Agenda item

Report of the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Provision Scrutiny Panel.

In September 2023, a scrutiny panel was established by the Children Schools and Families (CSF) Scrutiny  Committee to investigate the provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Camden - ‘the SEND Provision Scrutiny Panel’. The Panel was created in response to issues raised with the Committee Members by many parents and professionals in relation to that service area. The Panel has spoken to a wide range of stakeholders, including schools, parents/carers and officers to hear as many perspectives as possible on Camden’s SEND provision. This report sets out their main findings from the enquiry and ensuing recommendations.

Consideration was given to the report of the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Provision Scrutiny Panel.

Councillor McNamara presented the final report of the SEND Provision Scrutiny Panel, summarised the highlights of the investigation, the key lines of inquiry and the findings. The report included findings from over 30 interviews with individuals and groups, along with insights gathered from three sets of questionnaires. The Panel emphasised that SEND provision was an issue of justice, equality, health, and the future of SEND young people. The Panel sought to identify guiding principles as well as specific solutions, noting a lack of consensus on ways forward, but acknowledged the significant pain and dissatisfaction within the system.

The Chair thanked the Panel for the report and invited questions and comments from the Committee. The following was discussed:

·       Councillor Burrage, Member of the HASC Scrutiny Committee invited as a guest scrutiny committee member to the meeting,  thanked the panel for their comprehensive work and highlighted the importance of focusing on under-diagnosed conditions, particularly attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They noted that, while autism diagnosis had seen improvements, ADHD was often overlooked, despite affecting a significantly larger number of children. The Member stressed that the council should prioritize efforts to identify children with ADHD, given its significant impact on learning and development.

·       Councillor Larrine Revah, Chair of the HASC Scrutiny Committee invited as a guest scrutiny committee member to the meeting, acknowledged the extensive work carried out by the panel, but questioned what tangible outcomes could be expected to emerge from the recommendations. Specifically, the Member asked what changes were being planned or had already been implemented to improve support for both SEND children and their families. The Member referenced personal experience, noting that many children were not receiving a diagnosis until late into their school years, which left parents struggling to navigate the system. Councillor McNamara confirmed that 39 recommendations had been made following the Panel’s investigation, with 30 being specific to Camden and 9 on a national level which were more aimed at higher level ambitions on how to achieve a fair and inclusive education system. A striking part of the research was the cliff edge young people experienced in their provision when they finished school, which parents were highly anxious about, and there was not a clear pathway for young SEND people when reaching adulthood.

·       Councillor McNamara confirmed that the Council’s work to improve SEND provision had already begun. A reason the Panel decided to extend the work over two political years was to accommodate new officers joining their post in key SEND positions and the evolving pace of changes in the Camden SEND services. Both the panel and headteachers were pleased with the development of the SEND implementation plan developed by officers, not simply a vision statement, but a plan with specific outcomes and deadlines, which was likely to form part of the Cabinet Member’s response report in February 2025.

·       Councillor McNamara said that a statistic the Panel was highly concerned about was the 86-week average wait time for autism and ADHD diagnosis which resulted in the recommendation for health services.

·       A Member praised the Panel’s investigation, stating that the thought and sensitivity to the topic emanated from the report, and they hoped that the recommendations would lead to changes that were needed in this challenging area. They stated that one issue that was discussed at this Committee last year was poorer SEND diagnosis in girls, which was not a specific issue to Camden, and they would like to see how Camden could have an impact to improve those outcomes.

·       Councillor Rahman, CSF Scrutiny Committee substitute Member, raised concern over the long wait times for SEND diagnosis. They inquired about how families were supported before assessments and the start of legally entitled support. In response, Councillor McNamara outlined the recommendations which would respond to this issue, including the provision of speech and language therapy and counselling during the wait time. Through the investigation it was clear that officers wanted to be more supportive to families. All therapists were employed by the health system and it had been identified that this was a key blockage area. It was also apparent from speaking to parents that they themselves needed more support having reported stress due to having to fight for support for their children. In response to that comment, a Member noted the stark parallel with the Carers Action Plan, discussed at Council on 22 July 2024, and the questions around who cared for carers.

·       The Executive Director for Children and Learning stated the report presented good insights and recommendations and that a response would be provided in the report in February 2025, with an aim in demonstrating the direction of travel and how the Council would work with the wider system.

·       In response to a Co-opted Member asking if there were opportunities for the Council to work with private health care providers to reduce waiting times for diagnoses to those most in need, it was confirmed that there was a shortage in therapists and blockage in the whole system due to a recruitment crisis and there was a challenge in the amount of resources available to the Council to tackle this issue.

·       In response to questions asked by the Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee (HASC) on how children were being supported who were not attending school due to SEND needs and were not formally diagnosed due to parents struggling through the system, officers were asked to provide a written response.

Action By - Director of Education Commissioning and Inclusion

RESOLVED –

THAT the Committee

1.    note the report; and

2.    agree to request the Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families to prepare a response to the SEND Provision Scrutiny Panel’s recommendations, to report back to a future Committee.