Agenda item

It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Claudia Smith –Head of Integrated Services for Special Educational Needs and Disability (Interim), Sue Stocks – Parent Participation Officer, Lewisham Parent and Carer Forum and Nilan Salih – Parent Representative, Lewisham Parent and Carer Forum introduced the report and invited comments and questions from the committee.

It was noted:

1.    That there was a problem with the report formatting that meant that words had been ‘chopped off’ making it difficult to read. The Scrutiny Manager would circulate a legible copy by email following the meeting.

2.    Reference to supporting those with “dual diagnosis” should be broadened to “dual and multiple diagnosis”.

3.    Lewisham Autism Support was being funded to provide early support. This support should be extended to cover all SEND, not just ASD.

4.    The increase in EHCPs was in line with other local authorities and was attributable in part to the 2014 reforms that extended the age range to include those age 19-25.

5.    There had been a sizeable increase in under 5s with EHCPs, which followed the national trend.

6.    Where a child needed SEND support, some schools were easier to engage with than others. The SEND Advisory Services had been working directly with schools with pupils receiving SEND Support but without an EHCP. Feedback had been positive but this was work in progress. Data was being analysed to identify where additional support to schools was needed.

7.    It was not necessary to apply for an EHCP through the school, but it was helpful to have the school on side.

8.    The Parent/Carer Forum can play a role in supporting relationships between parents/carers and schools.

9.    The SEND Advisory Service keeps a list of schools that it is concerned about.

10.Councillor Holland requested further information, to be provided outside the meeting, on the SALT offer to Children’s Centres

11.Extending SEND provision and resource bases in mainstream and special schools, and promote the Lewisham SEND offer and success of Lewisham schools was part of the mitigation plan to reduce the overspend.

12.Lewisham ASD figures appear high when compared to other boroughs. This was thought to be due to differences in classification.

13.The SEND Advisory Services is working with schools to prevent exclusions, playing a key role in improving attendance and attainment of children receiving SEN Support.

14.Improved efficiency and earlier intervention were key to achieving improvements within the resource envelope.

15.Members requested that monitoring and evaluation statistics relating to implementation of the strategy be shared with the Committee.   

16.An email from Kevin Mantle, Parent Governor Representative for Special Schools, was tabled.

17.Members, referring to proposals to restructure the current scrutiny arrangements, stressed the need for specialist scrutiny of the SEND Strategy, and their support for the CYP Select Committee to remain a standing scrutiny function.

18.Officers had completed a sufficiency strategy to identify gaps in provision by looking at where children were going out of borough because of needs that could not be met in the borough.

It was RESOLVED that

1.    the report be noted;

2.    Monitoring and evaluation statistics relating to implementation of the strategy would be shared with the Committee; and

3.    an update on the SALT offer to Children’s Centres be provided to Councillor Holland after the meeting.