North Yorkshire Council

 

Executive

 

14 July 2026

 

Experts at Hand Grant: Proposed Use of Department for Education Grant

 

Report of the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Service

 

1.0       PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1       To seek Executive approval to undertake the work required to finalise the North Yorkshire Experts at Hand model and to deploy the Department for Education grant allocation in line with the Local SEND Reform Plan and national guidance.

 

2.0       SUMMARY

 

2.1       The Experts at Hand grant has been provided to strengthen early, effective and joined-up support for children and young people with SEND in mainstream settings. The proposed model will build on North Yorkshire’s existing Inclusion Support Hub arrangements by bringing together education and health specialists, including Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and specialist teachers, to provide timely advice, consultation, training, assessment and modelling of inclusive practice.

 

2.2       The approach is aligned to national reform guidance and reflects the national expectation that the grant is used to extend, rather than substitute , the local support offer available to mainstream settings. It is intended to reduce reliance on referral-driven models, increase confidence in mainstream provision, improve outcomes for children and young people and support financial sustainability by reducing avoidable escalation to statutory assessment and high-cost specialist placements.

 

3.0       BACKGROUND        

 

3.1       The government’s SEND reform programme includes the development of an Experts at Hand model to provide earlier, more accessible specialist support to mainstream schools and settings. The national guidance describes a core expert workforce including Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, specialist teachers and a pilot Alternative Provision Task Force. The model is intended to support mainstream schools and settings across the entire 0-25 age range to meet needs earlier, improve inclusive practice and reduce escalation where needs can be met through universal, targeted or targeted-plus support.

 

3.2       North Yorkshire’s Local SEND Reform Plan sets out a continued shift to a proactive, needs-led model. It commits the local area partnership to improving early identification, strengthening mainstream inclusion, expanding local support and specialist bases, improving partnership working and ensuring best value for public resources. Experts at Hand is a key delivery mechanism within this plan and will support the wider ambition that more children and young people with SEND have their needs met effectively in local mainstream provision.

 

3.3       The grant allocation, which was accepted by the council, is £3.8m for 2026/27. This includes funding to build service capacity to support development and administration of the direct support offer. National guidance is clear that this funding should be used to extend the workforce and deliver a new or enhanced Experts at Hand offer for local mainstream education settings, increasing access to specialist advice and direct support that individual settings could not reasonably commission alone. It is an expectation that a minimum of 80% of the grant is to be used for direct delivery of support to settings with a maximum of 20% used to support development and administration.            

 

3.4       The Department for Education’s expectation is that the Experts at Hand model is a core aspect of the first iteration of the Local Area SEND Reform Plan. Unfortunately, departmental guidance was only made available to local areas on Friday 5th June 2026, two weeks ahead of the LASRP submission deadline on Friday 19th June 2026.

 

4.0       PROPOSED EXPERTS AT HAND MODEL

 

4.1       The proposed model is multi-disciplinary and will bring health and education specialists into mainstream settings prior to the need for statutory assessment. It will be based on the existing multi-agency Inclusion Support Hub arrangements, with additional professional capacity and a clearer focus on building the skills and capacity of schools and settings to meet needs locally. Support will operate at cohort, group and individual level providing observation, assessment and/or targeted support.

 

4.2       Each locality cluster will include a range of professionals, including Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and specialist teachers, assigned to groups of schools and settings with a regular scheduled presence. Core functions will include drop-in consultation, cluster group support, communities of practice, reflective supervision for SENCOs, environmental audits, staff training and on-site modelling of strategies.

 

4.3       In year one, the local area partnership will need to:

·         Refine and confirm the delivery model,

·         Agree commissioning arrangements with the Integrated Care Boards,

·         Confirm service standards and thresholds,

·         Map local school and setting clusters

·         Align the offer with the Inclusive Mainstream Toolkit, Inclusion Support Hubs, Best Start and Family Hubs,

 

It is then expected that phased implementation will begin from January 2027. Particular attention will be given to ensuring equitable reach across the county, including small schools, federations, rural settings, early years providers, childminders and FE/post-16 providers.

 

5.0       CONSULTATION PROPOSED

 

5.1       Whilst the national guidance is relatively restrictive in terms of the professionals that can be employed, the proposed model will be subject to wider engagement and co-production with schools, early years providers, colleges, health partners, Parent Carer Voice, children and young people and other system stakeholders.

 

5.2       Engagement will focus on how the model should operate in practice, including thresholds, response standards, locality delivery arrangements, workforce deployment and how the offer links with existing support. A baseline SENCO confidence and perception survey is planned to inform implementation and help determine how changes can best be introduced with schools and settings.

