The Children and Young People Policy Development Committee met on Monday 16 March 2026 to discuss the draft outcome report on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. The committee noted and agreed the recommendations within the report, which align with the council's Priority Action Plan and the forthcoming local area reforms.

Draft Outcome Report on SEND Provision

The committee discussed the draft outcome report, which was the culmination of a year-long review into SEND provision in Redbridge. Councillor Dudridge, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, highlighted that the report's recommendations were uncanny in their alignment with the council's Priority Action Plan and the broader SEND reforms. She emphasised that the report did not commit the council to unbudgeted spending or deviate from the existing plan, which was a positive outcome.

Cheryl Eyre, Interim Director of SEND, provided an officer's perspective, detailing the progress made over the past two months. She explained that a detailed plan to address service and system issues identified by Ofsted was being drafted and would be presented to the Improvement Board by April 18th. This plan encompasses EHCPs, the SEN case team, educational psychologists, specialist teachers, social care, therapies, and health issues. Eyre also noted the receipt of paperwork for the SEND White Paper, requiring the development of a local area plan by June 19th. She stressed that the Priority Action Plan would be central to these reforms, which have a lifespan of three to ten years.

During the discussion, concerns were raised about workforce challenges, particularly the recruitment of educational psychologists. Eyre acknowledged these challenges but stated that the immediate focus was on ensuring the efficiency and optimal utilisation of existing teams, including a SENDATS team of approximately 125 specialist teachers, two therapy teams, and educational psychologists. She noted that while there were 27 educational psychologists, many worked part-time, equating to 8.2 full-time equivalents. The council was mapping therapist roles and identifying gaps to create a more joined-up system.

Councillor Martin Sachs questioned the council's approach to funding and the disparity between Redbridge and other boroughs, such as Camden, which received significantly more funding for SEND. Councillor Dudridge acknowledged the need to campaign for fairer funding but also stressed the importance of how money is spent. She highlighted the white paper's focus on inclusion and changes to where children are schooled, indicating a shift towards children remaining in mainstream education where possible. Dudridge also mentioned that a DFE financial advisor had been working with the council to review the high needs block funding, which had seen an overspend in the past year. The council aimed to become more efficient in its spending to be eligible for government funding to clear deficits.

A key theme throughout the discussion was the importance of a cultural shift towards co-production and collaboration. Councillor Dudridge stated that the number one problem we have is culture. And that's the hardest thing to change. She emphasised that this change was being achieved by bringing people together, including parents through the EPT (Every Parent Together) group and heads of schools, ensuring no one could work in silos and blame others. The report's recommendations, which were noted and agreed by the committee, align with this approach, focusing on early intervention, collaborative practice, and data-driven decision-making.

The committee noted and agreed the recommendations within the draft outcome report, which will be incorporated into the Priority Action Plan and the broader local area reforms. The report is to be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in May.