Decision details

Duane Chappell, Strategy and Commissioning Manager (SEND & Inclusion) presented the report to the Committee which gave full representation regarding funding for the SEND & Inclusion Change Programme.

It was noted by the Committee that national funding is an issue for SEND and as a result a concern for families with SEND children who fear their needs may not be met in the future. 

It was confirmed that parents and schools are key parts of the discussions around future funding to ensure that the needs of children can continue to be met.

It was noted that there are no spare spaces in Special Education Schools so the priority was to make sure that SEND children could have their needs met in mainstream schools; although there are fundamental issues with the funding of SEND children in mainstream schools.  Mainstream schools are able to adapt to accommodate SEND children and there is increased support for staff working with SEND children.

Following an in-depth and valuable discussion the Committee acknowledged that there will be a reduction in funding across SEND services and Warwickshire County Council will need to review how to work moving forward.  The Committee raised concerns relation to cuts as apposed to ‘invest to save’ measure that could be introduced.  This is a highly complicated area and officers noted that the input of members of the Committee will be invaluable; this is especially important in building confidence in a system that is currently lacking in confidence from its users.

It was agreed that the Committee will help shape what is needed; what can be done, what officers would like to be done, and what is in-between based on the current situation and look to realign resources not cut them.  It was agreed that Ross Caws would circulate the IMPOWER report to members of the Committee.

It was agreed that a formal response from the Committee would be drafted for Cabinet to recognise the challenge of balancing the budget while raising concerns of the impact on service users.

Resolved

That the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee

considers the report presented to Cabinet on the SEND & Inclusion

Change Programme (Appendix A) and makes appropriate

recommendations.

That a further report is brought back to the Children and Young People

Overview and Scrutiny Committee in Autumn 2020 to allow greater

scrutiny of the SEND & Inclusion Change Programme once launched.