Councillors and committees

Issue - meetings

QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS

Meeting: 06/07/2022 - Children, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee (Item 27)

27 QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS pdf icon PDF 257 KB

To receive any questions or petitions.

Notes:

1.    The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm four working days before the meeting (29 June 2020).

 

2.    The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting(28 June 2020)

 

3.    The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received.

 

 

The public retain their right to submit questions for written response, with such answers recorded in the minutes of the meeting; questioners may participate in meetings to ask a supplementary question. Petitioners may address the Committee on their petition for up to three minutes Guidance will be made available to any member of the public wishing to speak at a meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

Denise Turner-Stewart, Cabinet Member for Education and Learning

Liz Mills, Director – Education and Lifelong Learning

1.    Five questions were received from Fiona Davidson.

 

2.    The Member asked a supplementary question on the timeliness of Educational Health and Care Plans (EHCPs); why had there been a significant decline in the number of EHCPS delivered from January and February 2022 onwards. The Director explained that this was due to a number of factors, such as an increase in demand, and changes in staffing and turnover. There was also a national shortage of educational psychologists, with a 40% vacancy rate in the team. A different approach to attracting staff had been adopted, in terms of pay and rewards. The Education Service had been targeting trainee educational psychologists, as well as working with associates and retirees to encourage them to return to work. 

 

3.    The Member queried the target of a 70% completion ratio, noting that in the south west quadrant, the current ratio was 17%. Had 70% ever been achieved and was this a realistic target. The Director explained that the Service had been achieving above 70% completion ratio at many points and were achieving that at points during the pandemic. The completion ratio was 65% on average for the cumulative total. The Director had confidence in the target and explained that it was a stretch target but was considered a milestone to the aim of achieving 100%. The Cabinet Member emphasised that the quality of assessments was just as important as the timeliness of them. 

 

4.    A Member queried what the cumulative target was for the year. The Director explained that there was no forward planning around the cumulative target, as the focus was on in-month timeliness.