Agenda item

Scrutiny Review of SEND

To consider an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the scrutiny review of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND).

Minutes:

Ann Marie Dodds, Interim Assistant Director of SEND, Early Help and Prevention, presented a detailed report on progress with the implementation of the recommendations of the review of SEND that the Panel had undertaken earlier in the year. 

 

Panel Members welcomed the progress that had been made but reported that this was not always yet being reflected in the feedback that they were receiving from parents and carers.  In particular, issues relating to Travel Buddies had been brought to the attention of Members by parents and carers and these had persisted after Members had been informed that they had been resolved. Information and data to provide reassurance would therefore be very welcome.  Ms Dodds reported that hard data on SEND was considered on a regular basis with the Cabinet Member and could be more widely shared. She acknowledged that there had been difficulties relating to some Travel Buddies and their contracts but these had now been resolved.  They were very highly valued and consideration was currently being given to bringing them in-house. 

 

In answer to a question, Ms Dodds acknowledged that the pressures on schools arising from SEND was not evenly spread.   The location of schools that children with SEND attended was known and work was taking place to get a better understanding of what was offered by individual schools and patterns.  The SEND Code of Practice gave parents with the right to express a preference regarding the school that their children attended, although the service could not always support their choice if it was felt to not be appropriate.  There were a wide range of factors that influenced SEND and these were not just related to deprivation or geography and it was necessary to obtain a systematic understanding of them all.  Work to address this was in progress.  The role of all partners was particularly important and especially health services. 

 

In answer to another question regarding co-production, she stated that co-production could be evidenced by asking the right questions.   These would include who was in attendance at meetings, how decisions had been reached and whether they had involved parents and carers.  She was not aware if the information that had been provided on transitions had been made available in different languages and whether interpretation had been offered and agreed to find out and share this information with the Panel.

 

Ms Graham reported that there were multiple issues that influenced the differences between school educational standards in the east and west of the borough.  One current issue was access to digital devices.  The issues arising from this had been outlined in the report on Lost Learning during the first Covid lockdown that had been circulated to the Panel as part of the agenda for the last meeting.

 

Panel Members noted that SEND took up a significant amount of school budgets and that schools in east of the borough were less able to raise additional funding for it than those in the west.  They requested comparative information on the amount of expenditure by schools per child for SEND.  Ms Graham agreed to circulate such information that was available.

 

Panel Members raised the issue of communication with school governing bodies regarding the SEND Executive Board and the Start Well Board.  In addition, it was felt that more information was required for schools on the educational psychology service, including costings.  Ms Dodds agreed to establish how school governing bodies were communicated with and to ensure that they were included in future updates.  Engagement with parents was currently undertaken directly with parents rather than through schools but it would be possible it would be possible to involve them as well.  She agreed to report back on educational psychology services and their cost.

 

AGREED:

 

1.    That the Assistant Director for SEND, Early Help and Prevention be requested to provide further information of whether information provided on transitions had been made available in different languages and if interpretation had been offered; and

 

2.      That comparative information on the amount of expenditure by schools per child for SEND be circulated to the Panel.

Supporting documents: