Issue - meetings

This report explains that the Council and schools face a range of funding and other pressures associated with the provision of support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) both due to demographic changes and national policy changes (SEND Reform).

The Director of Children & Young People, Strategy & Commissioning introduced this item to the Panel. He stated that there are a range of capacity and funding pressures facing schools and local authorities which may result from a combination of demographic and social change (more disabled children with more complex needs surviving for longer; parental expectations for specialist provision) and policy change (SEND Reforms).

He said that these pressures can be broadly broken down into 3 categories:-

·  Pressure on Special School places;

·  Pressure within mainstream schools and related services funded through the Direct Schools Grant;

·  Pressure within local authority funded services.

He said that the Schools Forum had been briefed on the pressures in the schools system and would be considering proposals for additional investment during its January budget-setting meeting.

He added that the government has to some extent recognised the implications for local authorities through a specific one-off grant for SEND reform and through some ‘new burdens’ grant (only allocated on a one-year basis to date).

Councillor Liz Hardman asked as the Special Schools are all full are there any short term plans and can mainstream schools be enforced to take pupils.

The Director of Children & Young People, Strategy & Commissioning replied that decisions are based on the EHC Plans which will identify the most appropriate school and then travel needs would be assessed.

The Head of Vulnerable Learners added that Special Schools are flexible in terms of finding solutions and that the use of independent schools may be required in some cases. He said that planning for the future is required.

Chris Batten said that he was concerned over the changing landscape of our schools and the pressure that is being put on the curriculum. He asked if mainstream schools were taking their share of pupils with SEND.

The Director of Children & Young People, Strategy & Commissioning replied that there is a range of pressures on schools these days and wondered if the way that they are currently assessed by Ofsted could tend to incentivise them to be less inclusive in their decisions. He added that in the main most schools were inclusive and cooperative.

Councillor Lisa Brett asked how the Council were addressing the £200,000 shortfall in ‘new burdens’ funding.

The Director of Children & Young People, Strategy & Commissioning replied that this was being considered as part of the budget setting process.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the range of pressures and the work underway to address these.