Decision details

The Board received and noted a report and presentation from the Group Manager, School Investment, Organisation and Admissions outlining the increasing demand for primary and secondary school places for pupils with Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND), with indications of the anticipated level of demand over the next four-year period based on a new SEND forecasting model.

The presentation outlined the four areas which are generally acknowledged to have contributed to the significant rise in local children with a statement of SEND or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and the number of children who have been permanently excluded and or who require alternative provision. These were seen as legislation, underlying demographic factors, policy decisions impacting on inclusion and funding pressures.

A common strand of tonight’s discussions at the Board had centred on commissioning, and how in this instance it can come together around the significant challenges highlighted in the report and presentation such as poor Ofsted reports and children with complex needs being repatriated in the Borough. Barking & Dagenham has seen a significant rise in the number of children with complex health and/or education needs, and therefore what is urgently required is a new model of health commissioning established within an education setting.  

Given the lack of available funding and recognising other practicalities such as the struggle to recruit health specialists such as speech & language therapists, the Chair commented that there needs to be a broad discussion about models of support that can be offered to parents/carers, which given the increasingly level of demand needs to build in flexibility, something recognised by both the CCG and NELFT.

From the Council’s perspective under the new operating model they are looking at Community Solutions to provide a gateway for early interventions such as rapid diagnosis of children so that plans can be put in place to accommodate their specialist needs for their continued education.