Agenda item

The Panel received a report on the Haringey SEND & Alternative Provision Strategy Consultation 2026-29. Attached to the report was a copy of the SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy. The report provided the Panel with an update on the outcome of the formal public consultation in relation to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Strategy for Haringey 2026-2029, as well as the changes that have been made to the strategy as a result of the feedback, and the next steps. The report was introduced by Jack Newton, Director: Schools & Learning, as set out in the published agenda pack at pages 139-185. The Corporate Director of Children’s Services was present for this item, along with the Director of Safeguarding and Social Care, and the Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families. The following arose during the discussion of this report.

a.    In reference to co-production and the emphasis that the strategy put on the inclusion of the voice of the child, the Chair questioned how the voice of the child was being considered for children with an EHCP, but who were homeschooled or otherwise not in a school setting and therefore may be subject to reduced provision. In response, officers advised that they were not aware of the extent to which these children were consulted as part of the strategy, but that it was recognised that those children should be involved. Officers agreed to come back with a written response to the Panel. (Action: Jack Newton).

b.    The Panel sought clarification about how the Council supported children with SEND who didn’t want to attend school. In response, officers advised that there were a variety of reasons why a child might not want to be in an educational setting, and that it was important that they were a welcoming place for all children. For a child with an EHCP, they would have a coordinator for that plan and they would be responsible for working with the partnership in order to meet the needs of that child, as set out in that plan and to look at how they could support the family to access an educational setting. The Cabinet Member emphasised that there was also a range of alternative provision and online tutoring. The Cabinet Member also set out that it was crucial to understand why a school maybe unwelcoming and to listen to the young people about why they did not want to attend school.

c.    The Chair of SEND Power commented that for a child with ADHD, the reasons that they did not want to go to school were primarily sensory i.e. noises, smells, a feeling of not being safe. It was suggested that additional funding arising from the Pupil Premium should be used to help support a child to learn at home.

d.    In response to a question, officers advised that timeliness in relation to completing an assessment under the Care Act 2014 was 20 weeks and that this was a national benchmarking indicator. 

e.    The Panel questioned what work was being done in schools to support children to understand the needs of their peers with SEND. In response, officers advise that this was done through the Haringey Education Partnership who worked with schools directly to provide clusters around training needs. There was also an inclusionary team within Children’s Service who could work with individual schools.

f.      The Chair of SEND Power advised that the partnership had been visiting schools and doing coffee mornings with relevant staff including the SENCO, in order to have those conversations about how to support students with SEND. The Panel were also advised that the partnership had created a Haringey SEND Working Together Charter which set out how co-production arrangements would operate to ensure equal partnership between families, carers, and education, health, and social care practitioners for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

RESOLVED

That members of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny panel noted the contents of the report and strategy, and directed any comments and observations to the Director for Schools and Learning.