Agenda item

This report provides an update on the delivery of the Written Statement of Action. BCP Council and Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group are required to deliver a number of actions to transform special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services across the local area.

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

The report provided an update on the delivery of the Written Statement of Action (WSoA). BCP Council and Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) were required to deliver a number of actions to transform special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services across the local area.

The Committee discussed the report and comments were made, including:

• In response to a query regarding the Red Amber Green (RAG) ratings, the Chair requested a focused report on the ones due to commence around the time of the next meeting – ACTION – add to Forward Plan
• In response to a query regarding co-production, the Committee was advised that the service was advertising to employ a coproduction worker and participation worker, their roles were explaomed and how they would benefit the young people worked with.  It was also highlighted that a Youth Worker was going to progress the co-production charter to ensure a wide range of views were sourced.
• In response to a concern regarding one Participation worker being inadequately resourced, the Committee was reassured that although the service was looking to employ one member of staff, they wouldn’t be the only person seeking the views of young people and would not be working in isolation.
• A Committee Member who also sat on the SEND Improvement Board, advised of the upcoming Ofsted monitoring visit scheduled for 27 April 22 and enquired whether the Committee could have an update following that. ACTION – add to Forward Plan.
• The Committee was advised of the way internal progress and monitoring was being used to help detail the improvement journey to the Department for Education (DfE).
• In response to a query regarding the permanent and fixed terms exclusions highlighted at focus area 37, the Committee was advised that work was already ongoing in this area such as pre exclusion conferencing and details were provided of how actions can have previous actions feed into them.  The Service Director advised she would bring some updated figures to the July Committee.  ACTION – add to Forward Plan
• In response to a query regarding how the Committee could provide the robust scrutiny needed, it was advised to test the improvement plan by asking for evidence and proof of the improvements being detailed.
• In response to a query regarding whether the Committee could be provided with an overview of financial situation regarding the high needs block, it was advised that the service was held to account for the high needs block expenditure at the SEND Improvement Board and the report could be shared with this Committee for information.  ACTION – add to the action sheet

The Chair summarised the discussions as follows:

• Coproduction
• Ofsted visit on 27 April and requested feedback
• Permanent exclusion ongoing work
• Robustness of scrutiny and how the Committee can help
• Budget information

RESOLVED that Committee Members review the updates made in the delivery of the Written Statement of Action.