Agenda item

Cabinet Member Questions: Children, Schools and Families

An opportunity to question Councillor Zena Brabazon, the Cabinet Member for

Children, Schools and Families, on developments within her portfolio.

Minutes:

Councillor Zena Brabazon, the Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families, reported that the statutory guidance on the respective roles of the Director and of the relevant Cabinet Member for Children’s Services had not changed since 2004.  They were accountable for a range of services including corporate parenting, safeguarding of children and children in need.  In addition, there was also accountability for the quality and provision of education.  The overall framework was governed by the Children Act of 2004. 

 

There had been great changes to the education landscape in recent years, with the advent of free schools and acceleration in the growth of academies.  These had resulted in fragmentation and the development of a “two tier” system, which had impacted on maintenance of Council maintained schools.  There was now a £90 million capital programme in Haringey to refurbish them.  In addition, a working group had been set up with schools to explore closer collaboration. Schools had autonomy but were not islands and there were strategic issues that needed to be explored with them.  Children’s social care would nevertheless always be the Council’s top priority though. 

 

Keeping abreast of legislation was another important priority.  There was currently a consultation on the government’s Green Paper on SEND and this was due to finish on 22 July.   Concerns had been expressed by the SEND Parent Carer Forum at what is being proposed.  The proposed changes were likely to take many years to be implemented, if they proceeded.  She felt that the Council’s provision for SEND had made considerable progress recently.  The recent OFSTED inspection of SEND had identified three areas of weakness and, whilst these were significant, this was less than had been identified in inspections in other areas. 

 

She had particular concerns regarding youth justice and anti-social behaviour.  An extensive summer activity programme was planned for children and young people and was available to view on the Council’s website.

 

The Panel raised the issue of the Domestic Abuse Act, which required children and young people to be identified as victims and appropriate provision made for them. They requested information on the preparations that had been made in Haringey.  It was noted that the Children and Young People’s Service worked closely with the Violence Against Women and Girls team and agreed that a full report would be made to a future meeting of the Panel on this issue.

 

In answer to a question regarding how schools addressed the needs of children before a formal diagnosis of SEND, the Cabinet Member stated that she would like children to be diagnosed as soon as possible.  However, sometimes it was felt better to wait if children were in early years settings.  The lack of a diagnosis did not necessarily mean that there was no support plan.  Some of the timescales for diagnosis had reduced but sometimes the needs of children were very complex.   The resources required to support children were also not always available.   She felt that there was a need to identify needs at an early stage and that as much should be done in early years as was possible.  There was also a need for parents and carers to be heard as they normally had the best knowledge of children.  There was a clear role for professionals and a need for collaboration. 

 

Ann Graham, the Director of Children’s Services, commented that there was currently not enough money in the system.  Waiting times for diagnosis had nevertheless come down.  The improvements to SEND services would take time to take effect.  The Council worked very closely with NHS colleagues and additional provision had been made for speech and language therapies.  It was important that these were accessible at an early stage so that needs did not become chronic.  Work was taking place with partners to ensure that their strategies were in line with each other.  A systemic approach was also being adopted. 

 

Jackie Difolco, Assistant Director for Early Help and Prevention, reported that there were a number of programmes of work within the Council that impacted on SEND.  There is a new SEND strategy for 2022-2025 that had been widely consulted on.  In addition, the Written Statement of Action required as a consequence of the OFSTED and CQC inspection was being implemented over the next two years and that there had also been significant investment.  The SEND service was subject to robust scrutiny from the Panel, the Department for Education and OFSTED.  Consideration was being given to the Council entering the Safety Valve programme, which would look at how the overspend in the DSG High Needs Block could be best managed without compromising service quality.   There was a programme of work with schools that was aimed at promoting early intervention as well as a project that was focussing on demand management.  Feedback from the Department for Education on the operation of the SEND Executive Board was that progress was being made with partnership working but there also needed to be more shared ownership. 

 

The Panel thanked the Cabinet Member and officers for their response and requested that timelines for these plans be shared with the Panel as well as details of contingency plans.  

 

In answer to a question regarding transitions, the Cabinet Member stated that this was a massive issue and there was a large programme of work taking place in response to it.  The main area of transition was from children’s to adult services.  However, there was also transition from nursery to reception, primary to secondary school and secondary school to post 16.   Ms Difolco reported that transition was a key area of work across the Children, Adults and Health directorate.  There was a particular focus on preparing young people with SEND for adulthood.  There was an action plan and a timeline to deliver improvements within the next two years.  The delivery of the plan would begin during the autumn, although work was already underway.   It was agreed that a joint meeting with the Adults and Health Scrutiny Panel would be arranged early next year to consider progress.   This should include transitions from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services into adult services and transitional safeguarding.

 

In answer to a question regarding speech and language therapy, the Cabinet Member reported that some additional funding had been obtained to improve provision in the short term.  Some of this had come from NHS partners and, in addition, it was planned to use an underspend in the Early Years block.  The latter still had to be formally approved by the Schools Forum.  It would be delivered through Children’s Centres.  The Cabinet Member reported that much progress had been made in developing the infrastructure to deliver inclusive support, particularly through Children’s Centres.  Speech and language therapy was a very important part of support.

 

AGREED:

 

1.    That a full report would be made to a future meeting of the Panel on the implementation of the Domestic Abuse Act of 2021 and the implications of this for children and young people;

 

2.    That timelines for the range of programmes of work within the Council to improve SEND services be shared with the Panel; and

 

3.    That a joint meeting be arranged with the Adults and Health Scrutiny Panel be arranged early next year to consider the issue of transitions in detail and that this include transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services into adult services.