Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Sufia Alam, Shah Ameen, Mohammed Pappu and Helal Uddin. Apologies were also received from Neil Cunningham and Ahmed Hussain co-opted Members of the Sub-Committee.

Councillor Eve McQullian was substituting for Councillor Helal Uddin and the Vice-Chair Councillor Gabriela Salva Macallan was in the Chair.

To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992.  See attached note from the Monitoring Officer.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made by the members.

To confirm as a correct record of the proceedings the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the held on 25^th June 2019.

The minutes of the meeting from the 25^th June 2019 were agreed and approved as a correct record.

SEND INSPECTION

At the request of the Vice-Chair, the Sub-Committee heard from Parents of the SEND Ambassadors group who relayed their experience of SEND Services; the challenges with Education Health Care Plans (EHCP’s) and access to professional help and facilities. The parents raised the following points:

·         Support parents when a child is diagnosed with a special need – preparing them for diagnosis, rather than directing them to websites.

·         Being more inclusive – integrating services in the community such as “stay and play” groups. Increasing awareness in the community.

·         Train staff especially Teachers and Teaching Assistants who have an understanding of special needs.

·         Getting early diagnoses and intervention. Ensuring EHCP plans are put in place quickly. There are situations where parents are waiting diagnoses and are excluded from services in the meantime because they do not have an EHCP plan.

The Vice-Chair thanked the Ambassadors for their contribution.

Ms Amanda Bentham, representing the Trade Union addressed the Sub-Committee stating she had attended the meeting with her colleagues to highlight the impact of cuts to the service. She said cuts would have a detrimental effect on the most vulnerable and deprived children. She said the SEND team had been set up 23 years ago to provide support to such families and it was a credit to the Council that 98% of those identified with SEND were attending mainstream school in the borough. Ms Bentham said the service provided early intervention, working with parents of babies and was doing essential preventative work. She said the service provided training, advice and support to schools. From a recent survey it was evident 4.5 out of 5 schools were satisfied with the service given. Ms Bentham said cutting funding for this vital service and Teaching Assistants in schools would be a disaster for children with SEND needs.

Ms Bentham said she and her colleagues had the following concerns about cuts to the service:

·         Poorer outcomes for children who may be identified as NEET’s (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

·         Schools making further cuts such as reducing Teaching Assistant support to children with SEND needs and the potential of ‘off-rolling’ children on their enrolment registers.

·         More children being sent to out of borough facilities/services.

·         Increase in Tribunal cases

In response to questions from Members of the Sub-Committee the following was noted:

·         ‘Off rolling’ was a grave concern as schools would be less willing to accept SEND pupils and evidence from boroughs with a large number of Academies, showed ‘off rolling’ is occurring at higher rates. Ms Bentham said Schools are more likely to request parents to remove their child from a mainstream school especially if they do not have trained staff to support children with behaviour, social and emotional needs. Once outside of the school system these children quickly become NEETs.

The Vice –Chair thanked Ms Bentham for her contribution to the meeting.

Mr Saihan Islam, young person with a SEND need and a member of the Youth Council addressed the Sub-Committee.  Mr Islam informed Members the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.1

Elizabeth Freer, Strategy and Policy Manager, Children and Culture presented the review undertaken in regard to Secondary School exclusions. She informed Members the report made a total of ten recommendations to the Sub-Committee and sought comment in relation to this.

In response to questions from Members the following was noted:

·         There is a budget to ensure the recommendations made would be supported.

·         In respect to paragraph 3.3 and the rise in fixed term exclusions, schools need support to mitigate the risks of social media and the impact on young girls in particular.

·         It appears that it is easier for schools to exclude a young person rather than deal with the underlying problem. What challenge is provided Headteachers? The recommendations need to be more ambitious.

o   ACTION POINT: statistical information regarding managed moves should also be included within the report.

The Sub-Committee RESOLVED to:

NOTE the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s review of exclusions in secondary schools and the recommendations contained within the report.

The Vice-Chair reminded Members the next meeting of the Children and Education Scrutiny Sub-Committee was scheduled for Tuesday, 17^th December 2019.

Members also thanked Ms Elizabeth Freer for her support of the Sub-Committee and wished her well in her new post.