The People Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Shropshire Council met on Wednesday 1 July 2026 to discuss performance in Care and Wellbeing, Children's Services, and the Local SEND Reform Plan. The committee noted the significant challenges facing Adult Social Care due to sustained demand and increasing complexity of need, while also reviewing the progress and ongoing development of the Children's Services performance scorecard and the Local SEND Reform Plan.

Quarterly Performance Monitoring Report – Care and Wellbeing

Cezar Sarbu, Service Manager Ops Central, presented the Quarterly Performance Monitoring report for Care and Wellbeing, highlighting the ongoing pressures within Adult Social Care due to sustained demand, increasing complexity of need, and the challenges of service delivery across Shropshire's large rural county. Despite these pressures, the service has maintained a strong focus on prevention, early intervention, and supporting individuals to remain independent. The report detailed progress on the Adult Social Care Transformation Programme, including the Prevent, Reduce and Delay and Complex Pathway approaches. Performance against national comparators, safeguarding activity, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) assessments, and preparations for the forthcoming Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection were also outlined.

Councillor Ruth Houghton, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, commended the report and thanked officers for their work in preparing for the CQC inspection. When asked about areas of pride, officers highlighted the importance of safeguarding and the service's commitment to continuous improvement, noting positive outcomes from preventative approaches that help people remain independent.

Members raised concerns about how the Council collaborated with partners to avoid duplication, delays, and unnecessary costs within health and social care pathways. Officers explained that various checks, communication processes, and escalation routes were in place between social care, NHS partners, district nurses, and care providers.

Regarding how carers and family members can raise concerns, it was explained that care and support plans include contact details for allocated social workers and team duty arrangements operate during office hours, with an out-of-hours Emergency Duty Team available. The First Point of Contact service also provides a clear route for public concerns. Councillor Houghton added that a key strength of the service is supporting individuals to live independently in their own homes and communities, citing successful hospital discharge arrangements and robust communication systems.

The greatest risks identified ahead of the CQC inspection were waiting lists for Occupational Therapy and DoLS assessments. Officers acknowledged these pressures, noting they reflected national issues, and emphasised the focus on ensuring individuals wait well through robust risk assessments, prioritisation, and regular reviews. Strengthening support for unpaid carers and improving access to information and advice were identified as ongoing areas for improvement. Cezar Sarbu noted that demand for assessments continued to exceed capacity in some areas, with DoLS assessments facing significant pressures due to national increases in demand and legislative changes, leading to extended waiting times. Robust prioritisation and risk assessment arrangements were in place to manage this.

The Committee noted the report, welcomed the update on the transformation programme, and acknowledged the impending CQC inspection and recent legislative changes regarding DoLS. Members also suggested that issues such as waiting lists, support for carers, and performance monitoring might warrant further consideration in the Committee's future work programme.

Children's Services Quarter 1 Performance Report and National Local Outcomes Performance Framework Scorecard

David Shaw, Director of Children's Services, introduced the Quarter 1 Performance Report and National Local Outcomes Performance Framework Scorecard, noting that the report aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of performance and included a draft performance scorecard developed at the Committee's request.

Sonya Miller, Service Director for Children and Young People, explained that the scorecard was designed to complement the Children's Services Analysis Tool (ChAT) by offering a clearer strategic overview of key performance indicators and outcomes, structured around the National Outcomes Framework. She reported that overall performance remained strong, despite high system demand, and that the scorecard would serve as a baseline for future improvements.

Members welcomed the inclusion of comparative and benchmarking data, which provided context for areas of strong performance and those needing improvement. Concerns were raised regarding the timeliness of adoptions, specifically the duration taken to place children with adoptive families. Sonya Miller attributed delays to increased case complexity, particularly with sibling groups, despite increased adoption activity through the Together for Children Regional Adoption Agency. This issue had been raised with the Together for Children Board and was being closely monitored.

Members requested that future reports more clearly link performance information with financial data to demonstrate both effectiveness and efficiency, and how Children's Services activity contributed to reducing the Council's financial pressures. David Shaw acknowledged this need and stated that officers were exploring cost and outcome benchmarking. He highlighted the long-term financial benefits of prevention and early intervention and agreed to present these savings more clearly. He also committed to circulating Local Government Association benchmarking information.

Sonya Miller added that a significant portion of the financial pressure in Children's Social Care stemmed from residential placements for children in care. While most looked-after children were in family-based settings, approximately 100 children in high-cost residential placements represented the greatest financial challenge. Significant work was underway to safely transition children from residential to family-based care where appropriate, and officers would consider how to better report cost reduction and avoidance achieved through this. Laura Tyler, Service Director Commissioning, agreed that improvements could be made in reporting cost avoidance from placement negotiations and commissioning activity, as well as work to reduce future costs across both Children's and Adult Social Care.

The Committee noted the report and welcomed the draft scorecard approach. Future reports were requested to include clearer links between performance, financial outcomes, cost avoidance, and service improvement activities to support effective scrutiny of Children's Services performance.

