Issue - meetings

Further to Minute No. 10 of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services and Safeguarding) held on 10 July 2018, the Cabinet considered the final report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services and Safeguarding) Special Educational Needs and Disability Process of Assessment Working Group.  The Lead Member of the Working Group, Councillor Spencer presented the Final Report to the Cabinet.

The Cabinet placed on record its appreciation to all Members of the Working Group and Officers for their commitment in producing an excellent piece of work.    

Decision Made:

That provided the recommendations are subject to any budget implications and the inclusion of the revised recommendation 1. (h), as amended by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services and Safeguarding) on 10 July 2018, the following recommendations be approved:-

(1)       That the Head of Schools and Families be requested to:-

(a)       Review the current provision of Special Educational Needs (SEN) units within schools, in order to ensure that appropriate provision is available within the relevant schools, as evidence provided suggests that the current system is not meeting the needs of children and their families appropriately.

(b)       Encourage relevant schools to consider an alternative term for “SEN unit”, possibly describing themselves as a “SEN-friendly school”, in order to reduce stigma and improve compliance with the Equality Act.

(c)        Liaise with the Sefton Clinical Commissioning Groups and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in order to explore the possibility of requesting assessment appointments by professional experts to be carried out in schools wherever possible, particularly specialised schools and those schools with a unit, in order to provide a “safe” environment for children, with less preparation required for those children who experience anxiety when their routine is disrupted.

(d)       Encourage those schools that have a SEN unit to have a dedicated Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), particularly where there are a high proportion of children with SEND, as evidence provided indicates that access to appropriate resources is greater in settings where there is a dedicated SENCO.

(e)       Encourage schools to include SENCOs on the management team for the school, in order to enhance the profile of SEND.

(f)        Encourage schools to support SENCOs to undertake referrals of children with SEND for professional input and assessment appointments, in order to minimise delays in obtaining Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

(g)       Explore the possibility, in conjunction with the Council’s Senior Educational Psychologist, of encouraging schools to undertake joint training on SEND for parents/carers’ groups within schools, with teachers and governors, in order to ensure that the information and approach provided are consistent, appropriate embedded.

(h)       Include Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for parents/carers of children with SEND within the information available on school admissions, as part of the “school readiness” approach, in order to create an efficient and effective home-school partnership from the outset, in conjunction with the Assessment, Resource and Provision Planning Team.

(i)         Explore the possibility of increasing communication with parents/carers on SEND through the Borough’s Family Wellbeing Centres, particularly from an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26