Agenda and minutes

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

No apologies were received.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on the 17^th October 2025.

RESOLVED –

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 17^th October 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 update on the anticipated 'Schools White Paper' in relation to national reforms to the SEND system.

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

The Panel considered a report and presentation regarding an update on the anticipated ‘Schools White Paper’ in relation to national reforms to the SEND system, which was presented by name Jo-Anne Sanders, Service Director for Learning and Early Support.

Jo-Anne Sanders gave context to the report and highlighted the following key points:

·       A White Paper had been expected in Autumn 2025, however this had been delayed and was expected in early 2026 after an extended period of co-creation with families, teachers and other experts.

·       In a letter to the Chair of the Education Select Committee, the Secretary of State for Education had outlined the five principles on which SEND reform should be based.

·       These five principles aligned with those in Kirklees; that support should be provided early, locally, fairly, effectively and delivered by partnerships through shared working.

·       Early help was being enabled through the cluster working, new Additional Resourced Provisions (ARPs) and additional specialist provision were in the process of being developed and built to enable children to attend school closer to home, and the recent Inspecting Local Authorities Children’s Services (ILACS) inspection highlighted strength in partnership working.

·       Plans were underway to provide opportunities for partners to discuss the White Paper which would allow partners to reflect on how the White Paper complemented strengths within the service offered in Kirklees and how it could underpin areas for improvement.

·       The Children’s Scrutiny Panel were invited to participate in these engagement sessions.

In response to questions, the Panel was informed that:

·       The whole partnership would be involved in discussions when the White Paper was published, to include young people’s and their families’ voices. A DfE advisor would be available to support during the process.

·       The co-creation that had been underway included webinars hosted by the DfE. Kirklees representatives had attended a session about Additional Resourced Provisions (ARPs) and more events, some of them in-person, were planned.

·       Events were available to book on EventBrite and the suggestion of these being signposted on the Local Offer site was welcomed.

·       Changes and improvements within the next 12 months would include those set out in the Big Plan 3, which include improvements to Preparation for Adulthood, Communication and Education, Health and Care Plans. Sufficiency of learning places, waiting lists and the healthy child programme would be a priority, and Best Start Hubs would provide new opportunities.

RESOLVED –

1.    That the report be noted and officers thanked for their contributions.

2.    That the engagement events could be signposted on the Local Offer site. 

3.    That the Children’s Scrutiny Panel be invited to participate in future engagement sessions with Partners to discuss the White Paper.

The Panel will consider a report and presentation on Education Health and Care Plans - Compliance, Mediation, Tribunals and Complaints and Compliments.

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

Michelle Lister, Head of Service (Early Support and EHCP Team)

Jenny Sneideris, EHCP Service Manager

The Panel considered a report and presentation on Education Health and Care Plans - Compliance, Mediation, Tribunals and Complaints and Compliments, which was presented by Jo-Anne Sanders, Service Director for Learning and Early Support.

The Panel were informed that the report referenced statistical information from the 2024 SEND2 return (a person centred census around special educational needs and disabilities) which was completed by all local authorities to allow for performance benchmarking. Data was being collected now for 2025. Jo-Anne Sanders acknowledged that the system was complicated, causing challenges for many families and that reform was welcomed.

Jo-Anne Sanders highlighted the following key points:

·         Last year the number of EHCP needs assessments completed outside the 20 weeks statutory timescale was significant.

·         There had been sustained month-on-month improvement to a current cumulative figure of 58% compliance, which was above previous years’ national averages.

·         At the end of 2022 the number of EHCPs maintained by the local authority was 4,125, at the end of 2023 there were 4,475 and latest figures indicated there would be in excess of 5,030 by the end of 2025.

·         The EHCP team had worked hard to ensure that they were operating in line with the SEND Code of Practice and the Children and Families Act, to ensure that children’s statutory rights were being met.

·         Shared understanding of the sections in EHCPs had been promoted.

·         The quality of plans was important, as well as compliance with timescales, and investment in an audit tool had been made to evaluate each section.

·         Colleagues in the NHS and the DfE advisor were supporting work with practitioners where necessary to improve EHCP quality.

·         At the end of October there were 35 live complaints, less than 1% of the 5,000+ EHCPs held by the Authority.

·         Each complaint was important and the service strove to look into each case and provide timely responses.

·         Learning from complaints was actively incorporated into improvements in practice, and compliments were received from the many families whose needs were being met across the education, health and care system.

·         Wherever possible the Authority tried to find resolution of complaints, however where this was not possible mediation took place.