 

6.0       CONTRIBUTION TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES

 

6.1       The proposals support the Council’s priorities by strengthening inclusive local provision, improving outcomes for children and young people, supporting families to access help earlier and closer to home, and making better use of public resources. The model aligns with the Council’s inclusive values and with the Local SEND Reform Plan priorities of early identification, working together, improving outcomes, preparing young people for adulthood and achieving best value.

 

6.2       The proposals will also be aligned to other wider reforms such as Best Start in Life and our local delivery plan to ensure that families are able to seek support and help in a coherent system.

 

7.0       ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

 

7.1       The alternative option would be to continue with existing support arrangements without using the grant to develop additional multi-disciplinary capacity. This would not respond sufficiently to national reform expectations, would limit the ability to reduce reliance on referral-driven models and would miss the opportunity to strengthen early support in mainstream settings. A further option would be to commission a wholly separate service; however, this risks fragmentation and duplication. The preferred option is therefore to build on the existing Inclusion Support Hub model, align with health partners and commission additional capacity in a way that strengthens the wider local SEND system.

 

8.0       IMPACT ON OTHER SERVICES/ORGANISATIONS

 

8.1       The proposals will have implications for schools, early years settings, colleges, the local authority, ICBs, health providers, Parents, carers and children. The model will require coordinated workforce planning, clear commissioning arrangements, consistent communication and strengthened locality governance. It is intended to reduce duplication across existing support offers, including LA services, Best Start, Family Hubs and health services, by establishing clear leadership, locality coordination and integrated pathways.

 

9.0       FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

9.1       The proposed use of the Experts at Hand grant will support the development of education and health specialist capacity, programme infrastructure, co-production, administration and transformation activity. The initial grant for 2026/27 is £3.8m and the subsequent grant for 2028/29 is expected to be c.£6.6m.

 

9.2       The current financial profile within the Local SEND Reform Plan identifies total planned expenditure against the Experts at Hand grant of £2.12m in 2026/27 and £6.176m in 2027/28. This includes planned investment in the Inclusion Service offer, an indicative ICB requirement of £1.5m, an Alternative Provision Task Force allocation, administration support, co-production capacity, programme support and transformation posts. Modelling has been done based upon year 2 funding and takes into account the part year effect in year 1 spend. If the year 2 funding proves to be less than anticipated the model will be revised down accordingly.

 

9.3High-level proposals received from Humber and North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire ICB leads identify an indicative allied health professional workforce model costed at approximately £1.106m, while the current budget plan assumes £1.5m for health-related capacity. Further discussion is required with ICB partners to confirm whether this capacity is commissioned directly, delivered through providers, supported through direct employment routes or commissioned as an integrated service. The final approach will need to manage workforce supply risks, ensure value for money and support equitable county-wide access.

 

10.0     LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

10.1     The model will be developed within the current statutory framework for SEND and in line with the local authority’s duties to identify and make provision for children and young people with SEND. Integrated working with health partners is consistent with statutory expectations for joint commissioning and partnership working. Legal advice will be sought as necessary in relation to commissioning routes, employment arrangements, grant conditions and any formal agreements with ICBs or providers.

 

11.0     EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

 

The proposals are expected to have a positive equality impact by improving access to earlier support for children and young people with SEND across mainstream settings. The model will need to ensure equitable reach across North Yorkshire’s geography, including rural communities, small schools, early years providers, childminders and post-16 settings. An Equality Impact Assessment is included in Appendix A and will be updated as the model is co-produced and implemented.

 

12.0     CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS

 

12.1     The proposals are expected to have a limited direct climate impact. Over time, strengthening local mainstream and specialist support may reduce reliance on distant placements and associated home-to-school transport pressures. Implementation will need to consider efficient locality deployment, use of digital meetings where appropriate and alignment with wider Council climate commitments.

 

13.0     PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

 

13.1     Performance will be monitored through the Local SEND Partnership Board through an agreed KPI framework. Measures will include EHCP demand and timeliness, statutory assessment requests, attendance, suspensions and exclusions for pupils with SEND, mainstream placement rates, use of independent and out-of-area placements, response times for multi-disciplinary advice, workforce deployment, SENCO and school confidence, parent/carer confidence and evidence of impact from the Inclusive Mainstream Toolkit and training offer.

