Agenda item

2.05 pm

Report by Deputy Director for Children’s Services and Education (ESC7).

To receive a report on ECHP process and performance including a focus on Exclusions/Elective Home Education/Part time timetable and on the Early Intervention Service.

The Education Scrutiny Committee is RECOMMENDED to note the progress made in relation to Education Health and Care Plans for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Committee received a report on Education Health and Care Plans process and performance including a focus on Exclusions/Elective Home Education/Part time timetable and on the Early Intervention Service.

The Deputy Director for Children’s Services and Education introduced the report. The Education, Health & Care Plans (EHCPs) for children and young people aged up to 25 were introduced in September 2014 as part of the SEND provisions in the Children & Families Act 2014.  Local Authorities were required to ensure all plans (previously known as Statements of Special Educational Need) were converted to meet the specifications outlined in the new Code of Practice by 1st April 2018.

The report informed Members that Education Health and Care plans were legally binding documents that detailed the additional education, health and care support required by a child or young person between the ages of 0 -25 years in order to enable them to access learning.

The needs identified were outlined and described by relevant professionals who contributed to a holistic assessment and confirmed how the child’s difficulties or disability affected their learning.  Plans were produced with interventions and support designed to aid them in accessing education

Oxfordshire had received a statement of action at the time of its last Local Area Inspection in 2017 as a result of weak performance in the production of EHCPs.

The Committee was informed that the SEND code of practice stated that the EHC needs assessment and plan process must take no more than 20 weeks. This was a shorter time limit than the 26 weeks previously given for the completion of statements.

Details of the increasing demand for EHCP’s in Oxfordshire was provided in the report.

Members were informed that a SEND Performance Board meeting had taken place last week and that an accelerated progress plan had to be submitted shortly. A formal monitoring meeting would then take place with the DfE.

Reference was made to paragraph 10 of the report which referred to the number of EHCPs having increased in recent years; predominantly in the primary school age group. It was noted that work needed to take place with families early on to avoid huge costs as placements in Independent schools were a big cost.

The Chairman asked how many of the plans came with unwritten statements that they wanted to step out of the state system. The Deputy Director responded that there were around 350 children who were sent out of the County but a written answer would be provided.

Members were informed that the costs of specialised provision also included transport costs. A meeting would be taking place with Special Schools Headteachers on 24 September.

Reference was made to the need for clarity on costs detailed in paragraph 15 of the report which did not contain details of the £6,000 costs per pupil which schools did not recover.

Reference was made to 250 new places which were not taken into account because it could take 2-3 years for the places to filter through the system.

The Corporate Director of Children’s Services reported that the building of Special Schools by Oxfordshire County Council had alleviated some of the problems, but he acknowledged that the performance of EHCPs needed to be kept under review.

RESOLVED:  that the progress made in relation to Education Health and Care Plans for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities be noted.