The Panel was advised on the latest information around mediation and tribunals. Jo-Anne Sanders informed the Panel that local authority input into the mediation process had required some improvement, therefore feedback had been taken and analysis carried out to determine how the mediation process could be better supported. The Panel was advised that wherever possible, issues were resolved outside of a legal process but parents had the right to exercise a mediation and a tribunal route. The report presented set out expectations around mediation and some of the reasons why mediation was requested. Some mediations involved challenges to decisions not to assess for an EHCP, which were sometimes resolved at mediation due to additional information becoming available. Other reasons for mediation included challenges over the decision not to issue a plan, to cease a plan, or around the content of a plan.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

The Panel will consider a verbal update on the performance highlights from the latest Children’s Services data report covering period ending 31st October 2025.

Contact:        Jo-Anne Sanders, Service Director

Vicky Metheringham, Service Director

Vicky Metheringham, Service Director – Child Protection & Family Support gave an update on performance data in response to questions from the Panel:

·       Child Protection Review (CPR) Conferences  - There had been a decline of 5% in performance from August to October around timescales for CPR Conferences, with October’s data showing 92% compliance. The service conducted 75 CPR Conferences in July 2025, as some were brought forward from August to ensure that enough agencies attended, and that meetings would be quorate. 18 CPR Conferences were held in August 2025, and 54 in October 2025. 4 of the 54 cases were out of timescales in October 2025. These were rescheduled either due to the lack of availability of partners, an interpreter or because parents needed an alternative date. CPR reviews were scheduled at initial or repeat Child Protection Conferences to maximise the possibility of attendance but on rare occasions availability of participants caused delays in timeliness.

·       Care Leavers – 56% of Care Leavers were engaged in education, training and employment (rising to 63% if those not engaging due to illness or caring responsibilities were not included in the figures). These percentages were above national averages and statistical neighbours but ambitions remained high for care leavers in Kirklees. Opportunities were being maximised through apprenticeships, high rates of keeping in touch (96.8%) and the support being provided at Number 11 and Number 12.

·       Children at Risk of Exploitation – 142 children were at risk of sexual or criminal exploitation, down from 159 the previous month, and 8 assessments were overdue. The average length of overdue assessments was 25 days, with the longest being overdue by two months. All the children at risk had an allocated worker who saw them regularly and frequently and there was good oversight of all the children through weekly performance meetings with service managers and heads of service, daily risk, exploitation and missing meetings, and a monthly exploitation screening panel.

Jo-Anne Sanders presented highlights on November data and answered questions from the Panel:

·       EHCP compliance - At the end of October this was 57.4% and last year's national average was 45.9%. There were spikes in requests to assess in June and July again this year, just before the summer holidays for schools and ways of managing this next year were being considered, as it was likely to impact on timeliness compliance in early 2026.

·       There were issues with the data regarding information on exclusions, elective home education, and part-time timetables as a result of glitches in the system, however they were all being monitored closely.

·       Exclusions - these were monitored on a fortnightly basis by SLT and work was ongoing in putting support around excluded young people. At the end of November there had been 46 notifications of permanent exclusions, of which five were withdrawn, so the total number of excluded youngsters was 41, an increase compared to the same period last year.

·       Analysis was being undertaken to see what could be put in place, particularly with regard to day  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

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, advised the Panel that the forthcoming Schools White Paper would be a major focus over the coming months.

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 Viv Kendrick, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, informed the Panel that a meeting of the Kirklees Parenting Board had taken place on the 26^th November 2025. It had been a “take-over” event planned and delivered by care leavers and looked after young people. The timing of the meeting had been altered to later in the day, so that young people who attended college, school or work could attend. An ice-breaker facilitated discussion between attendees and the young people gave presentations about their involvement in activities, and on training that they were developing for the benefit of members of the Council. Attendees worked in groups to discuss what more could be done, what could be offered, how challenges could be addressed and changes made. The meeting finished with the attendees being asking for pledges. It was a very vibrant and useful session.

The Panel were advised that Board Minutes were no longer publicly available on the website it had been agreed at Annual Council on 22^nd May 2024 that the Board would be a closed partnership meeting and that the terms of reference would be revised.

RESOLVED:

That the updates from the Kirklees Parenting Board be noted.

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

Contact:          Helen Kilroy, Assistant Democracy Manager

Three visits were being organised for the New Year, dates and times were in the process of being arranged and the Panel would be updated on these.

RESOLVED –

That the Work Programme and Agenda Plan for 2025/26 be noted.