The Health and Wellbeing Board of Barnet Council met on Thursday 22 January 2026 to discuss key issues affecting children's services, neighbourhood health initiatives, and the Better Care Fund. Decisions were made to note updates on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services, support the ongoing development of neighbourhood health teams, and approve the Barnet Better Care Fund plan for 2025-26.

Children and Young People's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision

The board received a detailed presentation on SEND and Inclusion services in Barnet, highlighting the council's commitment to mainstream inclusion and its regional leadership in the Change Partnership Programme. While Barnet has strong early identification pathways and good outcomes for SEND children, national trends show rising costs and demand. The presentation noted the upcoming SEND white paper, expected in early 2026, which will focus on further strengthening mainstream inclusion.

A significant discussion point was the impending Ofsted and CQC area inspection for SEND, which will focus on how well education, health, and social care services work together to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND. This inspection framework moves beyond process and compliance to assess whether services are joined up, timely, and effective in practice. Barnet is preparing for this inspection, which is scheduled between 2026 and spring 2027.

The board heard about the increasing complexity and demand for SEND services, with over 4,000 Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Barnet and rising workloads for caseworkers. While early identification is a strength, there is a shortage of special school places, with the rebuild of Oakley and Mappledown schools still underway. The council is managing the high costs of independent placements, which can range from £80,000 to £110,000 per child.

Workforce shortages and the rising complexity of EHCPs continue to challenge the delivery of therapies. Barnet is developing an in-house therapy service to enhance universal and targeted support. Long wait times for neurodevelopmental diagnoses were also highlighted as a concern, impacting children's access to support in special schools.

Demand for Section 19 provision (education for children unable to attend school) has increased since the pandemic. Barnet has implemented a three-tiered alternative provision model and a Section 19 policy supported by a dedicated officer. The board was informed of a rise in social, emotional, and mental health needs and emotional-based school avoidance, making it difficult to reintegrate children into education after periods of absence.

The board noted the financial challenges presented by the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and the early years SEND funding, which has moved to a banding system to better support children. Barnet is leading the way regionally as part of the Change Partnership Programme, with successful projects like ELSEC (Early Language Support for Every Child) and the PINs Project (Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity) being highlighted.

The board was asked to note the report, the financial position of the high-needs block, support continued partnership focus on improving access to therapies and strengthening joint commissioning and governance, note preparations for the SEND inspection, and note updates on the Change Partnership Programme.

Neighbourhood Health

The board received an update on the development of neighbourhood health initiatives, framed within national policy shifts towards more preventative, proactive, and personalised care. This approach aims to reduce pressure on acute services and create a more sustainable public sector. The initiative is supported by the NHS and local authority partners, with a focus on organising frontline resources more effectively.

The presentation outlined the strategic context, including the findings of Professor the Lord Ara Darzi's review of the NHS, which highlighted the need for shifts in care delivery. The neighbourhood health model, as set out in the NHS's 10-year plan, aims to provide a contractual basis for this work, organising frontline resources and promoting proactive case finding and targeted interventions.

In North Central London (NCL), the approach to neighbourhood health involves integrating primary, community, and social care. Barnet has been working on mapping investments and identifying how to scale up existing initiatives. The development of integrator partnerships, involving organisations like the community trust and the GP federation, is a key part of this process.

The Barnet neighbourhood health plan aims to improve health outcomes through integration, personalised care, and localised support, with a focus on sustainability for voluntary sector and primary/community care services. The use of technology is also a consideration. The board heard about the close alignment at the partnership level, with leaders supporting the initiative, although filtering these changes down to frontline organisations takes time.

The neighbourhood structure has evolved, with a focus on areas of approximately 60,000 people where primary, community, and social care can integrate effectively. The integrator partnerships are seen as conduits for local borough partnerships and the voluntary sector. Funding for neighbourhood management capacity has been provided by the local borough partnership.

Key priorities identified for neighbourhood health include reducing hospital pressures, addressing mental health needs, and managing the demands in primary, community, and social care driven by frailty and complex care. There is also a focus on addressing commissioning gaps, such as in wound management, and overcoming access barriers, including language and digital inclusion.

The plan for neighbourhood health involves partnership building, establishing governance, recruiting managers for better coordination, developing directories of services, identifying common problems, prioritising services, and developing neighbourhood infrastructure. There is a commitment to engaging children and young people in this work, despite national guidance not being very clear on this aspect.

The board noted the update on neighbourhood health in Barnet, with discussions focusing on the structure, impact on capacity, and the need for ongoing resource assurance. The importance of population health analytics and data was emphasised, with a commitment to developing Barnet neighbourhood dashboards. The language used to describe the initiative was discussed, with a preference for framing it around building trust and supporting people rather than solely focusing on reducing acute attendances. The potential for a 1% funding allocation from the NHS was mentioned, subject to planning rounds.

Better Care Fund (BCF) 2025-26

The Health and Wellbeing Board noted the Barnet Better Care Fund (BCF) plan for 2025-26. The BCF is an annual investment made by both the council and the NHS to support services that help people leave hospital when they are medically optimized and require as little time as possible in a hospital setting. The plan for 2025-26 has been approved by NHS England. The board was asked to note the plan as outlined in Appendix One and to note its approval by NHS England.

Forward Work Programme

The board noted the forward work programme, with items scheduled for the March meeting including a deep dive into physical activity and the Fit and Active Barnet framework, a biannual performance report on the joint health and well-being strategy, and an update on the Barnet Food Plan.

Other Business

Under other business, Sarah Campbell from Healthwatch Barnet mentioned an upcoming event in March focused on resident and patient involvement, in partnership with the Barnet Council Involvement Board.

The board also discussed the current operation of the Health and Wellbeing Board itself, following feedback from a recent LGA peer review. Options will be shared in January and February to refine the board's structure and function to ensure it remains fit for purpose, effectively supports the joint health and well-being strategy, and optimises the use of time for all partners. The inclusion of the mental health trust as a partner was highlighted as a priority for future meetings.