The Committee received a report presenting the 2017/18 Quarter 4 (January – March 2018) performance report for the Wirral Plan Pledges under the remit of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  The performance report, included as an Appendix to the submitted report, provided a description of progress in Quarter 4 and available data in relation to a range of outcome indicators and supporting measures.  Further appended to the report was the 2017/18 year end close down report providing a summary of performance improvement against measures and Wirral Plan delivery of Pledge strategy actions at year end.

The appended performance reports contained details of the progress made, and with regard to the quarterly report overviews of that progress from the Lead Cabinet Member, in respect of individual measures being pursued with regard to the following Wirral Plan Pledges pertinent to the Committee - 

·  Children are Ready for School;

·  Children are Ready for Work and Adulthood;

·  Vulnerable Children Reach their Full Potential;

·  Reducing Child and Family Poverty (Improving Life Chances);

·  People with Disabilities Live Independent Lives; and

·  Zero Tolerance to Domestic Violence.

The year-end report highlighted both key achievements and areas for improvement, considered outcomes for residents measured against both the previous year and since the start of the Wirral Plan, and presented the next steps for action.

Paul Boyce, Corporate Director for Children, presented the performance and year end reports and invited comment from Members on the content contained therein –

With regard to the ‘Children are Ready for School’ pledge, Councillor Moira McLaughlin noted the improved performance of the supporting measure ‘percentage of infants who received a 6-8 week Development Check by the time they were 8 weeks’.  However, while the trends for this and the measure for receipt of a  2-2½ year Health Visitor review were improving they remained below target, and with the access to midwifery services measure worsening, Councillor McLaughlin stressed the importance of all indicators needing  improvement in order to improve life chances for children.  With regard to midwifery services, the Chair indicated that a response to the position would be obtained from the health service.

In response to a query from Councillor Wendy Clements as to the contribution of the Council to the improved percentage of early years providers rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, the Corporate Director noted that good partnership working in the sector had developed effective early years services.  Further to a query in respect of the decline in performance relating to the percentage of Foundation Stage looked after children achieving a good level of development, Simone White, Deputy Director for Children, advised that this was a difficult measure as the point at which children came into the service varied meaning there was sometimes limited time to work towards the target or even to check attendance.

Members noted the worsening trend with regard to obesity.  Councillor David Burgess-Joyce queried the five year rolling average used as the basis for the measure given issues of early onset diabetes related to obesity.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4