The Children's Services Scrutiny Panel of Ealing Council met on Tuesday 22 September 2026 to discuss the Panel's work programme and receive updates on key initiatives. The meeting was scheduled to cover the SEND and Inclusion Update, the Families First Partnership Programme, and the Best Start in Life programme.

Panel's Work Programme

The Panel was scheduled to review its work programme for the upcoming municipal year. This report outlined the planned scrutiny items, allowing members to provide comments and suggest additional areas of interest. A report on the number of asylum-seeking, unaccompanied minors, and children and families with no recourse to public funds was suggested for consideration at a future meeting.

SEND and Inclusion Update

This report provided a comprehensive overview of Ealing's Local SEND Reform Plan 2026, detailing the national and local context for reform, Ealing's vision and strategic goals, and the implications for mainstream inclusion, specialist support, statutory Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) processes, and local specialist provision. It also covered the local framework for attendance, educational access, Elective Home Education, Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS), Children Missing Education (CME), and Children Missing Out on Education (CMOE). The report noted the significant increase in EHCPs and the changing needs profile, with autism, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs, and severe learning difficulty being substantial parts of the EHCP cohort. The plan's four building blocks for the future system were outlined: strengthening inclusion across education settings, ensuring access to specialist support and local placements, fostering system leadership and co-production, and encouraging an inclusive culture and behaviours.

Families First Partnership Programme Update

This agenda item provided an update on the Families First Partnership Programme, which is in its 'test and learn' phase. A pilot programme had been launched in Southall, involving small teams performing specific functions aligned with the programme's expectations. The methodology included the development of an integrated front door, a multi-disciplinary team of family health workers, a multi-agency child protection team, and the advancement of family group decision-making functions. The pilot, which ran for six months, engaged with over 500 families referred to the service. The service adopted real-time learning loops and an adaptation approach, moving towards a 'one assessment' approach and an integrated response to families' needs. The report indicated a reduced number of children going onto child protection plans, with strong plans in place for families using family network meetings. The vision for the programme is for services and partners to collaborate, bringing resources together to identify problems earlier and respond collaboratively, aiming to avoid escalation into higher-level statutory processes.

Best Start in Life Update

Helen Harding, Assistant Director, Early Help & Prevention, was scheduled to present an update on Ealing's Best Start in Life (BSiL) Programme. This national and local priority, announced in July 2025, focuses on improving outcomes for children from birth to age five. Funded by the Department for Education, it forms a key part of Ealing's wider transformation agenda, aligning with the council's Early Help redesign, SEND improvement, and the Families First Partnership programme. The BSiL programme provides a framework and investment to strengthen support for children and families, particularly those facing the greatest barriers. Ealing had successfully met Department for Education milestones, including the publication of its local BSiL plan and the submission of delivery and funding plans. The update was expected to outline the four key mission statements for delivery and how central government investment would be spent, underpinned by ambitions to improve school readiness, reduce inequalities, and create a more joined-up and accessible system. The establishment of Family Hubs, offering a 0 to 19 offer (up to 25 with SEND needs), was also a key element of the programme.

The meeting also included standard procedural items such as noting apologies for absence, considering urgent matters, determining matters to be considered in private, and noting declarations of interest. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 07 July 2026 were also scheduled for approval.