The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee of Bury Council met on Tuesday 15 September 2026 to discuss updates on several key areas of children's services. The meeting's agenda included reports on the ILACS Improvement Plan, the SEND Sufficiency Plan, the Family First Partnership Programme, and the NEET (Not in Education, Employment and Training) update.

ILACS Improvement Plan Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the ILACS (Inspection of Local Authority Children's Services) Improvement Plan. This plan outlines the council's strategy for enhancing its services for children and young people, following previous inspection outcomes. The report pack indicated that the plan details actions across seven priority areas, including identifying and supporting children and families in need, ensuring purposeful care planning, providing support for care leavers, establishing effective multi-agency governance, ensuring a stable leadership and management team, developing a skilled workforce, and implementing effective performance management systems. The plan details desired impacts and specific actions with associated timescales and evidence of progress, aiming for consistently good service delivery.

SEND Sufficiency Plan Update

A report was scheduled to be presented on the SEND Sufficiency Plan, which is a crucial part of the wider SEND Reform Agenda. The plan aims to ensure Bury has the necessary capacity, provision, and resources to meet the needs of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The report highlighted that while Bury has expanded specialist provision, demand for support, particularly for children with autism (ASC) and social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH), continues to strain the system. Key gaps were identified in secondary phase capacity, post-16 pathways for complex needs, and timely access to targeted provision. The strategy outlines four priorities for 2026-2030: reducing demand for specialist and alternative provision through early intervention, developing a coherent continuum of provision, ensuring sufficient high-quality alternative provision, and strengthening post-16 sufficiency and preparation for adulthood.

Family First Partnership Programme Update

The committee was set to receive an update on the implementation of the Families First Partnership (FFP) reforms, a national model for children's social care services. Bury is on track for implementation by April 2027, building upon the existing Family Safeguarding model. The report indicated plans for integrated Family Help Teams across three neighbourhood localities, comprising Targeted Early Help, Duty and Assessment, and Family Safeguarding teams. A draft Family Help Assessment and plan were developed, and the threshold document for the Bury Safeguarding Children Partnership (BSCP) was under revision. The report also detailed plans for expanding Special Guardianship Order and Kinship Care Support Services, and the establishment of Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams (MACPTs) involving Social Care, Police, Health, and Education. The FFP Programme Board has been formalised as a sub-group of the BSCP, and a detailed workforce development plan is in place to support staff training.

NEET (Not in Education, Employment and Training) Update

An update on the NEET figures for young people aged 16 and 17 was scheduled for discussion. The report indicated that Bury's participation rate stands at 91.3%, which is broadly in line with national averages. Bury's NEET rate of 4.3% is lower than both the North West and England averages, with exceptionally low Not Known rates, suggesting robust tracking arrangements. However, the report highlighted that young people from vulnerable groups, including those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or receiving SEN Support, have a disproportionately higher risk of becoming NEET. The report detailed the work of the Connexions Service and the Future:Ready programme in providing targeted support and re-engagement. Challenges were noted regarding the growth in the number of young people in the cohort and the availability of suitable post-16 provision, with a reliance on external providers like North Lancs Training Group. Preventative measures, including careers education, advice, and guidance, were also outlined, alongside efforts to develop new opportunities through partnerships and commissioned programmes.

The meeting also included scheduled time for apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and the approval of minutes from the previous meeting held on 23 July 2026. A period was also set aside for public questions and member questions.