Decision details

Members were presented with a report to consider a request from the Children, Families and Skills Scrutiny Committee to establish a deep dive session and working group on the emerging SEND Strategy for 2025-2028.

It was reported that the reason for the report being presented as an item of urgent business related to the need to expedite the matter and facilitate in-depth scrutiny in contributing to the development of the strategy during the further consultation and workshops stage in January 2025. As the next meeting of the Scrutiny Management Board was not due to take place until February 2025, it was agreed to be included as an item of urgent business for this meeting.

At its meeting held on 6 November 2024, the Children, Families and Skills Scrutiny Committee considered a report on the Development of a SEND Strategy 2025-2028.

The report set out emerging themes, priorities and next steps and invited the committee to consider how best it could engage with the development of the strategy.

The committee resolved to ask the Scrutiny Management Board to establish a Deep Dive session to discuss the emerging themes as outlined in the report and provide input into the development of the SEND strategy 2025-2028. The committee also resolved to ask the Board to consider establishing a Working Group for the purpose of providing long term input into SEND Strategy.

It was suggested that the request be agreed with proviso that the Chair of the Scrutiny Management Board reviews the terms of reference for the working group.

Resolved: That:

(i)  A Deep Dive session to discuss the emerging themes and give input into the development of the SEND Strategy 2025-2028 be agreed.

(ii)  The establishment of a working group for the purposes of providing long term input into the SEND Strategy be agreed subject to the terms of reference being reviewed by the Chair of the Scrutiny Management Board.