 

14.0     POLICY IMPLICATIONS

 

14.1     The proposals are consistent with the North Yorkshire Local SEND Reform Plan, the Local Area SEND Strategy and the wider national SEND reform programme. They support the strategic shift towards early, local, effective, shared and fair support and align with the Council’s approach to High Needs Block transformation, sufficiency planning and inclusive education.

 

15.0     RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

 

15.1     Key risks include workforce recruitment and retention challenges, particularly in Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy, potential fragmentation across existing support offers and schools and settings having the capacity to put into practice the advice and guidance provided. Mitigations include phased implementation, joint workforce planning with ICBs, co-production with schools and settings, retention of short-term direct support within the Inclusion Support Hub model, consistent communication and clear locality leadership.

 

15.2    Risk mitigation of developing a service based upon indicative 2027/28 amounts includes likely underspend of year 1 budget given and the DfE allowance to carry this forward. Action will also be taken to reduce the growth of the offer should the 2027/28 settlement be less than anticipated.

 

 

16.0     HUMAN RESOURCES IMPLICATIONS

 

16.1     The grant proposals align with the Education and Inclusion service restructure currently in consultation. Vacancies may provide opportunities for staff currently at risk, subject to the outcome of the restructure and appropriate recruitment processes. Additional posts and commissioned capacity will be required to deliver the model, including locality coordination, specialist teacher capacity, health professional capacity and programme support. HR advice has been sought to ensure appropriate workforce planning, consultation and recruitment.

 

17.0     ICT IMPLICATIONS

 

17.1     ICT implications are limited but the model will be supported by improved data and digital systems, including the SEND performance dashboard and digital EHCP developments described in the Local SEND Reform Plan. These systems will support monitoring of demand, activity, quality and outcomes and enable more transparent reporting across the partnership.

 

18.0     CONCLUSIONS

 

18.1     The Experts at Hand grant provides a significant opportunity to accelerate delivery of North Yorkshire’s Local SEND Reform Plan by strengthening earlier, locality-based and multi-disciplinary support for mainstream settings. Building on existing Inclusion Support Hub arrangements will enable the Council and partners to develop a coherent model that improves confidence, supports inclusion, reduces escalation and contributes to long-term financial sustainability.

 

18.2`    The grant must be spent on specific roles according to national guidance and must not replace what is already available. The proposal is to build on what is already working and expand the offer to reach a greater number of settings and children so that they can be supported in local settings.

 

18.3     The outline of the offer has been submitted to the Department for Education as part of the SEND Reform Plan and nationally there is an expectation that local areas now work to refine the detail of the offer and begin implementation. This work is reliant upon the council providing approval to deploy the grant available. It is therefore recommended that the Executive provide approval and delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Children and Young People’s Services to oversee the necessary work to refine and finalise the specific delivery arrangements and staffing structures required.

 

20.0     REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

20.1     Approval is recommended because the proposed use of the grant is aligned with national reform expectations, the Local SEND Reform Plan and the Council’s High Needs Block transformation priorities. In particular, it responds to the national expectation that local areas use the grant to extend the workforce and support offer available to mainstream settings through additional specialist education and health capacity, rather than replacing existing provision. The proposals provide a practical route to increase specialist capacity, improve mainstream inclusion, support schools and settings earlier, strengthen partnership delivery with health and reduce avoidable escalation to statutory processes and higher-cost placements.

 

21.0

RECOMMENDATION(S)      

 

 

·         Approve the use of the Experts at Hand grant, in line with national policy expectations, to expand the workforce and implement a locality-based, multi-disciplinary model of support for mainstream schools and settings.

 

·         Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services in consultation with the executive member for Children and Families, to finalise the delivery model, commissioning route and associated implementation arrangements.

 

·         Note that implementation is a national requirement and will be subject to ongoing engagement and co-production with schools, settings, health partners, Parent Carer Voice, children and young people and wider stakeholders, with progress monitored through the Local SEND Reform Plan governance and performance arrangements.

 

 

           

APPENDICES:

 

            Appendix A – Equality Impact Assessment and

Appendix B – Climate Impact Assessment

 

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:

 

(MANDATORY if any have been referred to in preparing the report)

 

National Experts at Hand guidance. Developing and delivering the Experts at Hand offer in year 1: supporting guidance - GOV.UK

 

 

El Mayhew

Corporate Director – Children and Young People’s Service

County Hall

Northallerton

June 2026

 

Report Author – Chris Reynolds, Head of SEND and Resources

Presenter of Report – Chris Reynolds, Head of SEND and Resources

 

 

Note: Members are invited to contact the author in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.