Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report presented on behalf of the Strategic Commissioner that outlined options for taking forward the provisions of the Department for Education Green Paper ‘Support and Aspirations: a New Approach to Special Educational Needs and Disability’. 

The Green Paper had been released in March, 2011, and sought to improve outcomes for children and young people, minimise the adversarial nature of the system and maximise value for money.  By 2014, it was an intention that all families would be entitled to a personal budget that included funding for education, health and social care. 

The five main areas of proposed changes were: -

• Early Identification and Support;
• Giving Parents Control;
• Learning and Achieving;
• Preparing for Adulthood;
• Service working together for families. 

There were a number of strategic commissioning issues arising from the Green Paper: - 

• Supporting 0 – 25 year olds with disability or special educational needs;
• Personal budget options to families by 2014;
• Early (and earlier) intervention and prevention;
• Joint working – health, social care and education;
• Partnerships – in and across agencies, communities and the Voluntary and Community sector;
• Parental participation – individual and strategic level through consultation;
• Structural and cultural change;
• Focus on outcomes. 

A number of pathfinder pilots would take place in the future to test the core elements of the reform.  There were a number of ongoing pilots involving Local Authorities that covered: -

·        Developing a health and education care plan from birth to 25 years;

·        Personal budgets.

Learning from the pilots would be embedded into future policy. 

The Green Paper offered the opportunity to develop a strategic and co-ordinated partnership approach and for partners to work together to develop joint, integrated commissioning and service delivery. 

In Rotherham, it was proposed that a Project Group be established to act as the overarching body to respond to the new requirements.  Issues of focus would include: -

·        Education, Health and Care Plans;

·        Personal Budgets;

·        Market facilitation;

·        Market management;

·        Workforce and human resource implications;

Task and finish groups would sit underneath the Project Group.  Sub-Groups would be initiated that focussed on Finance and Resource Allocation, Personal Budgets, Consultation, Commissioning, HR and Education. 

The proposed Project Group would report to the proposed Joint CYPS Commissioning Group, who would in turn report to the Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group, the Children and Young People’s Partnership and the Health and Wellbeing Board. 

Discussion ensued on the proposals.  The risks and opportunities associated with the provisions of the Green Paper were contained in the report, but a fuller analysis was required. 

The Cabinet Member fully supported the principles and approach of the Project Group.  However, due to the cross-cutting nature of the issues involved, the report would need to be referred to the Cabinet.  The report as submitted did not include a sufficient analysis of the risks and opportunities inherent in the work.  These should be included in the report submitted to Cabinet. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That the Cabinet Member endorses the proposed strategic approach to respond to the Green Paper ‘Support and Aspirations: a New Approach to Special Educational Needs and Disability’.  

(2)  That a further report outlining the risks associated with the work be submitted to the Cabinet due to the cross-cutting nature of the work.