The Director of Children’s Services introduced the report that outlined the SEND (Special educational needs and disabilities) action plan. Nick Stevens, Head-teacher at Riverside school led the interactive session. The presentation was led in a workshop style and focused on the following:

?        Why action on support for children and families with SEND was required?

?        What the identified priorities were and what actions were planned to address these?

?        To identify who would contribute to the collective responsibility to improve experiences and outcomes for children and families with SEND

?        Discussions surrounded how all involved persons could contribute as schools and colleges.

The quiz section of the presentation focussed on Educational and Health Care Plans (EHCP), timescales and proportionality of those Children and Young Persons (CYP) who had been identified as receiving SEN support in schools. It was highlighted in the discussion that there were currently 907 EHCPs and statements across the borough and that there had been a 20% increase since 2011. It was also noted that there were a further 2,666 children within the Borough who had been identified as receiving support in RBWM schools without an EHCP. There are 279 children (31%) with ECHPs or statements who did not attend schools within RBWM.

Mr Stevens reported that a range of head-teachers had been approached to discuss ways in which schools currently supported children and young people and families with SEND. There had been differing opinions and a wide range of views on how schools supported and met the needs of SEND in young people and families. Most schools felt that there had been examples of great work amongst staff in supporting the needs of children and that there had been many examples of success within schools where teams had gone over and above standard procedures to support children and families.

It was however noted that there was a gap in the availability of information for signposting support.  It was also highlighted that school leads were unfamiliar with the RBWM SEND Action Plan.

The SEND Action Plan had been created to address the Joint Ofsted and CQC Inspection (July 2017) which had highlighted 8 key areas for improvement:

Work was underway and had been carried out to address the key areas of concern that included;

?        To establish a SEND Steering Board and Local Leaders Working Grp.

?        To complete the SEND Strategy consultation

?        Development of an Inclusion Charter

?        Development of CAHMS Transformational Strategy

?        Strengthened work with PaCIP

?        Increased capacity of Designated Clinical Officer

?        Multi agency review and deep dive audit of ECHPs

?        New Ageless Autism Service by September 2018 

?        Review of Feedback mechanisms for CYP

?        Annual Inclusion Summit

?        50 more assessments for ASD

RBWM has secured £450,0000 of funding from the Better Care Fund (BCF) over three years from April 2018. This would fund the creation of three additional posts to support the development of EHC plans for children and young people with the most complex needs and the recruitment of a SEND specialist to help schools develop their systems for inclusion.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 127/15