Agenda item

The Panel will consider an update on the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Transformation.

Contact Officers:

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

Kelsey Clark-Davies, Head of Safeguarding and Inclusion

The Panel considered a report giving an update on the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Transformation presented by Jo-Anne Sanders, Service Director for Learning and Early Support. 

Jo-Anne Sanders highlighted the following key points:-

• In March 2019 Cabinet received a report in relation to parent / carers perspectives regarding SEND and work had developed since then as a partnership.
• A SEND inspection took place in February 2022, of which the outcomes was still to be provided.
• There was a clear SEND strategy in place and the vision across the partnership was that every child with SEND aspirations were no different from any other child and they should have the best start in life.
• There had been challenges during the pandemic which had affected the ability of schools to provide education, however, wrap around support had been provided across the partnership.
• Additional help had been sought from an improvement partner INPOWER to help co-produce inclusive ambitions that had underpinned the transformation journey, which were:
  • Collaborating at the earliest opportunity
  • Building trust with parents, carers, young people
  • Inclusion, removing barriers to ensure inclusive practice for families
  • Thriving in education but also in life and in hopes and aspirations
  • Co-produce with families to have clear aspirations for adulthood and the longer term.

Jo-Anne Sanders highlighted page 11 of the report and the context relating to the number of children / young people educated across Kirklees and those receiving additional help or support and advised the Panel that:

• Demand had grown at a national level and the response was to be open in terms of challenges
• The SEND transformation plan had been co-produced with partners.

• There were 5 key areas, practice, systems and processes to be learner focused and person centred, inclusive, orientating the system to early intervention, clear on what needed to be commissioned and transition through to preparing for adulthood.
• The ambition was to be bold, innovative and invest heavily in change.
• There were strong collaborative relationships with the parent / carer forum who provided support and challenge to get things right.
• In terms of improvement there was a refreshed Local Offer and an Inclusion Support Officer (ISO) had been introduced. This was to offer early advice and support to professionals.
• Work had been undertaken with professionals in schools to develop revised guidance in relation to the graduated approach which was due to be launched in April 2022. The co-production made it a valuable resource.
• Work had been undertaken with INPOWER to develop and trial a tool called ‘valuing friend’ which helped to understand the needs of children / young people early and provide holistic support.
• An external review was commissioned of specialist and alternative provision which had helped shape the sufficiency strategy and identified what was needed to support the needs of children.
• In October 2021 significant investment of 36 million was approved for the development of schools and to increase school place so young people could be educated locally.
• A Joint strategic assessment had helped provide a shared understanding of the needs of the children / young people.
• There was a robust sufficient strategy so people were clear about the needs of children / young people and how these could be supported locally.
• SEND were inspected in February 2022 by OFSTED and Care Quality Commission which was very robust and had been a busy period.
• The inspection provided an opportunity to share a self-evaluation, being clear on strengths and opportunities for development.
• It also provided an opportunity to share the SEND transformation plan, the key strategies and policies document and included the parent / carer voice.

Jo-Anne Sanders advised the Panel that she would be keen to bring back the outcomes of the SEND Inspection for the Panel to consider at a future meeting.

The Panel acknowledged and praised the work that had been undertaken in relation to ensuring the voice of the child / young person was heard and how it contributed to better decisions being made.

The Panel acknowledged that it was pleased more resources and attention had been being given to SEND services and acknowledged there had been a 100% increase in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP’s) since 2015.

The Panel highlighted the difficulty children / young people faced in getting an EHCP and questioned how we ensured that children / young people who needed an EHCP were properly assessed.  Jo-Anne Sanders advised that this could be achieved by looking at data and making sure that the right support was provided for children / young people when they needed it and as early as possible. Jo-Anne Sanders further advised that there were robust processes in place to consider the needs of children / young people and that it was about the quality of information and the right professional support.

The Panel shared its intention to visit PCAN (Parents of Children with Addition Needs) in the next municipal year to talk to parents / carers about their experiences and gain their feedback on the SEND transformation plan.

RESOLVED:

The Panel noted the update on the SEND Transformation and thanked Jo-Anne Sanders for her valued contributions.

1. The Panel agreed to consider an update on the outcome of the SEND inspection at a future meeting.
2. The Panel agreed to visit PCAN during the 2022-23 municipal year