The Assistant Director for Education presented a summary of the self-evaluation undertaken by all partners working with Special Educational Needs and Disabled (SEND) young people and their families. There was a SEND strategy in place and plans to review and refresh it between November 2019 and May 2020, working with parents and partners. The evaluation was detailed in the presentation and had focussed on the areas of: identifying needs; meeting the needs; and improving outcomes, and for each of those it analysed local work and resources and areas for development. The self-evaluation process had enabled a collective view in the Local Area to celebrate progress as well as identifying the twelve months work programme.

Members noted that there had been changes in staffing, a projected budget deficit of £7 million by 2022 and both a Strategic Board and Operations Group for all those involved to help improved services.

Members questions drew out some issues including:

·  Between 55% and 70% of Education, Health and Care Plans were completed within set deadlines, and those not were generally because answers were awaited from services.

·  Despite budget cuts, schools had a threshold and guide to enable SEND pupils to receive quality teaching. More funding had been provided although pupil numbers were increasing. Expertise was shared when available.

·  The destinations of SEND pupils leaving education was monitored.

·  Figures did not include those home schooled though that is monitored separately.

·  The service works with the All Age Disability Service.

·  The 25% increase in pupils with SEND in a year was largely due to a higher number of younger children with complex learning difficulties, and better identification of SEND pupils.

Resolved – that the key areas of development work from the summary of the self-evaluation of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities be noted.