The Children & Families Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday 3 September 2025 to discuss the Children's Services Improvement and Impact Plan and an update on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. The committee endorsed the improvement plan as the primary framework for the children's services' improvement journey and noted the continued pressure on SEND resources.

Children's Services Improvement and Impact Plan

The committee considered the draft and refreshed Children's Services Continuous Improvement and Impact Plan, which aims to drive Stockport's children's services from their current Ofsted rating of Requires Improvement to Good or better. The plan outlines specific actions to improve practice and performance, ultimately aiming to improve outcomes for children and reduce demand on high-cost services. Councillor Colin Foster, Vice-Chair of the Children & Families Scrutiny Committee, chaired the meeting.

The committee was asked to:

• Note the refreshed Continuous Improvement and Impact Plan.
• Endorse the Plan as the primary framework for delivering the improvement journey and achieving the ambitions of the Stockport Children and Young People Strategy 2024–2027.
• Support ongoing oversight through regular monitoring and reporting to the Continuous Improvement and Impact Board and Scrutiny Committees.

The report detailed the plan's structure, which is based on Ofsted's inspection areas, and included recovery actions to ensure long-term service sustainability. It highlighted that work towards improvement had commenced immediately, with many actions already underway or completed. The plan is iterative, with new actions considered and approved by the Continuous Improvement and Impact Board, and service delivery plans are being refreshed. The plan is designed to be transparent and measurable, with clear success criteria, quantitative and qualitative indicators, and regular public reporting.

The committee was presented with an engagement timeline for the plan, detailing forums and dates for consultation and submission to Ofsted.

SEND Update

The committee received an update on the current position and context of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Stockport. The report highlighted the continued pressure of demand on resources and the impact on families, as well as improvement activities and positive progress to date. It also noted the position relating to SEND inspection preparation and possible outcomes.

The national context for SEND was described as facing long-standing and systemic challenges, exacerbated by chronic underfunding and rising demand. Local authorities are under pressure to reduce costs while managing a surge in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The report noted a national shortage of specialist staff, including SENCOs, teaching assistants, and educational psychologists.

In Stockport, the SEND system is underfunded, with a significant cumulative deficit in the High Needs Block. Stockport is a member of the f40 group, representing the lowest-funded local authorities in England. The report detailed the demand for EHC needs assessments, the number of EHCPs finalised, and timeliness improvements, although acknowledged that more work is needed. Challenges include Educational Psychology capacity, demand reduction through initiatives like the Success at SEN Support pilot, and improving communication with families via a parent portal.

The report also provided an update on key stage transfers for pupils with EHCPs, noting improvements in finalising plans by statutory deadlines. A significant focus was placed on Preparation for Adulthood (PFA), with a commissioned strategy and plan from the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI). The committee was informed about the upcoming SEND inspections under the new framework and the self-evaluation undertaken by the Stockport SEND partnership, which identified areas of strength and areas for improvement based on feedback from children, young people, and families.

Financial considerations highlighted a significant annual spend pressure on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), with a forecast increase in the cumulative deficit. The report noted that Stockport's SEND funding levels are among the lowest nationally.

The committee was asked to note the continued pressure of demand on resources and impact for families, note improvement activity and positive progress to date, and note the position relating to SEND inspection preparation and possible outcomes.

Scrutiny Work Programme

The committee considered a report outlining planned agenda items for future meetings and Forward Plan items within its remit. The committee was invited to put forward any agenda items for future meetings. Several items were suggested for inclusion in the 2025/26 Work Programme, including 'Falling Rolls', an updated School Assets Management Plan, information on Drug and Alcohol Abuse in the borough and hospital admissions, and Domestic Abuse/Violence. Additionally, specific reports were requested for future consideration, including work with the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI) on preparation for adulthood, figures on drug and alcohol-related hospital admissions for under 18s, a briefing paper on the Strategic Priority Reserve for 'Free School Meals Widen Eligibility', and a report on specific targets relating to the children's strategy and a new 'data scorecard'.

The meeting was attended by Councillor Colin Foster (Chair), Councillor Holly McCormack (Vice-Chair), and Councillors Rosemary Barratt, Shan Alexander, Angie Clark, Jon Byrne, Graham Greenhalgh, Ian Hunter, Dallas Jones, and Dr Chris Gordon. Councillor Wendy Meikle, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, also attended to respond to questions.