Decision details

SEND Accelerated Progress Plan: Enhanced Assess-Plan-Do-Review Pathway, Strategy for Special Provision and the Staffordshire Children and Young People’s Framework

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

Staffordshire County Council has worked with their partners to develop a Strategy for Special Provision that ensures equality of access to education which meets the individual needs of our children and young people in their local community to give them the best start in life and a chance to achieve their potential. It has been informed by the conclusions drawn from a detailed gap analysis of current need and existing provision and the views and ideas of representatives from Health, Social Care, educational settings including Pupil Referral Units, The Virtual School, and parents and carers. The Strategy comprises two major components, the creation of additional provision in Staffordshire special schools based on a detailed analysis of need and a pre-statutory Staffordshire Enhanced District Inclusion Support Model (SEDIS) to provide mainstream educational settings with the resources and support to deliver the graduated response.

Decisions:

 

“Our goal is to provide every child and young person in Staffordshire with the best start in life and the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

 

These proposals mark a significant step towards achieving that vision. By increasing support within mainstream schools and creating additional provision in special schools, we are working to ensure that children with SEND receive the tailored support they need in their local communities.

 

We carefully considered the valuable feedback received during the public consultation and are confident that these initiatives will result in positive outcomes for our children and their families.”

 

Jonathan Price, Cabinet Member for Education (and SEND)

 

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the proposed Strategy for Special Provision and the creation of a Staffordshire Children and Young People’s Framework, two major strategies designed to deliver outcomes related to the SEND Accelerated Progress Plan.

 

Decision – (a) That the actions set out in the Accelerated Progress Plan continue to be endorsed.

 

(b) That the proposed Enhanced Assess-Plan-Do-Review (EAPDR) Pathway and Strategy for Special Provision be endorsed.

 

(c) That delegated authority be given to the Director for Children and Families for allocating funding for the 8 Staffordshire Enhanced District Inclusion Support Teams (SEDIS).

 

(d) That Authority be given to enter into contractual agreements with schools to deliver the SEDIS Model.

 

(e) That the proposal to develop a Children & Young People’s Framework to enable Officer’s to procure timely, value for money pre-statutory support where required, be endorsed:

 

(i)         Approval be given to conduct an open tender process in line with Staffordshire County Council’s Procurement Regulations and the Public Contract Regulations.

(ii)        That the award of the Staffordshire Children and Young Peoples Framework be delegated to the Director for Children and Families and that the award of call-off contracts under the Framework be sub-delegated in line with the Council’s procurement Regulations.

If appropriate, delegated authority for alternative approval of ’high’ volumes of call-off contracts will be sought as per D13.5 of the Council’s Procurement Regulations.

Report author: Halit Hulusi

Publication date: 21/09/2023

Date of decision: 20/09/2023

Decided at meeting: 20/09/2023 - Cabinet

Effective from: 27/09/2023

Accompanying Documents: