Agenda item

Attendee:

-       James Harris - Strategic Director – People

-       Sarah Morgan – Chief Education Officer

-       Katy Rees - Assistant Head of Education - Inclusion

The Assistant Head of Education - Inclusion presented a brief overview to the Committee and highlighted the key areas for consideration.

Looked After Children may require Out of County residential placements which were determined by Social Services. Those pupils often had combined residential and education packages. Sometimes those placements had to be made quickly to ensure the safety of the pupil, however the education package would be reviewed within six weeks to ensure its suitability to meet the pupil’s needs. There were also pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs who were classed as Out of County because they attend a local mainstream School in another authority. The table below illustrates the types of placements along with the number of pupils accessing the placements:

Members asked the following:

·                A Member of the Committee commented that with the average cost of placing a child Out of County costing around £30,000, would the Authority be able to offer places to neighbouring Authorities to generate income? This money could be then used to offset the costs of sending Newport young people out of county. The Assistant Head of Education – Inclusion replied explaining that there had been a reduction in the number of Out of County placements made by the LA over the last three financial years, and a further decrease was forecast for 2019-20. There were a combination of factors that contributed to the reduction of Out of County placements, which would include working with Newport Live and Catch 22. Close links had been developed between Social Services and the Education Department to ensure co-ordinated support for our most vulnerable pupils. Through the monthly Brighter Futures and Complex Needs Panels pupils at risk of placement breakdown were discussed in detail and joint solutions were considered to try to reduce the need for an Out of County placement.

·                A Member asked for feedback on the Newport Live project, Catch 22.  The Officer replied confirming that feedback from the young people as well as Newport Live was positive. They were holding regular meetings and getting up to date analysis of incidents and repeat offenses from staff internally to the project and those based in schools.

·                A Member expressed concerns around the term LAC for Looked After Children, the Member requested that Officers and everyone concerned should not abbreviate Looked After Children, to LAC due to the stigma of being labelled as a LAC child.  The Officer replied confirming that the abbreviation would cease to be used in Education documents.

·                A Member expressed an interest in the links with Social Services and the Contracts and Commissioning Team.  The Officers replied explaining that close links had been developed between Social Services and the Education Department to ensure co-ordinated support for our most vulnerable pupils. Through the monthly Brighter Futures and Complex Needs Panel, pupils at risk of placement breakdown were discussed in detail and joint solutions were considered to try to reduce the need for an Out of County placement. Since April 2019 a Special Educational Needs Officer had been based within the Social Services contracts and commissioning team for two days per week to review the contractual agreements with Out of County providers and their compliance. This process also related to placement fees and conditions that were subject to on-going negotiation in order to achieve the most appropriate provision for the pupil in the most cost effective way. This joint working had also led to four pupils returning to live in local residential placements and be educated locally at a reduced cost for both service areas. A joint service protocol and panel had been developed to identify further pupils who could return to local placements in the future.

Conclusion - Comments to the Cabinet

The Committee noted the Additional Learning Needs Out of County Placement report and agreed to forward the minutes to the Cabinet as a summary of the issues raised.

The Committee wished to make the following comments to the Cabinet Member:

1.    More information was requested on the Out of County figures provided by Officers. This information should include financial information and information on young people who were placed in neighboring authorities and those further from Newport. 

2.    The Committee commented on how positive it was to have evidence of Social Services and Education working collaboratively together for the benefit of the young people of Newport.