Issue - meetings

Christy Holden (Head of Strategic Commissioning – Children’s) and Mark Walker (Director of SEND) were in attendance for this item.

Ms Holden introduced the report which outlined the rationale for increasing capacity for the delivery of one-to-one tuition from The Education Programme, within the Education Directorate, in order to support the majority of 16-year-olds who are referred by the SEND Service as a temporary education provision prior to receiving a special school or other place. The Committee was asked to consider and endorse, or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services on the proposed decision.

In response to questions Ms Holden said:

·         that one of the potential benefits of formalising the SEN arrangement was that a Service Level Agreement could be put in place.

·         The temporary arrangement was being set up to meet current demand whilst acknowledging that longer term additional capacity is required.

·         The proposed actions were intended to provide the Council and Members with greater oversight of this area of work. Working with a provider with a larger cohort, rather than individual purchases, was expected to aid the Council in fulfilling its statutory duty with regard to EHCP and education provision.

RESOLVED to endorse, subject to a review in twelve months, the proposed decision for the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to:

A)   Increase the capacity within The Education Programme to fulfil the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Service’s responsibilities to provide education provision for children and young people (CYP) with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHC Plans) who are not attending school; and

B)   Delegate decisions about the establishment of the new arrangements to the Corporate Director for CYPE, or another Officer as instructed by the Corporate Director for CYPE.