11. Executive Director of Children's Services
11.1 The Executive Director of Children’s Services is responsible for Children Services, with the aim to support and help children, young people and their families to lead happy, safe and healthy lives. This is undertaken by working closely with children, young people and their families to build on their unique strengths, skills and resources, supporting and helping them to be the best they can.
11.2 The Executive Director of Children’s Services is further responsible for Education, with the aim to ensure all children and young people in Hartlepool enjoy their childhood, attend a good school and are well equipped to enter adulthood with the education and skills necessary for them to live happy and fulfilled lives
11.3 In addition to the general delegations set out in section 6 of the scheme, the Executive Director of Children’s Services is authorised to exercise the following specific functions:
General - Children's Social Services
| No | Delegation |
|---|---|
| EDCS1 | Research into matters relating to local authority welfare services. Health Visiting and Social Work (Training) Act 1962. |
| EDCS2 | Care and other treatment of children and young persons through court proceedings Children and Young Persons Act 1969. |
| EDCS3 | To ensure the provision for services for transition for children to adult care and support in England. Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 and Care Act 2014. |
| EDCS4 | Functions exercisable under the Adoption and Children Act 2002. |
| EDCS5 | To discharge all of the functions of the local authority as contained in the Children Act 1989. |
| EDCS6 | Local offer for care leavers Children and Social Work Act 2016. |
| EDCS7 | To discharge any functions exercisable by the authority under the National Health Service Act 2006 on behalf of an NHS body insofar as those functions relate to children. |
| EDCS8 | To discharge the functions conferred on the authority under Part 1 of the Childcare Act 2006 and any function conferred on the authority under section 2 of the Childcare Act 2016. |
| EDCS9 | The Protection of the young in relation to criminal and summary proceedings; children appearing before court as in need of care, protection or control; committal of children to approved school or care of fit person, etc. Remand homes, approved schools and children in care of fit persons Children and Young Persons Act 1933. |
| EDCS10 | To ensure appropriate commissioning for social care services relating to children and adults in accordance with the commissioning strategy and approved contract process. |
Youth Offending
| No | Delegation |
|---|---|
| EDCS11 | To determine and implement any response necessary to meet the needs of young people in the youth justice system as required by the courts or the national standards for the Youth Offending Service. |
| EDCS12 | To exercise the duties and responsibilities contained within the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Criminal Justice Act 2003 insofar as they relate to youth justice. |
| EDCS13 | To establish youth offender panels and all other requirements contained within Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 |
| EDCS14 | To exercise powers relating to young persons in need of care, protection or control; further provisions for protection of the young in relation to criminal proceedings Children and Young Persons Act 1963. |
Education
| No | Delegation |
|---|---|
| EDCS15 | To discharge all education functions conferred on or exercisable by the authority Children Act 2004. |
| EDCS16 | To exercise the powers of the Authority as Local Education Authority under the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 and other relevant legislation and any steps required under direction issued by the Secretary of State for Education. |
| EDCS17 | To ensure sufficiency of places in early years, schools and colleges. |
| EDCS18 | To comply with the local authorities duty to children with special education needs including the identification and assessment of children with special education needs, the provision of education to those children and all other associated duties Children and Families Act 2014. |
| EDCS19 | To appoint Parent Governor Representatives to local authority committees dealing with education; Education Act 1996 |
| EDCS20 | To ensure that each maintained school has a governing body, instrument of governance and all otherwise complied with all other requirements of the Education Act 2002. |
| EDCS21 | In consultation with the Chair of the relevant Committee, to authorise works where an emergency (e.g. risk of school closure) or a significant risk of health and safety is likely. |
| EDCS22 | Approve grants and awards to pupils and students in further or higher education in accordance with nationally or locally agreed schemes or provisions, or as a special case outside such provisions, in either case in accordance with regulations and advice issued by the Secretary of State for Education. |
| EDCS23 | To make arrangements to establish the identities of children residing in the area who are not receiving suitable Education Act 1996. |
| EDCS24 | To discharge all functions of the authority as contained within the Education Act 2005 relating to the performance and inspection of schools. |
Child Poverty
| No | Delegation |
|---|---|
| EDCS25 | To make arrangements to promote co-operation between the Council and its partner Authorities and other persons or bodies to reduce and mitigate the effects of child poverty in the Council’s area under Section 21 of the Child Poverty Act 2010. |
Miscellaneous
| No | Delegation |
|---|---|
| EDCS26 | To consider licence applications for children to take part in performance or take part in paid sports or paid modelling work. |