Agenda item

(a)  That the update on the progress and the next steps planned on the Written Statement of Action (WSOA) be noted.

(b)  That the findings of the LGA review and the planned next steps in response to this be noted.

(c)  That Cabinet’s request be noted that there would be regular bi-monthly reporting on progress against the WSOA. The incoming Director of Children Services/Chief Executive of SCF would be commencing in mid-January and would continue to work with this recommendation by providing updates on progress as well as risks and mitigations. 

The Lead Member for Children’s Services, Lifelong Learning & Skills summarised a report on the progress on the Written Statement of Action (WSOA), since it was presented to Cabinet on 21st February 2022 in response to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) local area inspection.

The report set out the progress that had been made and next steps.  The report included the findings of the recent LGA Peer Challenge of SEND and the Council’s response.

It was noted that DfE had expressed concern about the overall lack of rapid progress in addressing the key areas of the WSOA and the Council recognised that progress had been slow in some areas.  The Council has successfully recruited to posts in the SEND service and the proportion of Education, Health & Care Plans being converted within the statutory 20-week deadline had started to improve and was currently at 30%, and the backlog had been reduced.  However, it was noted that further significant improvement was needed to reach the target of being at least at the national average of 59% by March 2023.

The Cabinet noted that the Council had very recently appointed a new, permanent Director of Children’s Services, Sue Butcher, and there would be handover period with the outgoing director, Andrew Fraser.

Lead Members discussed the linkages between the WSOA and other strategies and initiatives such as the Dedicated Schools Grant Management Plan, on which very good progress had been made in the past year.

The Cabinet affirmed their commitment to lead and own the improvement plans for SEND and agreed to receive bi-monthly progress updates.

Resolved –

(a)  That the update on the progress and the next steps planned on the Written Statement of Action (WSOA) be noted.

(b)  That the findings of the LGA review and the planned next steps in response to this be noted.

(c)  That Cabinet’s request be noted that there would be regular bi-monthly reporting on progress against the WSOA. The incoming Director of Children Services/Chief Executive of SCF would be commencing in mid-January and would continue to work with this recommendation by providing updates on progress as well as risks and mitigations.