The Local SEND Reform Plan and Ofsted - Shropshire Area Thematic Visit

Natasha Moody, Families First Partnership (FFP) Strategic Lead, presented the Local SEND Reform Plan, developed in response to national SEND reforms and increasing financial pressures. She explained that the plan was a response to the Government's invitation for Local Authorities to submit reform plans to address High Needs deficits, with the potential for historic SEND debt write-off upon approval. The plan aims to foster a more inclusive and sustainable system through earlier intervention, strengthened mainstream provision, improved access to specialist support, and services delivered closer to home.

Natasha Moody noted that the plan was the initial stage of a broader reform programme, developed under challenging timescales. While the Department for Education supported the direction, further work was needed on data, financial management, and performance oversight. She also referenced a national report by Grant Thornton, which highlighted the importance of strong financial governance, commissioning, partnership working, and addressing wider system limitations for a sustainable SEND system.

In accordance with the Chairman's decision to consider Items 8 and 9 together due to their overlapping subject matter, members then discussed the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) SEND thematic visit findings. Natasha Moody presented the report, which indicated that inspectors found strong strategic leadership, partnership working, and a clear commitment to inclusion within Shropshire's SEND arrangements. Leaders demonstrated a good understanding of local needs and performance challenges, although strategic improvements were not yet consistently experienced by children and families.

Inspectors praised practitioner engagement and the work of SENDIASS, but parents reported not always feeling fully involved in decision-making. While services were found to be inclusive and supported by knowledgeable staff, families found the local offer difficult to navigate, with personal relationships often proving more effective for accessing support than digital information. The inspectors concluded that the partnership was progressing positively and encouraged continued advancements in governance, communication, and inclusion.

Members' questions, discussed in conjunction with the SEND Reform Plan, focused on several key areas. Regarding the recruitment of Educational Psychologists (EPs) to support reforms, Natasha Moody acknowledged the national recruitment challenge and outlined the Council's strategy of developing its own workforce through trainee and assistant EP roles, alongside efforts to promote Shropshire as an attractive place to live and work. David Shaw added that regional collaboration was underway to manage agency costs, expand training, and lobby the Government for increased national recruitment pathways.

The emphasis on personal relationships and direct family engagement over solely digital systems was welcomed. It was suggested that government workforce policies might be restricting specialist recruitment pools, and this concern should be raised with national policymakers. The Chairman supported reviewing workforce recruitment and retention progress across both Adult and Children's Services in 12 months.

Members queried the availability of outreach support in schools to identify and address SEND needs before specialist placements became necessary. Natasha Moody explained that the reform plan included enhanced outreach from special schools and support to build expertise within mainstream settings. While teacher recruitment was generally stable, challenges remained in recruiting teaching assistants, particularly in rural areas. David Shaw highlighted successful initiatives like the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) programme and stressed the importance of monitoring workforce capacity.

The importance of directly hearing from children and young people was emphasised, with an example given of a young person whose engagement improved when provision aligned with their interests. Natasha Moody agreed and highlighted the development of the Young Ambassadors programme to ensure children's voices informed decision-making. She also outlined the roles of SENDIASS, the Parent Carer Forum, and wider engagement activities, including upcoming Big Listen events. David Shaw noted that feedback from children and young people sometimes differed from that of parents and carers, underscoring the need to hear directly from young people.

The Chairman sought further details on the benefits realisation framework within the reform plan and clarification on governance arrangements, including the role of the Children's Ambition Board. Natasha Moody explained that a framework was being developed to monitor savings, reinvestment, and service improvements, which would be presented to the Committee for future scrutiny. She described the Children's Ambition Board, chaired by the Chief Executive, as responsible for driving broader ambitions for Shropshire. David Shaw added that governance structures would continue to evolve in line with discussions concerning the Health and Wellbeing Board and partnership structures.

Members inquired about the financial implications of the potential end of the statutory override and future SEND deficits. Natasha Moody stated that detailed financial modelling was part of the reform plan and would be considered by the Finance and Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee. She noted that alternative options would be explored if government support was not secured. David Shaw added that the statutory override had been extended while national SEND reforms and funding arrangements were developed.

The Committee noted the significant implications of the SEND Reform Plan and welcomed positive findings regarding partnership working, leadership, and inclusion from the Ofsted Thematic Visit, while acknowledging the need to enhance family engagement, improve access to the local offer, and achieve better outcomes for children and young people. Future scrutiny will continue to focus on performance, governance, and lived experiences. Ongoing updates on workforce capacity, benefits realisation, performance, and the involvement of children and families were requested.

Work Programme

Tom Dodds, Strategy and Scrutiny Manager and Statutory Scrutiny Officer, presented the draft work programme, noting that it reflected the outcomes of a recent strategic work programming session. Several themes identified during the meeting, including support for unpaid carers, workforce recruitment and retention, SEND reforms, and the financial impacts of preventative services, were highlighted as potential areas for future scrutiny. Tom Dodds suggested an informal session to review the work programme in more detail and prioritise future work. The Chairman agreed, acknowledging the significant ground covered and the clear areas for ongoing scrutiny, and supported arranging a further session.

The Committee noted the draft work programme and agreed that it should be reviewed to incorporate priorities identified during the meeting, with a further session arranged for detailed consideration and prioritisation of future work.

The next meeting of the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled for Wednesday 21 October 2026 at 6:00 p.m.