Agenda item

SEND update, including letter from the Department for Education.

Councillor Lucy Smith, the cabinet member for children and young people, provided an overview of the report, detailing the actions that had been promised. Wendy Young Head of Service for SEND mentioned that after two monitoring periods over six months, the next stocktake is planned for July.

This will involve deep dive monitoring through the Priority Impact Plan (PIP) and local area partnerships to facilitate local discussions. The report aims to combine and theme various areas to provide more accurate support while waiting, and to better understand the impact of the plan on children and families.

Councillor Ryder expressed satisfaction with the dedication and hard work evident from the outset of the letter, and inquired about the confidence in meeting the steps and receiving positive feedback. Councillor Smith responded confidently, acknowledging the challenges and outlining the next steps, hoping to see the impact and address future challenges.

Wendy emphasized that as the journey continues, the Priority Impact Plan identifies how well the team has worked and the ongoing impact, suggesting that actions may need to be adjusted. She highlighted the challenges around the SEND improvement journey and measuring impact.

Will Blandamer Executive Director for Health and Adult Care discussed the NHS contribution, noting progress but also significant waiting times for children's ADHD services, which are challenging and subject to national issues. Jeanette Richards Executive Director for Children’s Services added that recognising the scale of challenges is crucial, and everything needs to be organised effectively across the wider area.

Councillor Bernstein inquired about staffing challenges and the risk they pose to the plan. Councillor Smith acknowledged staffing as a risk, noting difficulties in achieving the right results and challenges in supporting schools through a graduated approach.

Councillor Bernstein asked if there is enough proactive effort in retaining staff and looking creatively at ways to keep them. Councillor Smith admitted difficulties within partnerships and emphasized the need to attract and retain staff, particularly in the SEND team. Wendy Young added that while there hasn't been a huge turnover, there are complex casework and high-volume positions that are difficult to recruit for. She stressed the importance of investing in training and development for new and existing staff to align with knowledge and skills.

Councillor Boles focused on measuring impacts and challenges, questioning how to scrutinize effectively and ensure the voice and lived experience of children are captured. An action was noted to gather feedback from children on the impact of SEND items directly.

Councillor Fitzgerald mentioned a positive letter from the Department for Education (DFE) and inquired about the nature of EHCP plans. Wendy Young noted an increase in numbers and emphasized the importance of ensuring recovery areas and improving numbers through part-time timetables and narrative amendments.

Councillor Fitzgerald followed up on parental preferences, noting sufficiency issues and statutory deadlines that may have changed due to consultation delays. The Committee was provided with assurances of challenges and the importance of child feedback in parental reports.

It was agreed:

·         The report and letter from the DFE be noted