Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services and presentation by the Strategic Manager, SEND that gave an update on Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in County Durham (for copies see file of Minutes).

The Strategic Manager, SEND highlighted the current information available, the progress made locally since the inspection of SEND services in 2017 and information about exclusions of children and young people from school with SEND.

With regards to full time exclusions, Councillor Kennedy asked if schools were using more managed moves within a school area.  The Strategic Manager explained that this was something that did happen and could be successful if managed well.  He reported that Behaviour Support Panels would suggest that some children and young people were nurtured at a different school before returning to their main school.  The Strategic Manager recognised that there was still work to be done for all children through a consistent approach.  Councillor Kennedy asked if the inclusion units within secondary school contributed to a reduction in the numbers and was advised that the ‘nurturing units’ could be very successful as they gave the children and young people an opportunity to relax away from stressful and anxious situations.

Councillor Blakey queried what support young people had when they left school and asked if the authority received any feedback from colleges.  The Strategic Manager confirmed that there was a duty of care for young people with SEND up to the age of 25.  He added that although colleges were arm’s length organisations, there was a joint responsibility to review and ensure that progress was being made by monitoring.  He further commented that some young people studied one Foundation Course after another and how it was important to allow them to transition into adulthood rather than drifting through the system.

Referring to the inspection information presented, Councillor Jewell said that although the weaknesses highlighted were about the systems and not the learning and that the two should go together as this was important for the child and young person.  With reference to exclusions, he said that it was important to ensure that the child or young person was receiving the right education provision in the first place.  The Strategic Manager advised that the report gave more information and that on balance the offer in schools was well received.  He added that the service were challenged by the available resources and that Councillor Gunn had been lobbying parliament about fair funding.  Commenting on the point made about exclusions, the Strategic Manager said that all children and young people should have access to the nearest provision and reasonable adaptations should be made.  He further commented that the service were working to ensure that every school had the same offer that met the needs of the child and young person.

Councillor Smith referred to a recent suggestion in the media that the threshold for full time exclusions was lower in academies than in maintained schools.  She asked if the authority kept any comparative data and if they were seeing this trend.  The Strategic Manager confirmed that the authority did hold data by school to school and geographically to be able to compare any trends.  He advised that there was not a huge difference in the numbers that was a cause for concern.

Referring to High Needs Block funding, Councillor Patterson asked what plans were in place and what the long term plans for the sustainability of the service were should further funding not be received.  The Strategic Manager referred to a recent Cabinet report that highlighted the pressures faced by the service and the volume of shift and demand.  He advised that a SEND and Inclusion Response Board had been set up which would look at the money available and ensuring best value for money across the service.  The Strategic Manager offered to come to a future meeting of this Committee to present a report on progress against this plan.

The Chairman thanked the officer for his report and presentation.

Resolved:

That the recommendations within the report be agreed.