Agenda item

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which updates Members on the progress made in relation to Education Leeds’ formal response and action plan, following the Scrutiny Board’s inquiry into Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres and asks Members to determine whether any further action is required

Further to Minute No. 20, 13^th July 2006, the Board received an update on the progress made by Education Leeds in relation to the action plan which had been drawn up in response to the publication of the Scrutiny Board’s inquiry report into Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres (SILCs). The findings of the Scrutiny Board working group, a body which had been established to monitor the progress made in relation to the action plan, were also detailed for Members’ consideration.

Carol Jordan, Strategic Manager, Behaviour and Attendance, and Paul Barker, Inclusion and SEN Team Leader, both of Education Leeds, were in attendance to answer Members’ questions.

Following a brief overview of the information detailed with the report, a question and answer session ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

·  Members clarified whether a debate with all stakeholders concerning the principles and future direction of the SILC strategy had begun;

·  The need to ensure that a clear strategy which reflected the changing needs of the service and which struck the correct balance between inclusion and integration was established in relation to the future provision of the SILCs;

·  Members raised concerns regarding the timescales assigned to several of the responses within the action plan, sought clarification on the reasons for such lengthy timescales and highlighted the impact that such timescales may have upon service users in the interim;

·  The Board sought clarification on the extent to which a funding model for the SILCs could be established, bearing in mind the service’s ongoing structural review;

·  Members sought further clarification on the arrangements for a proposed funding model for the SILCs, in order to ensure that the problems which had been experienced in the past would not occur again;

·  With regard to the delays which had been experienced, Members enquired whether such delays had been caused by the degree of uncertainty which surrounded the SILC’s long term funding arrangements;

·  Members emphasised the importance of effective communication with all stakeholders and made enquiries into the number, level of parental involvement and effectiveness of the Parent Forums which had been established;

·  Members noted that the Portage Team had nearly doubled the number of families receiving the service since 2005, asked whether this increase had been due to a reduction in the regularity of visits made by the team to service users and sought clarification over the vacancy in the team which was to be filled after two years;

·  The Board referred to the accessibility of information relating to the range of services available to children with special educational needs, asked whether such information was available from one source and whether enough was being done to provide ‘clear, co-ordinated and updated information’;

·  The actions being taken to ensure that the Choice Advisor interfaced with those families who were most in need of information and guidance;

·  Members emphasised the difference between informing and consulting with service users and highlighted the need to ensure that effective consultation on any proposed change to service delivery was undertaken;

·  The Board emphasised the demands which were being placed upon those employees who taught children with special educational needs, raised concern at the amount of trainingin this field which was aimed at teaching assistants and highlighted the pressures currently placed upon teachers which restricted them from undertaking such courses.

In conclusion, Members stressed the need for the Scrutiny Board’s successor to continue to monitor this issue, especially in relation to the short term recommendations made by the Scrutiny Board in addition to the longer term structural and funding arrangements.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That the Scrutiny Board and its successor, continue to monitor the progress made by Education Leeds in relation to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Board following its inquiry into the Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres.

(Mrs S Knights declared a personal interest in relation to this item, due to being a member of the North West SILC Parents Forum)