3 SEND & Inclusion Strategy 2024-2029 PDF 93 KB
To receive a report outlining the strategic direction for SEND and Inclusion Services 2024-2029.
Cabinet Portfolio Holder - Councillor Kam Kaur
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Members received a report outlining the Warwickshire SEND and Inclusion Strategy 2024-29, attached as Appendix 1.
Councillor Kam Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Education, introduced the report and advised that this was a five-year plan designed to help meet the key challenges, especially for children and young people with SEND. The strategy had been co-produced with key partners, drawing on their experience, including Parent Carer Voice, IMPACT, head teachers, SENCOs, health and social car partners and Department for Education representatives.
Delivery of the strategy would be overseen by the Warwickshire SEND and Inclusion Partnership Board and was consistent with the Education Strategy approved earlier this year. Councillor Kaur reiterated that delivery of the priorities was reliant on a long-term solution for the funding of SEND being found by Government.
The Leader requested that the logos of all partners involved be displayed on the front page, to make it clear that it was a partnership document.
Councillor Sarah Boad highlighted some of the challenges being faced with more children requiring EHCPs and difficulties finding, and retaining, qualified teaching assistants. She queried what difference the strategy would make to schools on the ground and referred to the 14 month wait for a speech and language appointment.
Councillor Jerry Roodhouse welcomed some of the actions in the report and noted the increased number of children being home schooled. He felt greater awareness of this was required, suggesting a national register of home-schooled pupils. He emphasised that delivery of the strategy was key.
Councillor Sarah Feeney also highlighted the challenges schools were facing with EHCPs not being routinely completed and the need to reduce waiting lists. She queried if enough was being done around communication with parents as this could reduce anxiety levels and asked for more information on the communications plan.
In response to the queries raised, Councillor Kaur outlined the work undertaken in the transformation programme for education, including revision of the letter sent to parents when an EHCP was applied for, detailing expectations. She agreed that this could be shared with Councillors.
She also advised that the teams managing EHCPs had been reformed and were trying to balance clearing the backlog whilst dealing with new applications. With regard to the home-schooling query, Councillor Kaur explained that there were currently 1400 students being home schooled post Covid and all parties were mindful of the safeguarding issues that this raised. She was happy to supply a briefing to Councillors about the work being undertaken around this.
Members noted that the Council was trying to work with schools to develop bite size training packages and assist with workforce development. This was a critical pathway and Councillor Kaur would share further details about this.
Councillor Kaur asked Cabinet to approve the recommendations as detailed on page 67.
That Cabinet
1) Approves the Warwickshire SEND and Inclusion Strategy 2024-2029 as set out in Appendix 1, and
2) Authorises the Executive Director for Children and Young People to finalise the Local Area Inclusion Plan in partnership with ... view the full minutes text for item 3