Agenda item

The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Improvement programme of work has made significant progress over the past 12 months, including stabilising the workforce, improving plan quality and timeliness, and implementing a new SEND Sufficiency strategy. However, challenges remain in maintaining assessment timeliness and managing the growing caseload. Additional resources are needed to meet statutory delivery targets and improve service efficiency. Key focus areas include recruitment, enhancing the Local Offer website, and addressing the high use of Alternative Provision. The ongoing demand for new assessments and the impact on the Dedicated School’s Grant (DSG) budget is also highlighted.

The Director of Education and Skills presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Improvement programme of work had made significant progress over the past 12 months, including stabilising the workforce, improving plan quality and timeliness, and implementing a new SEND Sufficiency strategy. However, challenges remain in maintaining assessment timeliness and managing the growing caseload. Additional resources were needed to meet statutory delivery targets and improve service efficiency. Key focus areas included recruitment, enhancing the Local Offer website, and addressing the high use of Alternative Provision. The ongoing demand for new assessments and the impact on the Dedicated School’s Grant (DSG) budget was also highlighted.

The Committee considered the update and made the following comments:

• In response to a query about the two most common issues families raised complaints about, the Committee was advised that historically, most complaints had focused on communication within the SEND provision. This area had since seen improvement. However, more recently, they had begun receiving complaints concerning the provision itself, primarily related to capacity and sufficiency.
• The Committee was advised that complaints about communication in the service arose from a disparity between rising demand and the number of available officers managing cases. Although the new structure had improved workload distribution among staff, further improvements were still needed.
• In response to a query raised regarding a previously submitted growth bid, the Committee was advised that it was declined despite aiming to address a significant increase in service demand. However, the service took steps to reduce reliance on staffing resources by improving processes, utilising technology, and streamlining operations to operate more efficiently with fewer staff members.
• In response to concerns raised regarding the reduced reliance on staff, the Committee was advised that maintaining the human element of the service remained a top priority. It was emphasised that the significance of a multi-agency approach to developing EHCPs. By utilising technology to streamline the planning process, case officers could save time and focus more on providing meaningful one-on-one interactions with families.
• In response to a query raised regarding the most cost-effective way to run the service, the Committee was advised that getting it right the first time was the best approach. However, financial constraints made it necessary for the service to consider other ways to meet its statutory duties. Additionally, early intervention work had the potential to positively impact this area, but it required careful management.  

• In response to a query about the gap in the SEND budget and potential solutions to address it, the Committee was informed that the SEND system and landscape did not adequately serve the majority of stakeholders, which was a national issue. The service faced challenges in delivering support due to ongoing budget constraints. However, efforts were made to alleviate these challenges to ensure effective service delivery and to explore ways to reduce costs. Multiple approaches were pursued to manage this pressure as they moved forward.
• In response to a query raised regarding the service used for creating and delivering EHCPs, the Committee was advised that the service had ceased using Enhance. Instead, they had decided to bring the writing of EHCPs in-house, enabling high quality output.
• In response to a query raised regarding mainstream provisions for children and young people with SEND, the Committee was advised that the priority was to integrate children and young people with SEND into their local mainstream schools, though some might need specialised provisions. The service emphasised the importance of monitoring suspensions and promoting collaboration with schools to ensure that adequate support was provided to those facing challenges in a mainstream setting.
• The officers agreed to share an update on the first free school, including current enrolment figures, and to update the Committee regarding the progress of the second free school. ACTION
• The officers agreed to share the full review of the DSG finances as well as the SEND improvement board's response to the review. ACTION
• The Committee requested an update on the ongoing work regarding education outside of school and home education and asked that it be shared with the Committee. ACTION

It was Proposed, Seconded and RECOMMENDED to better assess the impact on children, young people and families of any potential budget overspend in the SEND service budget, the Committee recommends that Cabinet requests a report be provided to Cabinet by June 2025 which outlines:

·       the likely overspend in the budget

·       which areas have been identified to overspend

·       the options to ensure the budget limit is met

·       an appraisal of the impact on children and families of these factors.

Voting: Unanimous