Issue - meetings

SEND Ofsted Inspection Outcome

Meeting: 02/09/2020 - Education and Children's Services Scrutiny Committee (Item 6)

6 Joint Area SEND Revisit in Lancashire pdf icon PDF 136 KB

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Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Sarah Callaghan, Director of Education and Skills Lancashire County Council, and, Hilary Fordham, Chief Operating Officer Morecambe Bay CCG.

 

The report presented explained that between 9 March and 12 March 2020, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) revisited the area of Lancashire to decide whether sufficient progress had been made in addressing each of significant areas for improvement detailed in the written statement of action issued on 8 January 2018. The report provided members with details and the outcome of the revisit.

 

239 pieces of evidence were provided for inspectors and 89 people were interviewed. Inspectors spoke with council colleagues and partners, a range of education representatives, parents, carers and children and young people.

 

Ofsted and the CQC judged that of the 12 significant areas of concern identified in the 2017 inspection Lancashire had made sufficient progress in addressing 7 areas and had not made sufficient progress in addressing 5 areas.

 

It was reported that an Accelerated Progress Plan (APP) was to be submitted to the DfE and the NHS by 28 September 2020. The plan had to set out what the Local Authority was going to do to address the 5 areas where sufficient progress had not yet been made. The Health and Wellbeing Board would oversee the Accelerated Progress Plan. Formal monitoring would take place at 6 months and 12 months from 28 September 2020. For all other areas of improvement a broader improvement plan would be developed, agreed and monitored by the SEND Partnership Board.

 

Comments and questions raised by the committee were as follows:

 

·  Concerns were raised over the transition in health care from Children's Services to Adult Services. A Provider Forum had been set up to address this. Services for children were provided through paediatric services. Services for adults were provided from many service areas. The Local Authority had to engage with Adult Services to ensure they understood their responsibilities in supporting the transition of young people from a single service into the adult services areas.

·  Regarding the areas where sufficient progress had not been made, the committee enquired if there were timelines in place. It was confirmed that the APP included the timescales when each of the areas would be fulfilled.

·  The inspectors were complimentary in their report of the support measures in place for people on the waiting lists. However, parents and carers must be encouraged to access these support services whilst they await a full diagnosis.

 

Resolved: That:

 

  i.  The information provided be noted.

  ii.  Comments from the Education and Children's Services Scrutiny Committee be presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

  iii.  The Accelerated Progress Plan be circulated to the Education and Children's Services Scrutiny Committee.

  iv.  The Education and Children's Services Scrutiny Committee be provided with a progress update in six months.

 

 

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