Agenda item

Transformation Programme Update

(To receive a presentation by Clare Rowley, Head of Transformation and Andrew McLean, Assistant Director – Corporate Transformation, Programmes and performance, which provides the Board with an update on the Transformation Programme, including a focussed section on the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) High Needs project)

 

Minutes:

During this item, Councillor J Brockway declared an interest as her grandchild was in receipt of SEND support.

 

Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Transformation, which

provided the Board with an update on the Transformation Programme, including a focussed section on the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) High Needs project, to demonstrate the positive impact of the Transformation Programme.

 

A presentation was received by the Board which provided further detail on:

 

  • The focus of the Council’s overall transformation programme which was to Deliver Council Policy and Corporate priorities; contribute to the sustainability of the organisation and delivery high complexity and high risk projects requiring a different approach
  • The key projects as part of the overall Transformation Pfrogramme were contributing to – enabling everybody to live life to the full; provide good value council services and deliver high aspirations

 

The presentation then provided further detail on the Transformation programme in relation to the transformation for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) High Needs, including:

 

  • Context of the SEND programme both nationally and locally in relation to the SEND code of practice 2015
  • Data and intelligence gathered during the initial stages of the programme
  • The eight elements of the high needs strategy which sought to reduce demand; prevent escalation; and step down inappropriate support
  • The work carried out to date, which involved improving earlier identification and response to reduce the level of new demand for statutory support; reducing the escalation of need and ensuring that children and young people are placed in a setting which best meets there need. This may include stepping down children from specialist provision to mainstream where better outcomes can be achieved
  • Achievements and differences that had been made as a result of the implementation of the strategy so far
  • Key messages of performance for the transformation of SEND high needs

 

The Board was advised that the SEND Code of Practice 2015 included an expectation that the majority of children with SEND would have their needs met and outcomes achieved through mainstream education provision without the need for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.  Initial findings from the transformation project into SEND high needs concluded that the local offer was not sufficiently understood to divert partners and parents to early intervention and that there had been a significant rise in the number of EHC plans that were being made, of which practitioners felt that 69% could have had needs prevented, reduced or delayed. It was therefore felt that there was a need to move to a social model of SEND and trauma-informed practice to which work was carried out to produce a high needs strategy which would look to reduce demand, prevent escalation and step down where in the best interests of the child.

 

The Board was advised that the SEND programme had commenced at the end of 2019, in which a full review of SEND began. As part of the project, it was found that career prospects and other long term outcomes may be better achieved for some children if they were able to move from a special education setting to a mainstream education settings, where they would have access to a wider curriculum. The project would look to support the transition from special education to mainstream education, so that where possible children achieved the best outcomes and their needs were best met. For some children in special education their needs could be better served in a mainstream school.

 

As part of the transformation project, six children had begun their transition from special to mainstream school, in which summaries of the children’s circumstances, next steps and RAG rated actions are being monitored by the Project Board to ensure timely support for the children, parents and schools involved. Other benefits had included a reduction in requests for EHC assessment being received monthly; a reduction in requests for EHC assessment converting to full assessments monthly and a reduction in new plans being created monthly.

 

11:52am – Councillor E W Strengiel left the meeting and did not return.

 

11:56am – Councillor N H Pepper left the meeting and did not return.

 

Consideration was given to the report and during the discussion the following points were noted:

 

  • The Board raised concerns that children could become lost within mainstream schools and would often be separated from other children due to displaying different behaviours as well as there being frequent errors within EHCP’s, which were often not communicated to parents. Officers acknowledged the concerns raised, and the Board was reassured that an educational psychologist would assess the support available to each young person to ensure that any means of support would be put in place. Valuing Send Assessment Tool was discussed as well as assessing the needs of the child, looked at the school’s ability to meet those needs, which would include the perception of other pupils within the educational setting as well as the parents confidence in how their child’s need was being met within the home. Care Plans were child centric and would always consider the child’s view. Regular reviews would take place to assess how the child was integrating into their new setting.
  • The Young Voices group had been established which would provide an opportunity for young people to show things from their perspective.
  • Members emphasised the importance of early intervention and carrying out timely assessments of SEND needs where appropriate to ensure that children received the correct support as quickly as possible to prevent a need for escalation. Members were advised that strategies such as ‘Ask SALL’ could access support from an educational psychologist for complex cases to assess whether a child needed to apply for an EHCP or could be managed within a mainstream education setting. If it was concluded that a child needed intervention, a request would be made and the process would be reviewed within six weeks of the receipt of the request and by 20 weeks a plan would be in place if it was deemed necessary.
  • As part of its prevention work, ask SALL had access to an educational psychologist one and a half days a week which was fully utilised and was having a positive impact. It was agreed that Officers provide further information on the availability or support from an Educational Psychologist as part of the statutory process.
  • Members raised concerns that not all schools had the appropriate knowledge to effectively support pupils with SEND needs.
  • Concerns were also raised that the removal of specialisation for some schools could be quite harmful.
  • It was suggested that SEND plans should work to a social model, rather than a medical model as this would best meet the individual needs of young people with SEND.
  • It was noted that some parents may wish to put their child onto an EHCP as it provided the most protection and rights under current legislation. Officers emphasised that in many situations EHC Plans delivered the best outcome for the child. Members were assured that the programme only sought to reduce the number of EHC Plans that were seen to be inappropriate and hindered progress for the child.
  • Assurance was provided that the process was carefully managed and reviewed to ensure the best outcome for the child.  During transition, children did not lose their registration to their previous school until all parties involved were completely assured that the move was the best outcome for the child.
  • The Board was advised that since the publication of the report, the Corporate Leadership Team had agreed that Children in Care transformation, SEND and adult improvement and development would remain active on the transformation programme to ensure regular monitoring of  critical projects.
  • It was noted that special schools were not able to offer such a wide range of subjects as secondary schools could as they did not have the same level of staff to cover a wider range of subjects.

 

RESOVLED:

 

  1. That consideration be given to the report and that the comments made be noted;
  2. That an update on Transformation Programme be reported to the Board in three months’ time.

 

Supporting documents:

 

 
 
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