The People Committee of Sutton Council met on Thursday 18 June 2026 to discuss a range of policy and strategy overviews, including updates on the national SEND reform, the Willow Rise Children's Home Ofsted report, and plans for transforming children's care through regionalisation. Key decisions included noting the role and remit of the People Committee, noting the outcome of the Willow Rise Ofsted inspection, and noting the update on the government's education white paper and the progress made on the SEND reform plan.

Policy and Strategy Overview

Nick Ireland, Strategic Director of People Services, and Jonathan Williams, Director of Children's Services, presented an overview of the People Committee's role and responsibilities. They highlighted that the committee oversees Adult Social Care, Children's Social Care, and Education Services, with a core priority of safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. The report detailed key policy updates, financial overviews, and strategic risks facing the People Services directorate. It was noted that the People Directorate is the most regulated in the council, with numerous inspections across its services. The committee was informed about significant national legislative and policy changes affecting social care and education, including the NHS 10 Year Plan and the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act. The report also detailed the financial pressures on the council, with the People Directorate's budget representing two-thirds of the council's overall general fund.

Councillor Andrew Theobald, a co-opted member representing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark, clarified the role of co-opted members, stating that they have the same speaking and voting rights as elected members on education-related matters. He also raised concerns about recruitment challenges for educational psychologists, speech therapists, and social workers. Jonathan Williams, Director of Children's Services, responded that while recruitment of social workers has improved, there are ongoing challenges with specialist roles.

Councillor Jeremy Minister inquired about forward planning for changes in the NHS and their potential impact on the council's budget. Nick Ireland explained that the NHS 10 Year Plan focuses on shifting care to the home, digital transformation, and prevention. He also highlighted the challenges posed by NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) facing financial pressures and restructuring, particularly concerning eligibility criteria for continuing health care and continuing care.

Councillor Kingdon asked for more information on managing the additional regulatory burden from the new CQC framework for adult social care. The strategic director explained that while a small grant is provided, the process is resource-intensive and requires significant coordination with NHS colleagues and partners.

Willow Rise Ofsted Report

Jonathan Williams, Director of Children's Services, and Angela Killley, Head of Service for Integrated Support and Safe Communities, presented the outcome of the Ofsted inspection for Willow Rise Children's Home. The service, which provides residential care for looked-after children, received an overall Good rating. The report highlighted that children feel safe, have stable environments, and that safeguarding practices are strong. Staff were praised for their dedication and for meeting children's needs effectively. Areas for improvement included strengthening recruitment processes to explore employment gaps and addressing delays in replacing a fire door. The report also noted Willow Rise's role in regional collaboration, with the Registered Manager co-chairing the London Improvement and Innovation Alliance (LIIA) Children's Homes Managers Network.

Councillor Bennett raised a concern about ongoing issues with fire doors at a property, which he believed was related to Sutton Housing Partnership (SHP), and requested an officer to follow up. Councillor Thorpe inquired about the utilisation of Willow Rise and plans for replicating the model if demand increases. Craig Edmunds, Registered Manager, explained the business model and the increasing complexity of children's needs, which makes placement matching more challenging. He also discussed the regional approach to managing children's residential care. Councillor Meneson asked about recruitment criticisms, and it was explained that a system update had inadvertently removed safeguards, which have now been reinstated.

Transforming Children's Care - Regionalisation Reform and London Initiatives

Lucy Penny, South London Strategic Lead for Children and Young People, presented an overview of government strategy and legislation on regional collaboration for children's care arrangements and Sutton's engagement in London initiatives. She highlighted the challenges of the current private provider market for children's care, leading to critical gaps in provision and unsustainable costs. The report outlined proposals for Regional Care Cooperatives (RCCs) and Fostering Hubs to leverage collective power and improve outcomes for children. Sutton has submitted expressions of interest for funding to establish a London Regional Care Cooperative and a South West London Fostering Hub.

Councillor Thorpe expressed concern about the risk of losing local talent to other areas through regionalisation. Lucy Penny explained that the proposed model would be federated, maintaining local partnerships and knowledge while harnessing collective power. Councillor Cole asked about the pooling of budgets, and it was clarified that no commitment has been made, but marketing budgets and other areas would be explored. Councillor Meneson questioned the success of regional fostering hubs and the realism of the government's target for new foster places. Lucy Penny explained that the hubs aim to amplify marketing, provide dedicated resources, and improve responsiveness, while acknowledging the ambitious nature of the government's target and the importance of meeting diverse needs rather than just numbers.

Reforming SEND Services in Sutton - Sutton SEND Reform Plan and Local Area SEND Inspection

Jonathan Williams, Director of Education, Integrated Sport and SEND Communities, presented an update on the national SEND reform and Sutton's SEND reform plan. He acknowledged the tight deadline for preparing the plan and the ongoing receipt of updated guidance from the government. The committee was asked to note the plan, as it is still evolving. The report detailed the current SEND system, including universal, targeted, and specialist provision, and highlighted Sutton's local context, including the number of young people with SEND and the significant financial pressures on the high needs block.

The national context for SEND reform was discussed, including the government's white paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving, which proposes strengthening mainstream provision, introducing individual support plans, and increasing funding for schools and professionals. The report outlined Sutton's local plan, which focuses on rebuilding co-production, strengthening joint leadership, building inclusive practice, and creating high-quality, cost-effective provision. The committee was informed about the recruitment of an experts at hand team to support mainstream schools.

Councillor Keenan asked about improving joined-up strategic leadership and data sharing across partners, and risk management. Jonathan Williams explained the development of a SEND data dashboard and efforts to measure inclusion levels in schools, acknowledging the need to integrate education data with health data. Michelle Ravan, Place Director for the South West London Asperated Care Board, added that data quality improvement plans are in place. Councillor Longman inquired about SEND waiting lists, and it was confirmed that waiting times for neurodevelopmental assessments and therapies are too long. Jane Cassie, Managing Director of Cognus, provided details on the 18-20 month waiting time for autism assessments, highlighting the significant demand. Councillor Phil asked about the establishment of a Parent Carer Forum, and it was explained that a development partner is being appointed to provide the necessary infrastructure. Councillor Kayne raised concerns about supporting parents with additional barriers, such as language issues, and it was confirmed that technology is being used for translation and that independent information and advice services are available.

The committee noted the update on the government's education white paper and the progress made on the SEND reform plan.

Local Area SEND Inspection Report

The committee moved to discuss the Local Area SEND Inspection Report. It was noted that due to the sensitive nature of the report and its impending publication, this item would be discussed in an exempt session, with the public and press excluded. A motion to exclude the public and press was moved and seconded.

The meeting concluded with the exclusion of the public and press for the discussion of the Local Area SEND Inspection Report.