The Cabinet Member considered the report which indicated that the latest Area SEND monitoring inspection from Ofsted and the CQC highlighted that as a result of Enhanced Pathways, many children’s and young people’s needs were being more effectively met in mainstream settings. The business case was also seeking to once again expand the project further to ensure more children and young people could have their needs met successfully. The Cabinet Member highlighted that the Enhanced Pathways started with only 9, then grew to 40. It was further said that the plan was to grow it to 60.
Furthermore, in the academic year 2024 - 25 £1,194,718 had been spent on 20 Enhanced Pathways. This benefitted 292 children and young people, which could be compared to the same value potentially benefiting only 17 children placed at Independent Non-maintained Special School (INMSS) at an average cost of £70,000 or 96 pupils accessing alternative education provision packages at an average cost of £12,354.55.
Resolved to:
a) Approve the Council to fund a further 20 Enhanced Pathways to triple the reach of the project to enable the Council to offer a more equitable offer across the county to meet the increasing numbers and complexities of children and young people with Special Educational Needs in mainstream schools and to realise probable savings through this spend to save model.
b) Approve the Council’s budgetary commitment for a period of 3 years for each Enhanced Pathway (barring significant changes to central government funding of SEND during that period).
c) Commit to consider and review opportunities to upscale the Enhanced Pathways programme over the coming years in line with the impact evidence provided.