The Improving Lives Select Commission approved the Council's Work Programme, and discussed a proposed new SEND strategy and elective home education in Rotherham.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy Update

The Commission discussed a new SEND Strategy proposed by Rotherham Council. The draft strategy sets out a new vision for the provision of SEND services, driven by the national SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan.

The Commission were told that a recent Ofsted area SEND inspection placed Rotherham's area partnership among the highest performing areas nationally , although it noted that significant national and local challenges remain .

The new strategy is intended to reflect the changing environment and priorities of children, young people and families in Rotherham.

The draft strategy identifies seven outcomes:

1. I have a voice, and this is listened to and respected.
2. I am as healthy as possible.
3. I feel safe.
4. I have help and support in a way that suits me.
5. I have adults in my life who are supported to help me.
6. I am supported to be as independent as possible and have a purposeful life.
7. I belong and feel valued.

It also identifies five commitments :

1. The number of permanent exclusions and part time timetables for children and young people with special educational needs.
2. The number of disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs missing school due to health concerns, including mental health.
3. Having a clear process for engagement with children and young people, by promoting the engagement through Young Peoples Voice and participation Groups. Development of an engagement process with mainstream and special schools is currently underway, this will include the use of multimedia platforms as well as in person sessions.

4. To continue to improve the quality of EHC plans¹ to ensure that:

   a. there is consistent and clear information from health, education and social care; b. all EHC plans reflect the views of children, young people and their families; c. EHC plans contain the support that the child or young person needs to prepare for adulthood; and d. all outcomes include detail and are measurable so that children and young people receive consistent support.

5. Leaders across the partnership will continue to strengthen their work to reduce the long waits for neurodevelopmental assessment pathways. In addition, leaders will intensify service improvements for occupational therapy and speech and language therapy at a universal and targeted level to reduce waiting times. This will ensure that children and young people receive support at the right time.

The Commission were told that a consultation had taken place with stakeholders, including parents, carers, the general public, schools, young people and the Parent Carer Forum.

The responses and feedback to the consultation had been positive, with the majority of responses strongly supporting or supporting the Strategy.

Absences From Education Update

The Commission also received a report on elective home education and children not accessing their full educational entitlement at school.

The report focused on the Council's work on elective home education (EHE) in Rotherham, and noted that the number of children being educated at home in the borough is continuing to rise, in line with the national trend.

There has been a year on year rise in the number of CYP who are known to be EHE. The steeper increase in 20/21 coincided with National trend seen following return of all children to education after the first National Lockdown; there has been a steady rise since then, although this was more significant in 2023/24. This is in line with National trending and Rotherham remains just below National average for the rate of CYP who are known to be EHE.

The commission heard that the Council had a statutory duty to ensure that children who are home educated are receiving suitable and efficient full-time education.

The Council's EHE team offers support, advice and guidance to parents who are educating their children at home, including home visits at least annually to discuss and review the education provision being received.

The report also noted that the council had seen an increase in the number of cases where EHE was deemed to be unsuitable. The report suggested that this rise may be attributable to a number of factors, including:

• parents making a rushed decision to EHE without fully understanding the commitment involved
• a more refined understanding of what constitutes suitable education in Rotherham
• the confidence of the EHE team to take the required action
• greater numbers of children being EHE in Rotherham

The service always seeks to work in collaboration with parents where it is identified that children may not be in receipt of a suitable education. Where parents are unable to rectify this and decline to apply for a return to school, the EHE team is obliged to follow the Rotherham School Attendance Matters Pathway to ensure that this happens.

The commission were told that the Council's EHE Policy is due for review, and that the review is likely to be completed in May 2025.

Work Programme

The Commission also considered its Work Programme for 2024/25. The Work Programme was approved, and the Commission noted that the next meeting, on 28 January 2025, will discuss an update from the Rotherham Safeguarding Children's Partnership and an update on the recent SEND Ofsted inspection.