Agenda item

The following question was received under Standing Order 7(3) and 7(5) and was put to the Chairman of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

Questions asked by Mr. M. Hunt

“1.    The TSIL Programme is expected to save over £20million by 2026/7 with over £3million in 2023/4; from which areas is this projected to save in 2023/24 (e.g., support staff, payments to special placements; legal or professional fees etc)?

2.     How many new special school places is the LA expected to create within each year of the four-year programme?

3.     The Report to Cabinet says that savings will be made by new and appropriate provision in mainstream schools, what levers does the LA have to create these?

4.     The Report also says that EHC [Education and Health Care] Plans will be substantially reduced; how does the LA propose to do this, given our legal requirements?

5.     The number of Looked After Children in the county has been rising steadily, how many do we currently have in the County in each category?

6.     Under the proposed MTFS, what is projected for the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit in each of the years shown?”

Reply by the Chairman:

“1.

2.     There are 130 additional places due to become available at various points up to September 2024 (including in the Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) school in the north of the County) and we have a number of potential opportunities under consideration whilst we evaluate best value. The strategy in later years will be informed by the outcomes of the Transforming SEND and Inclusion in Leicestershire programme.

3.     One strand of the Transforming SEND and Inclusion Programme is looking at how we further develop inclusive practice in schools with an aim to enable everyone involved in supporting children and young people with SEND to take action and give the right support at the right time where needed in their education. Mainstream schools are partners in this development and are working with the programme to explore ways that this can be done. Alongside this, the County Council has, in partnership with schools built a number of units attached to mainstream schools to ensure there is effective provision in place for those children whose needs cannot be met in mainstream school.

4.     The primary focus of the Transforming SEND and Inclusion Programme is ensuring children and young people with SEND have their needs met at the right time, in the right place and with the right support. Those children whose needs are such that an EHCP is required to ensure the support needed to reach the desired outcomes for a child or young person is in place, will still have an EHCP.

Where EHCPs are no longer required, for example because outcomes have been met, plans will be ceased. We are also working hard to address the issues regarding significant timeliness delays in undertaking EHCP assessments. In doing this we will be in a better position to provide the right support at the right time, if appropriate for the child, without an EHCP.

5.     Update as of Dec 2022:

6.

”

Mr Hunt thanked the Chairman and officers for an informative response to his questions.