Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 29 March 2012 and authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 29 March 2012 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee received a report from the Young People at Risk Commissioner regarding the progress made with strategies and action plans that are in place to contribute to reducing teenage pregnancy and substance misuse among young people in Havering.

The Committee was informed about progress made to date with reducing the rates of teenage pregnancies, noting that by 2008, Havering’s teenage pregnancy rate was stubbornly high (above the England and London average) with over 60% of conceptions leading to a termination. The Children’s Trust Board had approved the development and launch of a local Teenage Pregnancy Reduction Strategy in 2010 which had a strong emphasis on preventing teenage conceptions. In addition, the Children’s Trust Board had adopted teenage pregnancy reduction as one of its key priorities in the Children and Young People’s Plan (2011-14).

In 2010, the Teenage Pregnancy (TP) Board agreed that its overall Strategic aim is to work towards achieving a 15% reduction in the under 18 teenage conception rate by 2013 from the 2008 average conception rate of 42.6 per 1000 females aged under 18 to achieving 35.0 per 1,000 by 2013. Based on evidence gathered from across the UK, the TP Board agreed focusing its planning on the following four strategic objectives: Commissioning, prevention, education and workforce.

Led by the Teenage Pregnancy Board, since 2010 there had been steady progress to the point where Havering had the lowest under 18 conception rate for over 12 years. The Committee was asked to note that Havering continued to experience a reduction in the number of teenage conceptions that contributed to and strengthened a consistent downward trend in numbers and pregnancy rates in Havering (a trend that began early 2009).

In 2010, the Havering TP Board undertook a consultation project with young people aged 13 – 19 years old. The TP Board was eager to conduct a research project so that young people’s views could develop local understanding of young people’s sexual health needs. The survey had two main aims:

·        To seek the views of young people aged 13-19 years about their experience of the delivery of sexual health information and contraceptive services in Havering.

·        To learn from young people living in Havering what would help to improve access to sexual health information and contraceptive services.

Evidence from the survey had been used in part to inform the Teenage Pregnancy Action Plan (2012-13), which set out a coherent framework of actions to contribute to achieving the local strategic objective to reduce under 18 conceptions by 15% by 2013. Priorities of the Strategic Plan were as follows:

·        Commission the Integrated Youth Service to deliver the Phoenix Teenage Pregnancy Counselling Service and coordinate the delivery of the free Condom Card Scheme

·        Commission Young add action, the young people’s substance misuse service provider, to deliver the targeted Sexual Health Support Service

·        Provide a SRE Grant Scheme targeting and inviting 6 schools in Havering that are located in TP hotspots (Harold Hill, Rainham & North Romford) to apply for a grant to support  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

The Committee considered and discussed its annual report from the previous council year, which provided a summary of work and activity undertaken by the Committee.

Members requested that the work of the Committee’s sub-committee, the Corporate Parenting Panel, be added to the end of the report, highlighting the success of the Panel in the recent Ofsted Safeguarding Inspection as well as the work of Members in ensuring better housing for young people.

Subject to changes, the Committee accepted its annual report for submission to Council.  

Committee Members are invited to indicate to the Chairman, items within this Committee's terms of reference they would like to see discussed at a future meeting. Note: it is not considered appropriate for issues relating to individuals to be discussed under this provision.

The Committee requested the following items for future agendas:

·        Update on the new careers service to replace the service previously provided by Connexions.

·        The SEN Code of Practice and resources given to headteachers for dealing with children with SEN or disabilities in reception year.