Agenda item

The presentation accompanying this report sets out the positive outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Hammersmith & Fulham local area. 

Peter Haylock (Operational Director for Education and SEND) updated the Committee on the positive outcomes for children and young people with SEND across Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F). He highlighted the key to SEND education was a strong local partnership. Local Area Partnership had recently after detailed surveys and research co-produced the SEND outcome framework with children and young people who identified a clear set of priorities. He then briefed members on some of the positive outcomes, such as the significant increase in new birth visits, a vibrant SENCO network for schools, and positive feedback in terms of support provided by the Educational Psychology services. He also referred to the Joint Communication Team (JCT) which had delivered training focusing on speech and language to over 140 early years and school employees during the summer term. JCT measured and rated pre- and post-intervention RAG scores which had revealed very positive outcomes. 

Natasha Patten (NWL ICB) outlined the consistent reduction in autism assessment waiting times, the “waiting well” offer to support families and the development of the child while awaiting assessment and enhanced mental health support for schools with positive feedback from children and young people, parents and carers.   Peter Haylock added that more positive outcomes could be seen in rates of absence, suspension and permanent exclusion.

Addressing Nandini Ganesh’s concerns

• about the rating of the RAG scores, Peter Haylock explained that a progression tool assessing speech and language skills was used to show how SEND students performed across the different assessment.  The chart (p.29) showed progression after intervention, with a 6% less students remaining weak (Red) and 40% more becoming relatively strong (Green).
• about the delivery of mental health support in schools, Natasha Patten noted that the clinical appointments referenced in the report were delivered by Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow MIND and did not include appointments seen through CAMHS. The Mental Health Support Teams worked closely with CAMHS which had referred cases requiring more expertise invention, so a graduated approach was adopted to support children and young people according to their needs.
• about the outcomes of mental health intervention and their measurement, Natasha Patten understood that surveys were conducted with service users including children and young people before and after the workshops.  She added that the upskilling workshop helped parents and school staff to know how to manage mental health needs which was really important in early identification and early intervention. 

Nandini Ganesh said she was impressed by the employment figures and asked about their makeup. Peter Haylock replied that they were a combination of young people on the supported internships and those who were new to the working world.

Councillor Aliya Afzal-Khan enquired about the number of EHCP applications received in a year and the time needed to deliver a final decision on them. Peter Haylock noted that out of the 226 applications received from schools and parents last year, 83% were delivered within the national benchmark of twenty weeks. Those requiring longer time were complex cases or due to significant number of applications received just before summer holidays.  Given H&F’s timeliness of delivery was strong compared to the national average of 50%, Peter noted that capacity building mainly focused on enhancing the quality of the plans so thatschools were able to provide better support and achieve the positive outcomes stated in the plans.

In response to Councillor Afzal-Khan’s question on what had contributed to the low suspension rate, Peter Haylock pointed out that H&F had good schools, strong leadership, strong teaching and good support services such as funding for behavioural support offer.

Councillor Afzal-Khan asked whether SEND students were equitably allocated to schools across the borough and how to ensure the schools had good procedures and systems for educating SEND students. Peter Haylock explained that SEND placements were driven by parents’ choices and the team worked with parents carefully to support them. It was noted that the SEND offer in many H&F schools was strong, evidenced by Ofsted inspections, and the team was working on developing the SENCO network and working with schools to implement the ordinarily available guidance.

The Chair enquired about how autism referrals and appointments were made, and the rate of positive diagnosis. Natasha Patten explained that many referrals came from early years settings and schools which were ideally placed to identify social communication difficulties as they manifested in social situations.  Some traits of autism might only manifest as the child developed and had greater interactions with other children in social settings. The rate of diagnosis was very high.  She added that the referrals were screened by the Child Development Service in order to prioritise those where there might be safeguarding or mental health concerns, or school placement breakdown.  Schools were supported to understand autism and how best to support autistic pupils through the autism education trust approach and the local authority’s outreach service.

Nadia Taylor was concerned about why it took so long for autism diagnosis to be made. Natasha Patten advised that autism was a very complex condition sometimes complicated by the presence of ADHD symptoms and/or mental health needs. Ensuring the diagnosis was made correctly depended on a robust process involving detailed evidence from parents and schools in terms of the child’s developmental processes and presentation of traits.   An autism diagnostic assessment involved detailed observations of a child or young person’s play with toys and interactions with others.   The significant demand for autism assessment and its complexity had contributed to long waiting times for the diagnostic assessment.   Natasha reassured members that while families found it helpful to have a diagnostic label, support was not dependent on a diagnosis.

The Chair asked if there was anything that could strategically improve the waiting times. Peter Haylock replied that it was important to keep working with health colleagues, GPs and nurseries on early years intervention. As there were no resources allocated to meet the additional demand, the team would continue with the work that they had been doing. Natasha Patten noted the evidence provided by schools could help health colleagues speed up the assessment and provide early intervention as well as ensuring the child or young person’s needs were being met.  

RESOLVED

That the Committee noted the positive outcomes for children and young people with SEND.