Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/018

Contact: Janet Johnson, Strategic Lead for SEN/LDD Tel: (01865) 815129

Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CMDSI4).

This project is part of the Business Strategy 2011 and aims to contribute to the savings of £1m from 2012/13 on Out County placements for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN). Other strategies to reduce reliance on costly out county placements are in development and will contribute to the savings target, for example the cross regional provision for children in care and increasing use of local independent providers.

We currently have 23 children with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) placed in Out County residential placements at a cost of £2.7m per annum. There is a gap in provision in Oxfordshire and ASC diagnosis/prevalence is increasing.

It is anticipated that savings of approximately £60,000 to £90,000 per placement can be made if ASC educational residential provision is set up in Oxfordshire. 

The Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)               give agreement to proceed with proposals to develop an autism educational residential provision;

(b)              request a detailed, costed proposal by July 2011. If the age range of the proposed provision extends beyond 18 then a joint CYPF and SCS paper will be required and a decision by both CYPF and SCS Cabinet Members.

to:

(a)               give agreement to proceed with proposals to develop an autism educational residential provision;

(b)               request a detailed, costed proposal by July 2011. If the age range of the proposed provision extends beyond 18 then a joint CYPF and SCS paper will be required and a decision by both CYPF and SCS Cabinet Members