Summary

The board meeting on 25 June 2024 focused on how well special education services (SEND) are working in our area. The latest data shows our progress in helping children with special needs.

Main Points:

1. SEND Dashboard: The SEND Dashboard helps us see how services for children with special needs are performing.

It includes important numbers and information, such as how many children are receiving the support they need.

2. Key Issues:

Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs): These plans help children with special needs get the right support at school. In April, only 7 out of 35 plans were completed within the expected time.

Annual Reviews of EHCPs: Starting in September, we will have a new system to keep better track of these reviews.

Educational Psychology: These experts assist with assessments for EHCPs, but many children are still waiting for their help.

Speech and Language Therapy: Children are waiting a long time for their first assessment, but changes are being made to speed this up.

Neurodevelopmental Pathway: Many children are waiting for help with conditions like ADHD and autism. We are working to reduce wait times.

3. Recommendations:

Board members should review the SEND Dashboard and ask questions if anything is unclear.

We should share the detailed service scorecards on our website so everyone can see how we are performing.

4. Challenges:

There are still some issues with getting all the data we need on time.

We need to improve how quickly we complete plans and assessments for children.

5. Future Plans:

We are hiring more staff to help with assessments and plans.

A new system for managing cases will be introduced over the summer to help us keep better track of our work.

Why This Matters:

These updates help ensure that children with special needs get the right support as quickly as possible. The board is working hard to make improvements, but there are still challenges to overcome.

What’s Next:

The board will continue to monitor progress and make changes to improve services for children with special needs. They will meet again to discuss updates and ensure everything is on track.