Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Education and Learning (CS/18/10) on the Review of Special Educational Needs Provision, attached.

Also attached is an Impact Assessment.

(Councillors Connett, Dewhirst, Greenslade, Hannaford and Shaw attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Education and Learning (CS/18/10) on the Review of Special Educational Needs Provision, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Report outlined that the Strategic Review of SEND Provision had provided a targeted focus for delivering the objectives within the Devon’s Multi-Agency Strategy for Children and Young People with Special Education Needs (SEND) 2017 -2020.

This Multi-Agency Strategy set six strategic priorities to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEN & disabilities and their families and had the overarching aspiration that learners with SEN would have access to good or better provision in their local community and was committed to reviewing SEN provision annually to ensure it was in the right location, of sufficient quality and there was a good match between demand and supply.

Alongside this, the Department for Education had required all Local Authorities to undertake a strategic review and allocated capital funding to support recommendations arising from this piece of work.

The 2017-18 Strategic Review of SEND Provision was attached at Appendix A to the Report and would be published on the SEND Local Offer website.

The Department for Education had allocated Devon the Special Provision Fund, a three-year allocation of £2,247,854 (£749,285 per year). It was proposed that the funds sit within the PTE Capital Programme and be allocated as summarised in Appendix B to the Report. In order to support schools, it was proposed in the first year to allocate £350,000 for schools, in partnership with the 0-25 team.

The Plan further highlights the review undertaken on Resource Bases within Devon’s

schools to ensure they were meeting the needs of Devon learners. Cabinet noted that there was no longer demand for some centres (low numbers, little / no parental preference etc), but the future of these would be subject to consultation, where required, as detailed in Appendix C.

The Plan also provided the evidence to increase provision to support students with

Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and the proposal regarding new provision, by increasing Special School provision at Charlton Lodge in Tiverton, was confirmed.

The Report outlined that the Review had consulted, in particular, with young people and parents/carers. The consultation findings would be published on the SEND Local Offer Website. In addition, the Children’s Scrutiny Committee and the SEND Improvement Board had been briefed on the plan’s development.

The Head of Service’s Report also incorporated an Impact Assessment relating to the possible impacts of the proposal, which had been circulated previously for the attention of Members at this meeting in order that as part of its determination of the next steps in the process the Cabinet might have full regard to the responsibilities placed upon it to exercise its Public Sector Equality Duty, under s149 of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 145