Agenda item

Considered – report of the Scrutiny Task and Finish Group in respect of SEND provision in Scarborough and Whitby.

The Chair of the Task and Finish Group, Councillor Colling introduced the report thanking Councillor Ritchie for raising this matter and referring to the very productive evidence gathering session with parents, carers, school governors and other stakeholders at Scarborough Town Hall on 26 October 2023 which helped shape the report’s recommendations.  She was pleased that the Children and Families O&S Committee had endorsed the report’s recommendations at its meeting in December for onward consideration by the Executive on 16 April 2024.

The Chair of the Children and Families O&S Committee, Councillor Barbara Brodigan then addressed the meeting, echoing Councillor Colling’s comments, and commending the methodology of this scrutiny review which had been shared with all councillors.  The O&S committee would revisit the report at the end of the year to check progress with the implementation of the report’s recommendations.

Other councillors then commended the report noting:

·       LEAs across the country were struggling to cope with the financial constraints on SEND provision whilst still delivering a service

·       It was apparent that some young people with SEND and their families were not being listened to.  The scrutiny review ensured their voices were heard

·       One of the key issues was the time it took to assess and identify children with SEND and then to produce and implement an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for them.  Faster detection, earlier implementation of EHCPs and more resources were all needed

·       One of the findings of the enquiry day last October was that some of the third sector organisations were not aware of each other.  To address this, the Council would be facilitating a meeting of such organisations

Councillor Swannick noted that a lack of educational psychologists within the local education authority was creating a bottleneck in the undertaking of SEND assessments across the county.  He welcomed the appointment of a senior educational psychologist but wondered how quickly the recruitment of additional staff (two trainees would also be starting this year) would help clear the backlog?

The Chair would request a written reply from the Children and Young People’s Service which would be shared with the committee.

Resolved –

That the suggestions of the Task and Finish Group, as set out below, be endorsed by the Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee and considered further by the Executive on 16 April 2024:-

Schools

a) Promote access to training and resources for Schools through SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators) Networks, Locality Board websites and parent carer forums.

b) Ensure that Schools are aware of their legal duties in relation to part-time timetabling as part of their duties.

c) Continue to promote the development of Targeted Mainstream Provision across all areas of the County to ensure an increase in this provision and equity across the localities.

External Communications

d) Review the information/resources that the Directorate make available with service users and families to make them more visible, user-friendly and accessible, including the Local Offer and the Local Area SEND Strategy.

e) Review existing documents/website information setting out what children, young people and their families can expect as part of their SEND journeys, in terms of what they can expect from practitioners and Schools, as part of assessment and support planning, and in compliments, complaints and appeals processes.

f) Regularly publish clear data on the timescales being achieved for SEND processes.

g) Review SEND communication arrangements, so people are not left waiting for responses and follow-up actions to be made in a timely fashion.

Internal Processes and liaison with Partners

h) Share the findings of this review with relevant parts of the system in order to promote good practice and promote the benefits of hosting TMPs, including:

·       Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Locality Board

·       Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale SENCO Network

·       Headteacher briefings

·       SEND and Alternative Provision Local Area Partnership Board

·       Local Authority and Parent Carer Communications and Engagement Strategic Group

i) That County SENCO Networks and Locality Board Events be promoted as a vehicle for sharing good practice.

j) Share the findings of this review with Commissioners in the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board to understand views regarding access to and provision of Speech and Language Therapy.

Wider working with the Third Sector

k) Explore with Parent Carer Voice how the work of various Parent Carer Charities is promoted and linked.

l) To continue to support and promote FEAST (Food. Entertainment. Arts. Sport. Together - Holiday Activities and Food Programme for North Yorkshire, funded by the Department for Education) for eligible families for children with disabilities.