Agenda item

Helen Longland, Acting Strategic Leader Inclusion and Ann Clegg, Acting Head Inclusion Support Service gave a joint presentation on how the educational needs of children with medical and physical needs were met within the Authority.

The point was made that inclusive education was about creating solutions in order to remove any barrier that a child was experiencing, whatever these may be and regardless of what needs the child had.

The Access and Achievement for All policy was being delivered through the Inclusion Service with the work with schools.  This consisted of a range of provision and support for schools and families as a child progressed through the education system.

Schools were carrying out a great deal of work in supporting these children and removing barriers.  This includes meeting the needs of children with long term conditions and temporary medical needs as a result of an accident, injury, recent surgery, acute illness, or children who were pregnant or had mental health needs.  Also included are pupils under the care of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Chatham House or exceptionally Shirle Hill or NorthernGeneral Hospital, Sheffield.

In ensuring access and achievement for all these pupils the Authority was committed to:-

-                       continuity of education and every opportunity to reach their full potential

-                       partnership working between schools, parents, health professionals, alternative providers and other agencies

-                       Schools remaining responsible and engaged with pupils unable to attend as a result of their medical condition

-                       Pupils being able to remain in their mainstream school with appropriate levels of support and

-                       Re-integration to school is carefully phased and planned in consultation with medical services, access and health and safety

The presentation covered the following aspects of the work:-

-                       Provision in School

-                       Provision for pupils unable to attend school

-                       Statistics

-                       Case Studies

-                       Child in Key Stage I – issues about moving and handling being looked at by school in terms of the child’s progression to Key Stage 2 and beyond.  This included specialist support for extra-curriculum activities in order for the child to access schools in their area and receive good education.

Any child absent from school for more than fourteen days who had a medical note was eligible for home tuition.   Work was carried out with schools to know who these children were and the service could be implemented immediately with advance notice.

The HTHTS (Hospital Teaching and Home Tuition Service) had recently received an outstanding Ofsted report which had stated that despite the often difficult circumstances of children, the quality of education provided by the service was good, there was good pupil achievement and personal development attitudes and the service provided good value for money and contributed well for their progression to mainstream education.   The major key issue from Ofsted had been the accommodation which was felt to be cluttered and crowded.  The Hospital had since found a new area which had been completely decorated and equipped with IT facilities and an interactive white board which is very important to these students.

Members of the Scrutiny Panel raised the following issues:-

-                       What happened if a school did not have the budget to spend on a particular child and if it is apparent that the child was going to be off for more than fifteen days, could they start home tuition at the beginning of their absence?

            Home Tuition was funded by the LEA not the school.  If a school knew a child        was going to be absent for a significant amount of time the programme       could be rolled out before the child had missed fifteen days.

-                       What support was given to a school if a child was not statemented?

            Schools had a budget to support children with special educational needs whether or not they were statemented.  In addition, the Moving and     Handling Coordinator and the Health Education Nurse Adviser could be        contacted to advise on Care Plans and equipment, together with other      appropriate professionals.

-                       This seemed to imply that if a child’s medical needs are met, they could be integrated in mainstream schools.  However, children admitted to NewmanSchool usually had a variety of educational, medical and social needs.  This all required specialist support.  Currently the majority of pupils relied on professional commitment to help them to be taught and if they were to be further integrated, that provision had to be met and two hours of specialist help per day was needed.

                        In addition, some pupils at Newman School had had failed attempts                       at integration and had returned to NewmanSchool. It was important              for the success of the work, that educational support was provided               as well as medical support, and that teachers were trained to meet                      these needs.  Support was provided from Newman School in any                                     integration to mainstream provision.

            It was recognised that it was a much more complex issue than simply      supporting the children’s medical needs, it is about removing barriers for         children to achieve.  It was clear that any child with medical needs             could have a range of different  barriers.      

-                       In relation to children with long-term physical needs who needed ongoing medical help, in terms of the partnership between a school/parent and Health Service, was there one person with a primary responsibility for the welfare of a child?

            The Care Plan was important, one of the key factors being agreement       between the family/school and health professionals to consider the range   of care needs a child had and consistency of delivery.  The school nurse is           the main co-ordinator of a pupil’s care plan.

-                       Some pupils could be unable to attend school due to his or her parent’s health problems, and the child may have to care for them. Had this been addressed?

            Young carers were encouraged to be in school and it was hoped that       schools were aware of the responsibilities at home and ensure that a child’s    needs were met.  This was usually covered through learning mentors and   support assistants.

-                       One of the most important issues for a child of disabled adults was knowing that when they were at school, the correct package of care was being given at home for a loved one, for example that a parent was being given medication, meals and taken to the toilet.  How is the matter of child carers dealt with?

            There are a number of triggers for concern about a child’s achievement.              The Education Welfare Service plays an important role in investigating         concerns about attendance.  Pro-active work is being undertaken with          people who were condoning non-school attendance and early intervention             work was done with families on a multi-agency basis to address the whole    needs of a child.

            This area of work would be looked at more closely as professionals moved           into the Children’s Service work, for example an assessment of need and         role of  the lead worker.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the information contained in the presentation be received and noted.

(2)  That Ann Clegg and Helen Longland be thanked for an interesting and informative presentation.