Agenda item

To consider a report on the work currently being undertaken in preparation for the Local Area Special Educational Needs and Disability Inspection.

5.1       Victor Roman (Bi-borough Special Educational Needs and Disability Inspection Preparation Manager) presented the report which summarised the guidance published for the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Inspection and the preparation being undertaken in the local area for this. Victor Roman advised that the inspection was a Partnership Focus Inspection Type, which would focus on how the local area works together in identifying, assessing and meeting needs. There was no grading given by the outcome of the inspection, which culminated in a report to the Director of Children Services and the most senior officers of the relevant clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), highlighting both the strengths and areas of improvement for the local area. However, where areas for improvement were significant, the local area would be required to submit a Written Statement of Action within 70 working days of receiving the report.

 5.2      Victor Roman advised that a principle change from previous inspections was that the age range to be looked at had increased from 5 to 19 years to 0 – 25 years. The inspection would take place over 2 weeks and as a partnership inspection involved all agencies interacting with children and young people on Special Educational Needs (SEN) support or with an education health and care plan in the local area. This would include the local authority, the relevant CCGs, early years providers, colleges, health providers, parent partnership and the third sector.

5.3       Victor Roman then highlighted the preparation being taken for the inspection by bi-borough partners, including:

·         Ensuring that the data is easily available and meaningful

·         Ensuring that the local area has all the required policies and strategies in place, such as the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and the SEND strategy

·         Ensuring that the right governance and process are in place for the local area

·         Ensuring that the local area has a common understanding of the strengths and areas of improvement for partnership

5.4       Victor Roman informed the Board that of around 50 inspections that had taken place nationally since 2016, the key themes the inspectors had focused on included SEN support, preparation for adulthood, joint commissioning arrangements, early years identification and co-production.  He concluded his presentation by emphasising the need to demonstrate to the inspectors that the partnership in the local area works effectively at identifying, assessing and meeting needs and improving outcomes for children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities.

5.5       During discussions, a Member enquired whether Healthwatch and Black and Minority Ethnic groups had been approached for comments in respect of the inspection preparation. He stated that there needed to be a greater focus on mental health in primary schools and he referred to a primary school in Queens Park that had received an award for work undertaken in this area. He added that there was also a need for a greater focus on pre-teen mental health. One Member commented thatChild and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Services referrals were often not reported to GPs and there needed to be more effective communication on this. In addition, the Grenfell Tower fire had impacted significantly on CAMHS and she suggested that they should be fed into the inspection. Another Member stated that GPs wanting to work with CAMHS sometimes found this difficult and often the issue could be complicated by the educational and behavioural circumstances of the child or young person involved.

5.6       A Member asked whether the Board could be provided with a draft of the Written Statement of Action if the inspection so required this. The Chairman added that it was important that that the Board receive any feedback from the inspection at the earliest opportunity.

5.7       In reply to issues raised by Members, Victor Roman advised that the Board would receive a draft of a Written Statement of Action if this was required and the Board would also be involved in the co-production of it. He stated that the Board would receive feedback about the inspection regardless of the outcome in any case and he acknowledged the Chairman’s request to provide this at the earliest opportunity.

5.8       Alison Markwell (Designated Clinical Officer for SEND, NHS Central London, West London, Hammersmith and Fulham, Houslow and Ealing CCGs) advised that the SEND inspections were taking place over a 5 year period and the expected standards were rising. Requests for Written Statements of Action were becoming increasingly common and so therefore there was a greater likelihood that this local area would also be requested to do so. Alison Markwell emphasised the importance of ensuring that all partner organisations were ‘on message’ and to demonstrate services being co-designed and co-produced. She advised that work was taking place with parent carer forums in respect of young people, and also Re-Think. Schools were also well placed to address mental health issues, with some having mental health champions and there was also online access to counselling and it was important to demonstrate what was available at the local level during the inspection. Alison Markwell acknowledged the need for early intervention in respect of mental health amongst children and young people. The Board noted that the inspection could fall anytime between April and September, although not during school holidays.

5.9       The Chairman concurred on the importance of focusing on mental health in primary schools. The Chairman also requested that information on the source of funding that the Central and North West London NHS Foundation was receiving to undertake early preventative work in primary schools in the area be provided.