Agenda item

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting information as part of the Board’s Inquiry into ‘Preparing for the Future, Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabled Young People’.

 The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which presented information as part of the Board’s Inquiry into ‘Preparing for the Future, Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabled Young People’.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Updated Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Action Plan

-  School attendance by SEND children and young people in the 2014/15 academic year

-  Details of Personal Progress Courses

-  Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) consultation: inspection of local area SEND arrangements

-  Example of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

-  Outcomes from the ‘Make your Mark’ ballot

The following were in attendance:

-  Councillor Jane Dowson, Deputy Executive Member (Children and Families)

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-  Barbara Newton, Head of Service (Complex Needs)

-  Andrew Eastwood, Head of Service (Learning Improvement)

-  John Ashton, Targeted Service Leader (SILC Cluster and JESS).

The key areas of discussion were:

• Clarification sought regarding the role of Empowering Parents Improving Choice (EPIC).  The Board was informed that EPIC was a forum aimed at encouraging parental involvement in decision making and was linked to the work of other parent groups.
• An acknowledgement of the different approaches used by SILCs and mainstream education providers in tackling attendance.  The Board was informed about the attendance OBA event conducted by the SILC Cluster. The Board also considered development of a SILC cluster approach and the need to strengthen links with other key services.
• The difficulties associated with developing a ‘one size fits all’ solution to improving attendance when dealing with diverse needs.
• Concern that there was no statutory duty for governing bodies to have a SEND governor.  The Board was advised that it was common for governing bodies to merge the role of SEND with other duties, e.g. safeguarding.  In addition, LCC encouraged awareness of SEND by providing training for governors, which was led by senior inclusion and SEN improvement advisers.  The Board also sought confirmation regarding the number of governors that had received SEND training.
• The training and development of LCC Staff.
• The development of skills within the SILC Cluster through Education, Health and Wellbeing self-assessment and commissioning.
• The importance of making a distinction between physical and learning disability to ensure reasonable adjustments.
• The importance of SILCs developing workstreams that supported the whole family.
• Acknowledgement that some SEND children and young people had not accessed targeted support because they did not attend school in the area in which they lived. The formulation of the new SILC Cluster should have a significant impact to remove this issue.
• The added value of SILC Cluster support and guidance meetings.
• The important role of schools and early years in terms of identifying the right level of support for children and young people. The Board also sought clarification about how target setting was monitored and challenged.
• Clarification provided regarding the assessment process, particularly in terms of a multi-agency approach and family involvement.
• The joint Ofsted inspection framework and the improvement journey so far.
• Confirmation that that the next session of the Inquiry focussed on pathways and post 16 opportunities for SEND young people.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the above issues raised as part of the Board’s Inquiry be noted.

(b)  That the above requests for information be provided.