The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the challenges and processes surrounding Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) and to review the work of the Barking and Dagenham Community Safety Partnership (CSP). Key discussions on EHCPs highlighted significant increases in demand, statutory timescale pressures, and staffing challenges, leading to a commitment to improve processes and communication. The CSP review focused on developing a new strategy for 2026-2030, addressing rising crime rates and community safety concerns through multi-agency collaboration, with a particular focus on serious youth violence and violence against women and girls.

The EHCP Process and Key Challenges

The committee received a detailed presentation on the Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) process, outlining the statutory timescales and the significant pressures faced by the service. Denise Watts, Head of SEND Statutory Services, explained that the process, which should ideally be completed within 20 weeks, is currently experiencing delays. This is attributed to a substantial increase in requests for assessments, which have doubled between 2021 and 2025, with a notable rise in parental requests. The number of maintained EHCPs has also doubled in the same period.

Performance figures show that only 27% of EHCPs were issued within the 20-week statutory timeframe in 2024, significantly below the national average of 45.9%. While the average wait time for plans issued beyond 20 weeks has reduced from 34 weeks in 2023 to 27 weeks, this still exceeds the statutory requirement. The team is operating with 23.2 full-time equivalent posts, but faces recruitment and retention challenges, with nearly four full-time equivalent vacancies for EHC coordinators.

Key challenges identified include:

• Demand and Complexity: A rising number of pupils require support, with increasing complexity of needs. Schools are facing stretched budgets, with primary schools in particular seeing falling rolls and an increased proportion of children with high needs, requiring them to use more of their core budget for SEND provision.
• Capacity Issues: The team is struggling to keep up with demand due to increased caseloads. The average caseload for an EHC coordinator has risen significantly, impacting their ability to manage assessments and reviews effectively.
• Provision and Placements: There is increasing pressure on schools to manage demand, with concerns about their capacity to provide the necessary provision outlined in EHCPs. Schools often cite insufficient specialist staff and stretched resources as reasons for objections to placements. The council is creating approximately 80 new specialist placements annually, but this is not meeting the growing demand.
• External Factors: A significant number of children with SEND are moving into the borough with existing EHCPs, placing further pressure on local provision. Delays in obtaining statutory advice from health professionals, particularly for early years assessments, can also impact the timely issuance of plans.

To address these challenges, the council is implementing an improvement plan focusing on strengthening the workforce, improving information and communication, and expanding statutory service capacity. New posts, such as an EHC Quality and High Needs Tracking Lead and a SEND Dispute and Resolution Lead, have been created. Efforts are also underway to improve digital systems, including the Synergy case management system, to enhance accessibility and communication with families.

Barking and Dagenham Community Safety Partnership (CSP)

The committee reviewed the work of the Barking and Dagenham Community Safety Partnership (CSP), which brings together local authorities, police, fire, health, and probation services to tackle crime, disorder, and anti-social behaviour. The CSP is currently developing its strategy for 2026-2030, building on the lessons learned from the 2023-2026 plan.

Key areas of discussion included:

• Crime Trends: The overall recorded crime rate has seen a slight increase of 1.9% in the last 12 months. However, this is a mixed picture, with significant reductions in theft, vehicle crime, and violence with injury. Conversely, there have been increases in violence without injury (11%), drug offences (49%, largely due to increased police activity), and sexual offences (21%). The report noted analytical challenges in comparing year-on-year data due to changes in crime recording methodology, particularly with the introduction of the CONNECT system.
• Cost of Crime: The estimated societal cost of crime in Barking and Dagenham for the 12 months to August 2025 is £205 million. The highest harm crime types, accounting for 54% of the estimated harm, are robbery of personal property, domestic abuse, rape, non-domestic abuse violence with injury, and residential burglary.
• Serious Youth Violence (SYV): The borough has seen a 62.7% decrease in first-time entrants into the criminal justice system since 2016/17, despite a relatively high rate compared to national averages. The Youth Justice Service is working with the Youth At Risk Matrix (YARM) project, which supports young people before they enter the criminal justice system. The YARM project has reached over 6,000 young people since its inception and has shown clear reductions in young people entering the criminal justice system.
• Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG): The report highlighted a growing victim support offer for domestic abuse, with increased referrals to services like REFUGE and Cranston. The VAWG Operational Group and Women's Safety Forum are actively working to address violence in public spaces and engage with residents. The report also noted the introduction of Domestic Violence Protection Notices and Orders as measures to protect victims, and the Vogue 100 initiative to target prolific offenders.
• The YARM Project: Lee, from the YARM project, presented on its work with young people at risk of serious youth violence. The project uses a 19-point Youth At Risk Matrix to assess risk factors and provides one-to-one support, group sessions, and assemblies to educate and engage young people. The project has been evaluated positively, with a reach of over 6,000 young people and a reduction in those entering the criminal justice system.
• Fireworks and Parking Enforcement: In response to a question about fireworks, it was clarified that enforcement powers exist, including stop and search, seizure of illegal fireworks, and prosecution. Trading Standards conduct inspections of licensed premises. Regarding parking restrictions around religious places, it was stated that this would be followed up with relevant colleagues.
• Work Programme: The committee noted that the work programme would be updated, with the budget scrutiny now scheduled for 12 January 2026, and potential changes to the Adult Social Care scrutiny item pending the publication of a CQC inspection report. Arrangements are also being made to move the BD Group item from 12 January to before Christmas.

The meeting concluded with thanks to all participants and a reminder that the work programme would be subject to further review.