Agenda item

(To receive a report from Carrie Forrester, Programme Manager (Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) Transformation), which provides the Committee with an update on the High Needs Transformation Programme. Sheridan Dodsworth, Head of SEND and Mary Meredith, Head of Inclusion and High Needs Strategy will also be in attendance for this item)

Consideration was given to a report which provided members with an update on the High Needs Transformation Programme.  It was reported that Lincolnshire County Council had commissioned IMPOWER to work in partnership with the local authority to review SEND and high needs support.

Members were guided through the report and were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points highlighted during discussion included the following:

·         It was queried whether training sessions were available for those teachers that were involved in the SEND process in schools.  The Committee was advised that training had already been rolled out to SENCO's, and it was known that there were some good examples of these processes being used.  Train the Trainer training was also being rolled out so that there were champions around the county and in different agencies that would be able to provide the training to their colleagues as well.

·         It was commented that it would have been easy to pause this work at the start of the pandemic, but the transformation work continued, which has put Lincolnshire in a good position for the future.

·         The transformation programme was fully supported but a concern was raised about whether it had previously been a poor performing service and how many children had not thrived.  The Committee was reassured that the service had not previously been judged to be underperforming and had received one of the most positive inspections nationally.  However, it was noted that there was always room to improve.

·         In relation to the move away from exclusions, it was noted that the position in Lincolnshire was that the right placement could be found for a child without the need for an exclusion, and a planned move was the preferred option.  The vast majority of school leaders were able to support the authority with this approach.

·         The role of Teaching Assistants (TA) was highlighted as being very important.  It was highlighted that there were now TA apprenticeships, and there had been significant developments in training for Teaching Assistants. 

·         In terms of the aim to move children back into mainstream school within six weeks of exclusion, it was queried whether this was appropriate in all cases.  It was noted that work would be undertaken to limit moves to one if it was thought that child would be going back into a mainstream school.  The less time a child spent in the pupil referral unit the better, as this could make the reintegration harder.

·         It was queried whether specialised teachers/staff would be required for those schools that developed a Safe Base.  Schools would need to demonstrate to the County Council that they had the staff and skills in place to run a Safe Base.  It was noted that some schools in Lincolnshire had developed their own unit and would be able to share their practices. 

·         It was queried whether there was any data or research into the outcomes for these children after they left school.  Officers advised that they did try to track transition data, including where they moved onto after school, e.g. training employment, but there was more work that could be done nationally;

·         In terms of the Safe Bases, it was hoped that there would be one in every locality, but it would be dependent on what schools were able to offer.

RESOLVED

            That the Committee be assured of the purpose and progress of the High Needs Transformation Programme.