The report provides a summary of the new duties under the SEND Reforms, and the work undertaken to co-produce the draft SEND Vision and Strategy.

That the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Vision and Strategy, be approved.

The Executive considered a report from the Executive Member for Social Care and Health that provided a summary of the new duties under the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reforms and the work undertaken to co-produce the draft SEND Vision and Strategy.

Reason for decision:  To enable the Council to act upon its duty to ensure integration between educational provision and training provision, health and social care provision.

RESOLVED

that the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Vision and Strategy, be approved.

The report provides the Committee with a summary of the new duties under the SEND Reforms and the work undertaken to co-produce the draft SEND Vision and Strategy.

The Executive Member for Social Care and Housing introduced the Shared Vision for Children and Young People with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) that had been co-produced with parent representatives, mainstream and special schools and services providers and representatives of the Special Needs Action Panel (SNAP).  The vision was the culmination of a significant amount of collective work and implementation of these plans was key to support children and young people in achieving the best they can.

Members welcomed the shared vision document and commended the good work that was clearly evident.  Members discussed the current provision of services that varied across the district and proposed that the vision seek to offer equality of services across Central Bedfordshire where it was required.  The Assistant Director advised that officers continued to develop the provision of services within the current work streams and would incorporate a stronger message in the Vision document.

There was a concern that detail on the future service provision was missing from the document and should include some indication of what the landscape of provision could look like in 5 years and 10 years time.  The Assistant Director would include a paragraph in the cover report to cover this aspect.

Recommended

·         that the Vision incorporates a stronger message around consistency of services across Central Bedfordshire. 

·         that colocation of services should be where this is in the best interests of the child and family. 

·         that a paragraph on context and future landscape of provision to be included in the report. 

·         the Committee welcomed the SEND vision and the new ways of working with parent groups.