Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence from those Members who are unable to attend the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Tanisha Bramwell.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on the 8^th and 29^th August 2025.

RESOLVED –

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 8^th and 29^th August 2025 be approved as a correct record.

Members will be asked to say if there are any items on the Agenda in which they have any disclosable pecuniary interests or any other interests, which may prevent them from participating in any discussion of the items or participating in any vote upon the items.

No interests were declared.

Most agenda items take place in public. This only changes where there is a need to consider exempt information, as contained at Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. You will be informed at this point which items are to be recommended for exclusion and to be resolved by the Committee.

All agenda items were considered in public session.

The Panel will receive any petitions and/or deputations from members of the public. A deputation is where up to five people can attend the meeting and make a presentation on some particular issue of concern. A member of the public can also submit a petition at the meeting relating to a matter on which the body has powers and responsibilities.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, Members of the Public must submit a deputation in writing, at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting and shall subsequently be notified if the deputation shall be heard. A maximum of four deputations shall be heard at any one meeting.

No deputations or petitions were received.

To receive any public questions.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11, the period for the asking and answering of public questions shall not exceed 15 minutes.

Any questions must be submitted in writing at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

No public questions were received.

The Panel will consider a report and presentation on the outcome of the Kirklees Local Area Partnership Inspection of SEND and Alternative Provision undertaken in June 2025 by Ofsted and CQC and the post inspection Action Plan.

Contact:         Jo-Anne Sanders, Service Director (Learning and Early Support)

                        Stewart Horn, Head of Children’s Integrated Commission

Vicky Dutchburn, NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board

                        Ian Bennett, NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board

The Panel considered a report and presentation on the outcome of the Kirklees Local Area Partnership Inspection of SEND and Alternative Provision undertaken in June 2025 by Ofsted and CQC, and the post inspection Action Plan, which was presented by Ian Bennett, ICB Kirklees Place Director of Nursing and Quality.

The Panel noted that the strength of the inspection was in the partnership arrangements and relationships that were in place between health partners, local authority partners, education partners, and most importantly the voice of children and young people.

Ian Bennett gave context to the report and highlighted the following key points:

·       All local area partnerships were eligible for inspections by Ofsted and CQC, which looked specifically at services provided for children and young people with special educational needs and those with disabilities (SEND) and at alternative provision.

·       The Kirklees local area partnership was inspected between the 16th and the 20th of June 2025, and the report was published in August.

·       The previous inspection in 2022 had identified two areas for improvement and significant improvement that had been made in those two areas.

·       The outcome of the report was that the local area partnership arrangements led to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children, young people and those with special educational needs and disabilities and that the partnership needed to work more jointly to make improvements.

·       Ofsted and CQC had asked the local area partnership to update and publish its strategic plan.

·       The Panel were asked to note the recommendations set out within the report and consider the detail of what would be done to address them, as set out in The Big Plan Part 3.

Tom Brailsford, Executive Director for Children and Families, informed the Panel that inspectors:

•       Recognised that leaders were ambitious for children and young people with SEND.

•       Noted that the partnership worked well together, including with the Parent and Carer Forum, Parents of Children with Additional Needs (PCAN).

•       Understood that the partnership was aware of areas of strength and areas that needed to improve further.

•       Saw passion and dedication within Kirklees, that people worked together to make a difference for and with children and young people and their families.

•       Were very positive about many things including the Big Plan and cluster working.

•       Observed that children were at the heart of what was being done and were the centre of decision making - children and young people’s voices were listened to and helped shape local developments that affected them. 

Tom Brailsford advised the Panel that the inspection highlighted four areas of improvement:

•       Preparing for Adulthood (PfA)

•       Waiting times for some Health services (therapeutic services, Mental Health Services and access to wheelchair services)

•       Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)

•       Communication

The Panel was informed that these areas for improvement would be addressed in SEND: The Big Plan 3, a document that could be read on its own as a response to the inspection, and which complemented part 1  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

The Panel will consider a verbal update on the performance highlights from the latest Children’s Services data report covering period ending August 2025.

