North Yorkshire Council
Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee
23rd June 2023
Scrutiny Task and Finish Group – Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Provision in the Scarborough and Whitby Area
Joint Report of the Corporate Director, Children and Young People’s Service and the Assistant Chief Executive
(Legal and Democratic Services)
1. PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1 To advise Members of the establishment of a Task and Finish Group regarding SEND Provision in the Scarborough and Whitby Area and to seek approval to its Terms of Reference.
2.0 BACKGROUND
2.1 At full Council on 17th May 2023, Councillor John Ritchie proposed the establishment of a Scrutiny Task and Finish Group to look at SEND Provision in the Scarborough Area. Councillor Ritchie’s wording was as follows:-
· A Cross-Party Joint Task and Finish Scrutiny review into SEND provision in the Scarborough area comprising a small group of Members from Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee and Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
· The evidence gathering part of the review would take place over one day in Scarborough and hear from service users about their lived experience of accessing services for disabled children and young people, as well as those with SEND.
· Evidence would be anonymised to comply with GDPR and consent forms used.
· The outcome will be the production of a report to feed into the SEND Strategy document, providing Members with greater knowledge of the acute situation in Scarborough which will, in turn, help inform policy
NOTE: With regard to the second bullet point above, Councillor Ritchie has advised that this aspect relates to the in-person evidence gathering.
2.2 Responding to Councillor Ritchie at full Council, the Chair of this Committee, Councillor Barbara Brodigan, expressed her support for his proposal.
3.0 THE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE
3.1 On 14th June, a discussion was held between the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of this Committee and Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee, Councillor Ritchie, the Assistant Director for Inclusion and the Principal Democratic Services Scrutiny Officer. The discussion considered a number of matters, including the scope of the review and target timescales.
3.2 Based on that discussion, attached, as an Appendix, are the proposed Terms of Reference for the Task and Finish Group. It is suggested that the review cover the Scarborough and Whitby Constituency Area. The intention is to share the draft report of the Task and Finish Group with this Committee and Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee, prior to consideration by the Executive.
4.0 ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED
4.1 This is not applicable in this case. As stated above, the proposal to esatblish a Task and Finish Group was proposed at full Council and the Chair of this Committee was in agreement with the proposal.
5.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
5.1 There are no direct financial implications at this stage.
6.0 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
6.1 There are no direct legal implications at this stage.
7.0 EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
7.1 There are no direct equalities implications.
8.0 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS
8.1 There are no direct climate change implications.
9.0 REASON FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
9.1 The Task and Finish Group clearly needs defined Terms of Reference to carry out its work.
10.0 RECOMMENDATION
10.1 That the proposed Terms of Reference for the Scrutiny Task and Finish Group regarding the Provision of Special Educational Needs and Disability in the Scarborough and Whitby Area, be approved.
APPENDICES:
Appendix A - Proposed Terms of Reference
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS relied upon in the preparation of this report – None
Stuart Carlton Barry Khan
Corporate Director, Children and Young Assistant Chief Executive
People’s Service (Legal and Democratic Services)
County Hall
Northallerton
June 2023
Report authors and presenters of the report:
Janet Crawford Patrick Duffy
Assistant Director, Inclusion Principal Democratic Services Scrutiny Officer
Note: Members are invited to contact the author(s) in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.
APPENDIX A
SCRUTINY TASK AND FINISH GROUP – SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITY (SEND) PROVISION IN THE SCARBOROUGH AND WHITBY AREA
1. Purpose of the Task and Finish Group
To review specific aspects of SEND provision in the Scarborough and Whitby Area and to produce a report on its findings.
NOTE: Whilst it is intended that the review will cover the Scarborough and Whitby Constituency Area and will welcome examples of good practice in both places, it is expected that the main focus will be on Scarborough.
2. Scope
The Task and Finish Group will examine the following questions:-
a) How are parents/carers of children and young people with SEND being supported in their children’s education? (essentially, their “journey”)
and, following the engagement process referred to in paragraph 3, below…
b) Are there any areas where more could do done to improve access to information, advice and support for families in the Scarborough and Whitby area?
c) Are there any recommendations for action as a result of this process?
NOTE: Members are aware that SEND provision is working well for many families and will be interested to hear examples of this as well.
3. How it will go about this
Members will familiarise themselves with background information/key documents on SEND, which will be provided by the Children and Young People’s Service Directorate.
Input will be received from parents/carers on their lived experience, as part of an evidence gathering day, to be held in Scarborough and via the results of a questionnaire.
This input will be mapped against current provision.
4. Ensuring confidentiality
Evidence will be anonymised - to comply with GDPR - and consent forms completed.
5. Membership
A small group of Members from the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee (ACC), namely:-
· Councillor Liz Colling, Chair of Scarborough and Whitby ACC (who will Chair the Task and Finish Group)
· Councillor Barbara Brodigan, Chair of Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee
· Councillor Heather Phillips, Vice-Chair of Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee
· Councillor Janet Jefferson, Vice-Chair of Scarborough and Whitby ACC and a Member of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee
· Councillor John Ritchie (a Member of both the afore-mentioned Committees and the person who proposed the Task and Finish Group)
6. Officer Support
This will primarily be provided by:-
· Janet Crawford, Assistant Director, Inclusion
· Patrick Duffy, Principal Democratic Services Scrutiny Officer
7. Outcome
The outcome will be the production of a report to feed into the SEND Strategy document, providing Members with greater knowledge of the situation in Scarborough and Whitby which will, in turn, help inform policy.
8. Target timescales and reporting arrangements
|
No. |
Activity |
Timescale |
|
1 |
Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee approve Terms of Reference for Task and Finish Group |
23rd June 2023 |
|
2 |
Background Information Pack issued to Members of Task and Finish Group |
Mid-July 2023 |
|
3 |
Questionnaire for parents/carers drawn up and circulated |
September 2023 |
|
4 |
Questionnaire responses analysed and summarised for Task and Finish Group |
October 2023 |
|
5 |
Task and Finish Group hear in person from parents/carers |
October 2023 |
|
6 |
Draft report produced and shared, for comment, with the Task and Finish Group and appropriate officers in the Children and Young People’s Service Directorate |
November 2023 |
|
7 |
Amended draft report considered by:-
· Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee · Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee |
1st December 2023
8th December 2023 |
|
8 |
Finalised report considered by Executive |
9th January 2024 |