report provided a background to the policy, which was approved at the meeting of this Policy Board held on 20 May 2021, and summarised the activity undertaken to keep brothers and sisters together between June 2023 and May 2024. It was noted that of the 49 children and young people who were newly accommodated during this period and who had siblings, 26 were placed with at least one sibling. The reasons for children not being placed with their brothers and sisters were set out at section 3.9 of the report.

DECIDED: That the progress of the second year of implementation of the Keeping Brothers and Sisters Together Policy be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Children's Services relative to the Care Inspectorate's thematic review on transitions for care experienced young people and its impact on throughcare and aftercare in Renfrewshire.

The report provided an overview of the Care Inspectorate's 'Transitions for care experienced young people: A thematic review’ which was published in November 2024. The key messages from the review, together with an update on Renfrewshire's position in relation to them, were set out in sections 3.8 to 3.13 of the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That the position of Renfrewshire’s Throughcare & Aftercare Service and how it compared with the key messages identified through the thematic review be noted; and

(b) That the development plans of Renfrewshire’s Throughcare & Aftercare Service to continually drive forward the service be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Children's Services relative to the annual report of the Fostering and Adoption Service for 2023/24 which was set out in full in Appendix 1 of the report.

The report covered the period 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024. During this period, six children and young people had a permanency plan considered and approved by the Fostering and Adoption Panel and on 31 July 2024 there were 69 fostering households approved by Renfrewshire. The report noted the ongoing need to recruit Renfrewshire foster carers and adopters because of children being accommodated and in need of permanent care, and the Council's commitment to reducing the number of children being placed externally.

DECIDED: That the contents of the Fostering and Adoption Annual Report 2023/24, set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be noted.

Under reference to item 6 of the Minute of the meeting of this Policy Board held on 31 October 2024, there was submitted a report by the Director of Children's Services relative to future delivery models of early learning and childcare (ELC) provision in Renfrewshire Council establishments.

The report set out the Council's requirements under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Scottish Government’s Early Learning and Childcare Statutory Guidance in terms of the provision of funded ELC to all children aged three and four and some eligible children aged two. The findings of the engagement exercise with parents and carers in respect of future delivery models for ELC provision in Renfrewshire Council-run establishments was set out at section 6 of the report, together with a summary of responses received following engagement with ELC Staff and leadership teams at section 7.  Proposals for future delivery models were detailed in section 8 and Appendix 1 of the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That the outcome of the engagement process with parents and carers be noted; and

(b) That the proposals regarding future delivery models for ELC establishments, as outlined in section 8 of the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Children's Services relative to the outcome of a review of wraparound fee rates and a proposed increase to the fee rates in the Council’s Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) establishments and Out of School Care (OSC) services.

Following publication of the agenda a revised version of the report had been circulated to members and published online with a correction to the proposed wraparound fee rates in ELC establishments.  It was confirmed that the proposed rate was an increase from £3.85 to £4.04 per hour.

The report provided detail on the current arrangements for wraparound and out of school care together with the associated fees. The results of a benchmarking exercise which had been carried out in respect of the fees were set out in section 4 of the report alongside proposed revisions. It was recommended that from April 2026 the rates for ELC wraparound care and OSC rates be subject to the increase in charges for services agreed in the Council budget each year.

DECIDED:

(a) That an increase in the wraparound fee rates in ELC establishments from £3.85 to £4.04 per hour, with revised concessionary rate from £2.70 to £2.83, effective from 1 April 2025 be approved;

(b) That an increase to the fee rate in the OSC services and the introduction of separate rates for term-time and full day holiday provision, be approved as follows:

-an increase in the term time rate from £10.10 per session to £10.60, effective from 1 April 2025;
-the introduction of a half day rate of £10.60 for holiday provision, effective from 1 April 2025; and
-the introduction of a full day rate of £15.90 for holiday provision, effective from 1 April 2025; and

(c) That it be agreed that from April 2026 the rates for ELC wraparound care and OSC rates be subject to the increase in charges for services agreed in the Council budget each year.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Children's Services relative to progress towards the delivery of the Learning Estate Programme.

The report outlined the Council's Learning Estate Programme which aimed to deliver large scale investment to enhance and expand the current estate and contained updates in respect of Paisley Grammar School Community Campus; Park Mains High School extension and alterations; the new Dargavel Primary School; and the Thorn Primary School new build. Images showing the current building phase of Paisley Grammar Community Campus were attached as Appendix A of the report.

DECIDED: That the contents of the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Children's Services relative to attainment of pupils in respect of the Achievement of a Curriculum for Excellence Level Return (ACEL) 2023/24.

The report provided on overview of the ACEL return which included data on all Primary 1, Primary 4, Primary 7 pupils and Secondary 3 pupils, measuring their performance in literary curricular areas and numeracy. Detail was provided on the attainment achieved by stage, together with comparisons against previous years and national averages. Data on the poverty related attainment gap was set out at section 5 of the report.

DECIDED: 

(a) That the contents of the report be noted; and

(b) That the efforts of the children and young people and the significant commitment of teachers and support staff be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Children's Services relative to the results of an inspection of Kirklandneuk Primary School carried out by Education Scotland. The letter sent by Education Scotland to the parents and carers of pupils detailing the outcome of the inspection was set out at Appendix 1 of the report.

The report advised that an inspection of Kirklandneuk Primary School had been carried out by Education Scotland during October 2024 with a focus on four quality indicators: leadership of change; learning, teaching and assessment; ensuring wellbeing, equity and inclusion; and raising attainment and achievement. The inspection report detailed four areas of key strength and two areas for further improvement.

DECIDED: That the key strengths in the Education Scotland report on Kirklandneuk Primary School be noted and celebrated and the areas for further improvement be recognised.