SEND Partnership Board Meeting

Thursday 7th July 2016 – 10.00am to 12.00pm Crompton Suite, Rochdale Road Reception

Attendees: Andrew Robinson (AR) - Director, POINT Forum (chairperson) Gill Barnard (GB) – Commissioning Business Partner, NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group Paula Healey (PH) - School and Learning Settings Performance Advisor, Early Years, OMBC Cath Dalton (CD) – Head of Faculty, Development Studies, Oldham College Laura Owen (LO) – Laura Owen, ALS Manager, Oldham College Anne Redmond (ARed) – Headtecher, The Kingfisher Community Special School Tracey Harrison (TH) – Planning and Commissioning Manager, OMBC Helen Wyton (HW) – Lead Educational Psychologist, OMBC Matthew Prenton (MP) – Contracts and Commissioning Manager, OMBC Julie Hawkins (JH) – Short Breaks and Transformation Manager, OMBC Donna Lewis (DL) – Post 16 Participation and Business Development Manager Sharon Davies (SD) – SEND Project Co-ordinator, OMBC (minutes)

Minutes

1. Apologies

Caroline Sutton, Director of Education & Early Years, OMBC Gill Hoar, Head of School Place Planning & Access, OMBC Elaine Robinson, SEND IASS Saul Ainsworth, Head of Service, Assessment, Prevention & Supporting Families, OMBC Carolyn Brennan, Associate Directorate Manager, Learning Disability Directorate, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust Janet Wray, Nurse Consultant, Oldham Community Health Services Sue Callaghan, Headteacher, Christchurch Primary School, Denshaw Karl Newell, Headteacher, Crompton House CE School Emma Hart, Oldham Sixth Form College Ed Francis, Head of Integrated Commissioning, OMBC Graham Quinn, Executive Principal, New Bridge School

2. Personal Budgets/ERAS Briefing (Julie Hawkins)

See attached briefing report. Discussion held on the issues and whether continuing to use the ERAS is a viable option or whether a banding model may work better. The Code of Practice suggests that a banding model should not be used but if Oldham move to using this model we need to allow for individualisation and build in flexibility. Oldham need to look at how to differentiate in bands i.e. needs, settings etc. PH

AR raised the issue of how much we promote the option of Personal Budges to 1 families and also what support is available for them to manage PBs. Could this be why more Personal Budgets are not being taken up? Some families are raising with the forum that they have not been told about PBs. Literature to families need to be clear on their options.

TH asked the question of whether education settings had been consulted regarding why they are not using the ERAS tool, what do they feel about it and what works for them? This would enable Oldham to make an informed decision. Need to be clear which elements of education suit PBs. While the consultation with education settings is taking place JH could continue to explore banding models. ARed advised that the consultation could be raised at SEND Hub and raised with headteachers.

JC advised that Business Intelligence is able to provide some Business Analyst time to look at the process, should it be required. Already looking to supporting some work around the systems on the EHC plans and this can be extended to the ERAS theme.

AR asked the board whether they would be interested in a half day training on SEN law and practicalities. All board members agreed this would be useful.

ACTIONS:- 2a) JH to produce consultation letter to education settings regarding the use of ERAS. 2b) JC to look at Business Intelligence supporting to look at processes. 2c) ARed and Mel Lewis to raise consultation with heads. 2d) TH to liaise with AR on information/wording given to families. 2e) KN and SC to add consultation as agenda item at SEND hubs. 2f) AR to scope out ½ day IPSEA training for panel members.

3. Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance in Oldham education settings (Donna Lewis)

Further to discussion at the board meeting on 5th May 2016 regarding CIAG and Positive Steps, DL attended to advise the board on education setting’s statutory duties.

DL advised that schools have statutory duties to provide CIA to young people from Y8 to Y13. How they do this is their choice but the government expects them to provide qualified professionals. It is their choice how they buy in and how much. LA commission a service focused on vulnerable groups i.e. LAC, SEND which is aligned to what is on offer in schools. Positive Steps are commissioned by schools and the LA to carry out this service. The way it is commissioned presently includes 1-1 guidance, group sessions and input at assemblies.

Careers education is expected to be embedded in the school curriculum and there is a huge push at the moment for better CIAG. Oldham and the wider GM are currently working around this issue and looking at externally funded projects to get schools

2 involved.

Schools do not always see IAG as a high priority but it needs to become embedded in their culture. There is a new GM incentive ‘Inspiring IAG award’ which involves a robust process of looking at the level of IAG within schools/colleges. The majority of Oldham schools are involved. Those that are not will be picked up individually.

Oldham work closely with Positive Steps around their development to ensure that staff are qualified and skilled with regard to SEND. The old model of Connexions used to only have 1 or 2 specialist SEND advisers but the expectation now is that all advisers will have that knowledge.

Needs to be a real push on education settings signing up and embedding The Education Skills curriculum pledge. Young person is missing out if not receiving CIAG because the schools are not buying in. AR raised that anecdotally he has heard that discussions are not happening in Year 9 for young people in out of borough settings.