Contact:        Jo-Anne Sanders, Service Director

Robert Fordyce, Head of Quality Assurance

Robert Fordyce, Head of Service for Quality Assurance and Practice Development gave an update on performance data in response to questions from the Panel:

·       Recorded completion rates of under-5 developmental checks appeared lower, but this was likely due to data entry gaps. Locala figures showed 97% of Children Looked After had assessments in Quarter 2 (Aug–Sep 2025). A joint health data group had been established to confirm what had accounted for this gap.

·       Lower numbers of dental assessments were linked to carers not being asked regularly about checks and data not being logged. Heads of service would oversee improvements, ensuring carers are prompted in meetings and that completed checks were consistently recorded.

·       Adoption figures had declined, reflecting national patterns, while special guardianship placements had increased. The New Beginnings model, which engaged families pre-birth, had led to more children remaining with their families. Where adoption was needed, carers were identified in partnership with One Adoption West Yorkshire.

·       Demand for exploitation assessments had risen in August, not tied to a specific incident but linked to revised definitions and training. Numbers fluctuated but often rose after practice reviews. Weekly monitoring ensured overdue cases were addressed, and the exploitation screening panel provided oversight and a level of assurance.

Jo-Anne Sanders presented highlights on August data:

• The cumulative figure for initial EHCPs being undertaken within 20 weeks was 54.4%, compared to the national average last year of 45.9%.
• In June and July there were a significantly higher number of requests for EHCPs than in the previous quarter (125 in June, 137 in July). In answer to a question, the Panel were advised that this increase may have an impact on timeliness in the next quarter.
• Analysis was being done on where the request to assessments was coming from. There was a national trend in requests from parents and carers and this was also the case in Kirklees.
• A robust data dashboard for EHCPs was in place which would provide more detail around progress on annual reviews.
• Some health information was provided to partners on a quarterly basis as the process was manual, and it was in the plan to improve this.

RESOLVED –

That the verbal updates on performance data be noted and officers were thanked for their presentations. 

The Panel will consider any potential areas of pre-decision scrutiny in accordance with any cabinet decisions relating to children and young people which are on the horizon and receive updates from senior officers in Children’s Services.

Contact:          Service Directors (Children’s Services)

Councillor Rylah, Cabinet Member for Education, updated the Panel on Cabinet priorities for education which were:

• Securing sufficient learning places, with priority for SEND pupils, Joseph Norton Academy and Woodley School and College.
• Increasing opportunities for young people Post-16.
• Embedding cluster working within the schools to provide greater support for children with SEND.
• Improving the quality and timeliness of EHCP annual reviews.
• Preparing for the White Paper on SEND reform, which would be published this winter.

RESOLVED –

That the Panel noted the update on Cabinet priorities.

Panel Members who attend the Kirklees Parenting Board, will feedback on key areas of focus considered by the Board, which will be of interest to the Panel.

Councillor Kendrick, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, updated the Panel on the recent Kirklees Parenting Board Meeting, held on 16^th September 2025, which looked at the Fostering Strategy.

The Care Experienced representatives had raised the lack of reciprocal arrangements. Where care leavers lived outside Kirklees they could not necessarily take advantage of provision offered within Kirklees. Cllr Kendrick and Tom Brailsford had undertaken to take this forward.

The next meeting would be a takeover meeting by young people, with a later start time to enable more young people, who attended college, school or work in the daytime, to be participants.

RESOLVED –

That Tom Brailsford and Councillor Kendrick explore opportunities for reciprocal arrangements for care leavers with other local authorities as part of the work of the Kirklees Parenting Board.

The Panel will consider the agreed areas of focus and activity for the 2025/26 municipal year within the work programme and agenda plan and discuss the method and means to be used to continue the Panel’s work going forward.

Contact:          Helen Kilroy, Assistant Democracy Manager

The Panel discussed the delay in the government’s White Paper on SEN Reform and acknowledged that the paper may not be published in time for a report to be brought to the next meeting in December as planned. The Chair agreed that the timescale on this would be flexible, and Officers undertook to bring a response to the paper at a future meeting.

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the progress on the Work Programme and Agenda Plan for 2025-26 be noted.

(2)  That the report in response to the White Paper on SEND Reform would be considered by the Panel once it had been published.