Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Richards.

Members are requested at a meeting where a disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest arises, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests, to declare any interests that relate to an item on the agenda.

Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 17^th September 2024.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 September 2024, be confirmed as a correct record.

The Sub-Committee will hear verbal representations from Parents/Carers relating to their experience of accessing services and supporting Children with SEND when they reach school leaving age.

Members of the Sub-Committee considered verbal representations from parents/carers about the support and services available to children and young people approaching 16 years old and beyond.

The Chair advised at the start of the meeting, that some issues raised such as Post 16 Education and Skills, would fall under the remit of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regenerations and Skills) and any follow up work would need to include that Committee.

Points were made on the following issues:

• A petition was submitted to the O&S (Children’s Services and Safeguarding) in November 2023 asking for the Committee to show its commitment to EHCP’s for those aged 16-25.
• There are 770 vulnerable young people aged 16-25 in Sefton with an EHCP who are not receiving the support they need.
• There are ineffective arrangements between education and health and social care services which impacts the transition from school to post 16 provision.
• 16- to 18-year-olds are too old for Children’s Services but too young for Adult Services and as a result are falling through the gaps in services.
• Legally, young people should have a ‘Transitions Caseworker’ but there are not enough caseworkers to manage the caseloads of 770 young people.
• Caseworkers do not meet face to face with the young people.
• Parents feel that the caseworkers do not have any experience of looking after a young person with SEND and as a result do not have the empathy or experience to understand the difficulties faced by parents/carers and young people with SEND.
• Many parents/carers have experience of their sons and daughters being on roll for college or higher education, but no follow up is taking place if they struggle to attend.
• Examples were provided of 15/16-year-olds being out of full-time education with an EHCP, but no support or checks are being carried out by the local authority.
• SEND pupils sometimes manage to get though their GCSE’s and as a result fall through the net as they are seen as capable, despite needing a lot of support.
• School leavers with SEND are left alone to work out things like travel and timetables at their next education provider. Parents have to fight to get the support needed or find things out as they encounter problems.
• Information such as the existence of Disability Travel Passes should be known by caseworkers and the information available on the Council’s website.
• The 16 plus EHCP document is complicated to complete.
• Examples were given whereby an EHCP was in place and working but at age 18, elements such as one-to-one support were stopped. Things should not be taken out of an EHCP as they remain in place to age 25.
• The Sefton Council website for the ‘Local Offer’ is difficult to navigate and contains incorrect information such as reference to keeping an EHCP in place if an individual was to start their own business.
• Cumbria Council’s website was cited as being a particularly good website for SEND and Local Offer information.
• Parents of children aged below 16 are anticipating  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.