Agenda item

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Children’s Services and Neighbourhood Working

Strategic Directorate:           Children and Young People’s Services

Consideration was given to the report presented by Jon Stonehouse, Strategic Director for Children and Young People’s Services, which set out the position in terms of high needs provision and presented proposals for the High Needs Recovery Plan.

The Board were advised that Rotherham faced considerable pressure in continuing to meet the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).  There were increasing numbers of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and in-borough special school provision was currently over-subscribed. 

Wherever possible children and young people should have their needs met in their chosen mainstream setting, educated alongside their peers within their local community.  However, for children with more complex needs specialist settings were sometimes more appropriate.  Whether they were educated in mainstream schools or through specialist provision, these children and young people have a right to have their educational needs delivered. Funding for specialist education provision was provided from the High Needs Budget – part of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).

Rotherham was a relatively low funded authority and had seen significant pressures on the High Needs Block for many years. The High Needs Budget allocation had increased year on year but, partly due to Rotherham’s low funding baseline compared to neighbouring boroughs and nationally, the budget uplifts have not been sufficient to match the acceleration in demand and increase in the cost of provision.

This situation was not exclusive to Rotherham and a nationwide issue.  Nevertheless the situation in Rotherham was of such a scale that the Department for Education required the Authority to submit a recovery plan.

Rotherham did not have enough of provision and, therefore, relied on other types of provision out of the borough so creating additional provision in Rotherham was at the heart of the Recovery Plan.

Cabinet were asked a few months ago to approve a period of consultation with the multi-academy trusts and schools to ask them to bring forward proposals around growing provision in the borough.  Those proposals would considered by Cabinet in September.  The response had been impressive and closer working would result.  The Council was also grateful to parents and carers who were also supportive of this work.

The report also detailed the activities within the recovery proposals, the capital spend to support the work and where additional provision could be created in terms of places for children young people.   An update would be provided once a response had been received from the Department for Education.

The Board acknowledged that it was early days in the recovery plan process and steps had been outlined to reduce the deficit. It was outlined that Improving Lives Select Commission would monitor the development of the SEND sufficiency strategy as part of its work programme previously

It was recognised that this was a national issue and once the autumn term spending review had been received it may be possible transfer some money from the Schools Block into the High Needs Block to alleviate some of the pressures.

Scrutiny had already been involved in some work which should hopefully start to impact on the deficit.  The position would be closely monitored by the Board.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the proposals set out for the High Needs Recovery Plan be noted.

(2)  That the financial model within the High Needs Recovery Plan be noted.

(3)  That the arrangements for the management of the Dedicated Schools Grant deficit be noted.

(4) That updates be provided to Improving Lives Select Commission on the implementation of the SEND Sufficiency Strategy.