Issue - meetings

The Chair welcomed Edwina Grant, OBE, Executive Director of Education and Children’s Services; Hilary Fordham, Chief Operating Officer, Morecambe Bay CCG; and Sharon Hubber, Director of Children’s Social Care to the meeting. Also welcomed to the meeting were Ambarin and Oscar (Youth Parliament representatives).

Ambarin and Oscar gave the committee a verbal presentation on their experiences during lockdown. Members were advised that young people had experienced an increase in mental health and wellbeing issues like stress, loneliness and worry. Also there were feelings of boredom and feeling trapped.

The Childhood Trust had reported that the lockdown had been extremely difficult for children as they no longer had access to support at school or other organisations.

It was reported that many young people were talking to their friends online but young people without social media were finding lockdown difficult not being able to see their friends.

It was felt that the impact of the lockdown had increased the level of anxiety for pupils. It was reported that they felt they were not receiving proper education and there was panic and confusion as they did not know what their exams would be like.

Members were advised that pupils who were at school felt trapped. There was no movement as they had to remain at their desks. This affected primary school children more as they did not understand the situation.

One of the biggest problems for young people was motivating themselves and putting the work in with children not going back to school until September feeling they were falling behind. Members felt that motivation was an important issue and enquired if there had been particular support measures from schools that had worked well. Some schools had set up online support using Microsoft Teams where pupils were able to communicate with their teachers. Another program used was Show My Homework. There was also recorded lessons for pupils. It was felt schools should increase their care of online learning. There should also be catch up sessions for pupils who did not do the work during lockdown.

It was reported that there was uncertainty amongst Year 11 pupils regarding GCSEs and how everyone was going to be graded and what going to college would be like. Another problem for Year 10 pupils was that they were having to teach themselves some of the course modules and concerns that they might not understand the work or interpret it incorrectly.

It was stated that there is a need to get pupils back to school as quickly as possible without causing a second outbreak in Lancashire.

The committee enquired if there was any way it could ask the young people of Lancashire what they would like. It was pointed out that many schools had websites that questionnaires could be sent to. The committee could also communicate with the youth councils.  The committee asked if officers could look into this. It was also felt that the county council could write to the schools asking them to engage more with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5