Issue - items at meetings - Response to the Bullying Scrutiny Panel Recommendations

Report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services

Contact Officer: Sam Beal                          Tel: 01237 293533

40.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director for Children’s Services in relation to the response to the recommendations of the Bullying Scrutiny Panel. The report was introduced by the Acting Head of Scrutiny and the Partnership Adviser: Health and Wellbeing, Standards and Achievement Team. The Head of Scrutiny noted that Amanda Mortensen was a member of the Scrutiny Panel and apologised for omitting her name from the title of the Scrutiny Panel Report, and said that the papers would be updated.

40.2    Councillor Lepper thanked members of the Scrutiny Panel for their report, and said that it was good that schools were taking the issue of bullying seriously and that she was happy to agree to the recommendations.

40.3    Alex Boyle thanked officers for the report and said it had been an honour to be involved with the Scrutiny Panel.

40.4   Councillor Wealls thanked everyone for the report and said he would be supporting the recommendations.

40.5   Councillor Mitchell thanked officers and Scrutiny Panel members, and wanted to highlight Recommendation 4(c) in Appendix 1 to the report as being particularly useful.

40.6   Riziki Millanzi welcomed the report and in particular the suggestion that the Youth Council be invited to become co-opted members of the Anti-Bullying & Equality Strategy Group.

40.7   Martin Jones said the report was very useful, and thought it was a good idea that the Youth Council be invited to join the Anti-Bullying & Equality Strategy Group.

40.8   Councillor Powell thanked all those involved for the report, and asked if people with disabilities had had the opportunity to be involved with the Scrutiny Panel and whether the possibility of teacher/pupil bullying had been addressed. The Partnership Adviser: Health and Wellbeing, Standards and Achievement Team advised that those with a disability had been included, but the issue of teacher/pupil bullying hadn’t as that was a different area and would be covered by the HR department within the Council.

40.9   Ben Glazebrook referred to paragraph 7.3.1 of the report and noted that children with SEN weren’t listed as being included. He was advised they were included and the support group Amaze had given evidence to the Panel. The wording of that paragraph reflected the categories used in the Equalities Act, and children with SEN weren’t listed as a separate category.

40.10   Councillor Cox asked what steps were being taken to tackle those who  were perpetual bullies. The Partnership Adviser: Health and Wellbeing, Standards and Achievement Team advised that schools were provided with guidance on how to deal with those children.

40.11Alex Boyle referred to Recommendation 4 and noted that the suggestion of producing a leaflet, and suggested that one be produced just for children; some people may not want to access information over the internet and may prefer a paper leaflet. He noted Recommendation 5 and welcomed the suggestion of holding exit interviews. The Assistant Director - Education & Inclusion thanked Alex for his comments and suggested it may be useful to involve young people when implementation of those Recommendations were undertaken.

40.12Councillor A Norman thanked everyone for the excellent report and said she agreed with the suggestion that a separate leaflet be provided for children.

40.13Councillor Littman welcomed the report and felt that implementing the Recommendations would have a positive impact.

40.14RESOLVED:

(1)   That the Committee welcomes the scrutiny report, and noted its findings

(2) That the Committee accepts the responses made to the recommendations

(3) That the Committee forward its response to Full Council for information.