Agenda item

Jane Moore discussed the Transforming SEND and Inclusion in Leicestershire (TSIL) update provided with the forum agenda, outlining the key programme statistics and feedback from stakeholders. The improvements and impacts of TSIL are monitored by the performance of EHCPs.

There is a continued and sustained increase in the number of EHCPs requested. TSIL monitors the demand for EHCPs, which rises gradually monthly and is reflective of the national trend. Compared to other LAs, however, Leicestershire receives the second highest number of EHCP requests behind Lincolnshire. The work of TSIL is not reducing the demand for EHCPs.

EHCPs are not being completed within the statutory 20-week timescale. The issues of overall timeliness are outlined in the report; primary factors include the available of educational psychologists required to complete assessments, which is a national trend that other LAs experiencing. As part of 20-week timescale for an EHCP, the is a 6-week window for the LA to acquire professional advice. However, it is taking educational psychologist services longer than the allocated time to provide advice. The LA is working on a revised plan for securing educational psychology advice.

Annual reviews are required to be completed annually. This is a challenge area due to capacity. The LA is exploring how to clear the backlog of annual reviews. There are slow improvements, which is in part due to the additional resources the LA has recruited.

Children waiting for specialist placements may be a result of a lack of available provisions that can meet individual need. The LA is continuing to develop additional places to meet need. There are additional places, including a new special school, opening within the next academic year and additional funding from DfE to build a further special school.

Timeliness in responding to EHCP requests remains an issue. There have been updates on processes to help meet timescales. £1.2 million has been funded to remodel the SENA service to meet demand and there is additionality to fill vacancies.

Mark Mitchley asked what the positive performances of TSIL have been as the programme has not delivered on the goals that it set out. Jane Moore responded that TSIL has provided more structure to the SENA service. Whilst TSIL has not managed to slow the demand on the service, it has looked at the efficiencies of practices within the service. In addition, TSL has given the LA the best way to understand the data it has access to. The LA is now trying to utilise different methods to meet demand but has not yet been successful to stem demand. TSIL has adjusted the structure of the system, provided internal improvements to the strength of practice, and has projected change over several years. The successes of TSIL have put in frameworks in place for growth.

Mark Mitchley noted that SENCOs have not reported any significant changes and has questioned why schools should provide further funding to a system that is not working. Jane Moore has asserted that SEN is a collective system for which all stakeholders, including schools, need to share a collective responsibility. Whilst different organisations have responsibilities for distinct aspects of the system, the LA set up TSIL on behalf of all responsible agencies. However, the difficulties experienced within SEN are national struggles and it will take time to see impacts and changes. Peter Leatherland has observed that the responsibility for SEN does not feel like it is collective when schools struggle to contact and connect with SENA.

Jane Moore has reminded the forum that there is no reduction in EHCP requests and so the LA does not have a singular answer. Jane has discussed a policy change with the DfE but was not successful. The LA is exploring different methods to try to source educational psychologist advice, but this is an ongoing conversation that all parties can contribute to.

Rosalind Hopkins asked what the plan is for TSIL. If TSIL continues, Rosalind asked what the cost of continuing to fund TSIL would be and what funding block this would come from. Rosalind questioned the risks of continuing TSIL vs the risk of ending the programme, given that it has not had the intended impact. Jane Moore informed the forum that LA will continue to move resources around the department to better enable SENA keep up with demand, which will need a programme to continue a system of improvement. The LA will no longer have a strategic partner in Newton Europe moving forward, nor will TSIL have funding supplied to it. TSIL will continue as a collective system of continuous improvement rather than a specific strategic change programme.

Kath Kelly acknowledged that there would be a time lag before observable impacts or improvements. Kathy has questioned whether the LA expected observable impacts from TSIL at this stage. Jane Moore noted that the required changes were deeply systematic and so changes were not expected immediately, but there was hope that changes to the educational psychology service would have had a greater impact than it did. The answer to this question is different for different areas of TSIL but the LA would have liked a better impact on EHCPs timeliness due to the amount of money invested.