AR raised the question of still inviting Positive Steps to attend a future board meeting and discuss data and issues and risks. Discussion was held on whether it was appropriate for the board to request this information as it is also discussed and picked up via commissioning and the Best Start in Life board.

ACTIONS:- 3a) AR to send concerns/issues to DL. 3b) TH and AR to meet to discuss Positive Steps and appropriateness of data reporting to SEND Partnership Board.

4. Feedback from previous meeting (5th May 2016) and matters of accuracy

Amendment to Feedback from previous meeting (14th April 2016) – item 7. ‘Talked about creating additional capacity, i.e. putting walls up’ and ‘PAN increased, 160 due to attend with possibly 18 more in September’.

2a) EHC Planning – Kingfisher approach. Has not had a favourable reaction apart from Chadderton SENCOs who are keen to look at ways forward.

6a) SEND Workforce Strategy – Commissioning. TH to gain formal brief and idea of budget from GH and progress.

Minutes agreed.

5. SEND Accountability Inspection – update (Jo Charlan)

JC advised that the SEND Inspection Steering Group met on 28th June. It has been agreed that the initial self-evaluation framework is not fit for purpose. The new one flows in line with the inspection framework. It has gone out to members for narrative around elements in the plan. Need an honest assessment on whether areas are

3 good or need improvement. Any worries or improvements will then be included in a development/improvement plan. The steering group will be meeting again on the 26th July to go through the content/tone. There is a question mark over Section 7 – health and LA commissioning. TH advised that the improvement plan will be integrated and refresh the SEND Strategy.

There is a critical friend session scheduled for 25th July with colleagues from Warrington and Blackpool which will be a useful challenge session.

Inspection feedback has been received from North Yorkshire. It was noted that there were 5 inspectors on site plus 2 quality assurance representatives but this was based on area size. This may not be a standard list and the numbers of inspectors appears to change between areas. The feedback also noted that there had been quite a bit of overlap between the meetings so it could be a more condensed list if there were fewer inspectors.

 Introductory Meeting and Presentation – overview of local area, scene setting etc.  Discussion of self-evaluation (if one was provided), implementation of SEND reforms and innovation/future development  Early Years Focus Group  Identification of SEND and Early Intervention  LAC Health Meeting with designated LAC professionals  Vulnerable groups with SEND  Support for Children with disabilities and preparation for adulthood  Outcomes and Local Area Improvement  Assessment and Meeting Needs  Universal Family Nurse Services  Information, Advice and Support  Participation, involvement and engagement with parents/carers  Joint commissioning  SEN Panel or Similar – process  Community Children’s Nursing team

ACTIONS:- 5a) JC to send the amended self-evaluation framework to TH. 5b) JC to contact North Yorkshire regarding the membership of their focus groups and Feedback.

6. SEND Request for Additional Funding (Paula Healey)

SM is requesting that the Board give their views on how additional funding should be managed. Should it be a separate fund or part of the wider SEND funding? Should it focus on 0-25?

Key issues are:-

4  Requests from after school as well as holiday clubs;  Not clear guidance is for 15 hours support – if this fund is for the 15 hours then who funds other requests?  Need criteria to stipulate what additional funding is for;  Feel some of the requests for holiday funding may be historical by specific settings;  If not part of EHC then requesting this funding;  CoP states ‘may’ provide additional funding not ‘must’;  Criteria – to support their early education will have children that will not meet the criteria;  More children are being identified early;  System now failing them i.e. increased potential/capacity for EHC and Ed Psyc;  Early Years Core Group – all settings are saying the same – children being identified earlier and settings struggling;  Short breaks route – no funding;  Should we be funding all children?  If funding holiday club or out of school then the fund amount will not be enough.

Raised that funding school age children in after school clubs who have an EHCP would be through Social Care. Board members views are that the funding should be 0-25.

Draft guidance will be sent out to all members with a consultation form. SM asked that members who feel they can comment on the proposed guidance should give their views on the consultation feedback form.

ACTIONS:- 6a) Draft guidance and consultation papers to be sent out to all members. 6b) Members to return consultation feedback form by 22nd July 2016 (to Karen Black) 6c) PH to speak to GH on how the funding could be managed.

7. SEND Reforms Transformation Group – Update (Gill Hoar)

Deferred.

8. Future meetings – dates/times/frequency and membership

Board members agreed to bi-monthly meetings in 2016-2017. Karen Bennett, District Manager, Oldham Right Start, Bridgewater Community Healthcare, to be invited to join the board.

ACTIONS:- 6a) SD to issue schedule and electronic invites. 6b) SD to invite Karen Bennett.

9. A.O.B

5 Kingfisher – Free School application (Halcyon Way) ARed advised that Kingfisher have now been interviewed and should know the outcome by the end of July 2016.

Next meeting: Thursday 7th July, 10.00am to 12.00pm Crompton Suite, Rochdale Road Reception