Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee
Barnet Council's Children and Education Sub-Committee is currently discussing foster carer recruitment, school improvement, and identifying young carers.
The Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee, which oversees children's services and education for Barnet Council, is reviewing strategies for foster carer recruitment. A Fostering Task and Finish Group reported in March 2026 that 11 new households were recruited this year, with face-to-face engagement proving more effective than social media.
In March 2026, the sub-committee also discussed school improvement strategies after all Barnet's maintained schools achieved Ofsted's expected standard or above. Concurrently, a report presented to the sub-committee highlighted that thousands of young carers in Barnet remain unidentified, with only 13% known to services in 2023.
The council's school improvement team continues to monitor and support schools to enhance performance. Efforts are also ongoing to address the significant number of unidentified young carers, estimated at 6,500 aged five to 17, by understanding reasons for non-disclosure and improving identification.
Key facts
- Barnet Council recruited 11 new foster carer households by March 2026. Source
- All Barnet maintained schools achieved Ofsted's 'expected standard' or above by March 2026. Source
- An estimated 6,500 young carers aged five to 17 live in Barnet. Source
- Only 13% of young carers in Barnet were known to services in 2023. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.