The Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday 23 July 2026 to discuss the SEND Reform Plan and the Adult Safeguarding Update. The committee endorsed the SEND Reform Plan and requested biannual updates on its delivery. They also discussed concerns regarding adult safeguarding in Tamworth and Cannock, agreeing to further investigate and engage with local portfolio holders.

SEND Reform Plan

The committee endorsed the Staffordshire Local Area SEND Reform Plan, a co-produced strategy developed in response to the national SEND reform agenda outlined in the Every Child Achieving and Thriving White Paper. Councillor Janet Higgins, Cabinet Member for Education and SEND, presented the plan, highlighting its ambition to provide early, local, fair, effective, and shared support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

A key concern raised was the significant underfunding of Staffordshire's SEND services, with the council being the 18th lowest funded authority per mainstream pupil. Despite a government high-needs stability grant, a £10 million liability remains, and future deficits are anticipated. The committee requested biannual updates on the plan's delivery and figures to track progress.

Discussions also covered the practicalities of inclusion in mainstream schools, with questions about the provision of facilities like quiet rooms and temperature-controlled classrooms, particularly in older school buildings. It was noted that while the plan aims to strengthen inclusive practice and early intervention, the challenge of adequate resources for schools to implement these changes remains. The committee also discussed the trajectory of SEND needs, acknowledging that numbers continue to increase due to existing legal requirements and that current efforts are focused on early intervention and prevention rather than statutory elements.

The committee heard that the Experts at Hand offer, which aims to provide multi-disciplinary advice to education settings, will be implemented over the next two years. This will involve educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and support from specialist settings to help schools meet the needs of individual children. Concerns were raised about the training of mainstream teachers to manage challenging behaviours, and it was confirmed that the education psychology service already provides de-escalation training.

The plan's ambition to reduce the number of children educated at home (Elective Home Education - EHE) was discussed, with the expectation that improved support for social, emotional, and mental health needs within mainstream settings will contribute to this reduction. The committee also noted that Ofsted inspections now focus on a school's inclusiveness and how they demonstrate the inclusion of all young people, irrespective of need.

Adult Safeguarding Update

Ruth Martin, Principal Social Worker and Safeguarding Lead, provided an update on adult safeguarding in Staffordshire. The Staffordshire Adult Safeguarding Team (SAST) receives approximately 1,450 safeguarding concerns each month. While the majority are managed at the initial triage stage, a recent decline in performance timeliness was attributed to workforce development within the team. An improvement plan is in place, with performance recovery anticipated by September.

Positive findings from performance monitoring and audit activity were highlighted, demonstrating a continued focus on achieving outcomes for adults at risk and maintaining quality safeguarding practice. The report noted that the rate of concerns is highest in the Tamworth and Cannock areas, which may correlate with levels of deprivation. Further work is underway to investigate this correlation, considering factors such as the density of care homes and ill health.

Concerns were raised by councillors regarding the high number of adult safeguarding concerns in Tamworth and Cannock, with a perceived lack of readily available information at a local level. The committee agreed to a recommendation that portfolio holders should meet with boroughs and districts to discuss local adult safeguarding.

Work Programme Update

The committee reviewed its work programme for 2026-27. The Joint Targeted Area Inspection (GTAI) has been brought forward to 10 September, and the Directorate Self-Assessment and Strategic Directorate Improvement Plan have swapped places with the October meeting. The item on Reunification, Children in Care has been removed as a separate item and will be considered as part of a wider update in October.

A new item was added to the work programme concerning the safeguarding around e-bikes and e-scooters, following a tragic incident in Tamworth involving a young girl. The committee agreed to this addition and requested further information on the matter.

Recommendations

The committee made the following recommendations:

• Endorse the SEND Reform strategy and the co-produced Local Area SEND Reform Plan.
• Request biannual updates on the delivery of the SEND reform plan's actions and impact.
• Consider Safeguarding Adults' activity and performance.
• Portfolio holders to meet with boroughs and districts to discuss local adult safeguarding.
• Add safeguarding around e-bikes and e-scooters to the work programme.