Issue - meetings

To receive an update on progress made against the Select Committee’s December 2023 recommendations, the latest position on KPIs, impact of EHCP Recovery Plan to date and how the service sees the future for H2STA.

Witnesses:

Clare Curran, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning

Patricia Denney, Director – Quality and Performance

Suzanne Smith, Director of Commissioning – Transformation

Gerry Hughes, Assistant Director – Business Support & H2STA

Chris McShee, Travel and Assessment Team Manager - Stakeholder Liaison

Matthew Winnett, Travel and Assessment Team Manager – Transport Delivery

Matt Marsden, Strategic Finance Business Partner – Strategy & Innovation

Key points of discussion:

1. The Chair said that, while huge progress had been made and the team should be proud of the improvements, challenges remained in providing a clear roadmap for families from application for a school to delivery of transport, and in improving collaboration among responsible teams. The issue of collaboration has significant implications and needs to be prioritised for attention. Parents may unwittingly choose a school, or have a school identified for them, which entails a very long journey for their children. They noted that in the 2023–2024 fiscal year, £65 million had been spent, including a £7.4 million overspend and £45 million on taxis alone. Rising costs highlighted the need to place children in suitable schools, based on their needs and locality.

2. A Member asked about how the Council compared to neighbouring councils regarding transport assistance. In reply, the Travel and Assessment Team Manager - Stakeholder Liaison said that it was important to focus on different cohorts. They noted that understanding the information and that of different authorities was as necessary to understand how these factors varied across the counties. The Chair said that it would be useful to have a breakdown of the data in relation to the population size and that of each cohort, allowing the Committee to better understand the proportionality involved.

3. A Member asked why the decision to disallow the transport of children under five years old was enforced without clear communication to families prior to finalising placements, and what percentage of appeals from families with children under five had been successful. The Assistant Director – Business Support & H2STA said that the Council's policy stated children under five were ineligible for transport, though exceptions had become common over the past two years. Previous communications led to misunderstandings, as families were informed they might receive transport. Ultimately, 28 of 59 appeals were approved, while 31 were declined.

4. The Chair said that when implementing online services, there should be consideration of the specific circumstances of parents and carers in the event they cannot use online services. The Assistant Director replied that there were ongoing efforts to enhance the automation of forms and to educate colleagues about possible improvements to the service. Additionally, much work had been put into the development of easy-read guides for parents, which highlighted the importance of both parents’ understanding and effective communication with the team.

5. A Member asked if the support service would participate in the customer transformation programme. The Assistant Director said the support service was very involved and participating.

6. A Member asked about the approach and policy concerning dual placements, the policy for alternative provision (AP) and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28