Issue - meetings

Approval is sought for the funding and recruitment to key roles to strengthen early identification and preventative support through the Best Start in Life Programme.

Members of the Governance, Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board scrutinised a report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services, which advised that Oldham was committed to ensuring that every child grew up healthy, happy and ready to learn, supported by services that gave families the right help at the right time. This ambition was reflected within Oldham's Best Start in Life Strategy and Corporate Plan priorities around prevention, reducing inequalities and delivering healthier, happier lives.

The Department for Education (DfE) had awarded Oldham an additional ringfenced Children with Additional Needs allocation of £1,756,100 across the period 2026 - 2029. The submitted report was seeking to comply with DfE grant conditions, mobilise delivery at pace and strengthen support for babies and young children with emerging additional needs. The proposal provided the workforce capacity required to improve early identification, intervention, inclusion and school readiness outcomes whilst ensuring effective governance and oversight of the funding allocation.

 The report presented two Options:

Option 1 (preferred Option) – To approve the acceptance of the Children with Additional Needs allocation, recruitment to the proposed posts and delegate authority for allocation of the remaining funding to the Executive Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance.

Option 2 – To not approve the acceptance of the funding, creation of the posts or delegated authority arrangements.

Resolved:

1. That the Governance, Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board, endorses the recommendations detailed in the submitted report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services to:

a.    Accept the additional £1,756,100 Children with Additional Needs allocation awarded to Oldham by the DfE through the Best Start in Life programme.

b.    Approve the creation and recruitment of 1 Integrated Team Manager post (Grade 10), 5 Early Years Quality Practitioner posts (Grade 5) and 7 Best Start Inclusion Practitioner posts (Grade 5) funded through the Children with Additional Needs allocation to 31 March 2029.

c.     To delegate authority for the allocation of the remaining funding to the Executive Director Children and Young People, in consultation with the Director of Finance.

2. Requests that the Group Leaders meeting concurs, thereby enabling the Chief Executive to formally approve the recommendations in the report.