The Children and Young People Policy Development Committee met on Monday 16 March 2026 to discuss the draft outcome report on the provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Redbridge. The committee reviewed the progress made following an Ofsted report and discussed the implications of the national SEND White Paper.

SEND Provision and Priority Action Plan

Councillor Dudridge, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, presented an update on the progress made in response to a suboptimal Ofsted report concerning the council's SEND provision. She highlighted that the inspection's critique was primarily structural, with no direct criticism of safeguarding or individual children's well-being. A Priority Action Plan (PAP) has been developed, with funding allocated from prudent financial decisions made by the council. This plan is a partnership effort involving health services.

Cheryl Eyre, Interim Director of SEND, provided further detail on the progress of the PAP. She explained that a detailed, granular plan was being drafted to address service issues and systems, which would be presented to the Improvement Board by April 18th. This plan encompasses EHCPs, the SEND case team, educational psychologists, specialist teachers, social care, therapies, and health issues. Eyre noted that the Department for Education (DfE) has been involved in improving the action plan and has acknowledged the strides being made in the right direction.

Key areas of progress include improvements in EHCP timings, though not as rapid as desired, and significant enhancements in data organisation and review. Co-production with parents has been a focus, with efforts to rebuild relationships with the EPT (the primary parents' group) and a wider base of SEND parents. Meetings with parents are described as productive, and EPT members are included on the Improvement Board.

National SEND White Paper and Local Implications

The committee discussed the implications of the forthcoming national SEND White Paper. Eyre confirmed that the council had received extensive paperwork and was tasked with producing a local area plan by June 19th. The PAP will form the core of this plan, with local area reforms extending over three to ten years. The council is working to ensure no duplication of effort and that workstreams align.

Concerns were raised about national workforce and recruitment challenges, particularly for educational psychologists. Eyre acknowledged these challenges but emphasised that Redbridge's first step is to ensure its existing teams are efficient and utilised to their best capacity. She noted that Redbridge has a large SENDATS team of specialist teachers and well-resourced therapy teams, but a review is underway to ensure optimal targeting and efficiency. The council is also mapping therapist resources to create a joined-up system.

Regarding funding, Councillor Martin Sachs questioned the health partner's contribution. Councillor Dudridge stated that while health partners are part of the improvement board and want to play their part, bureaucracy, sadly, is sometimes bureaucracy. She confirmed that the council's education and SEND teams are fully funded and that efforts will continue to ensure health partners contribute.

The council will continue to campaign for fairer SEND funding at a political level, acknowledging disparities between boroughs like Redbridge and Camden. However, Councillor Dudridge stressed the importance of how funding is spent, highlighting the White Paper's focus on inclusion and changes to schooling. The council is also working with DfE advisors to review its high-needs block funding and spending, aiming for greater efficiency to address a recent budget overspend. The potential for 90% reimbursement from the Secretary of State to clear the deficit budget was mentioned, contingent on the council getting its house in order.

Draft Final Outcome Report

The committee reviewed the Draft Final Outcome Report, which summarises the findings of a year-long review into SEND provision. The report's recommendations are aligned with the Priority Action Plan and are not intended to duplicate existing officer work but to add value. The committee agreed to note and approve the recommendations, which will be incorporated into the broader work on local area reforms. A minor typo in the executive summary was noted for correction.

Other Matters

The committee also received a verbal update from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, noting discussions on housing management restructure, allocations policy amendments, and the budget strategy for 2026/27. The date of the next meeting was confirmed as TBC.

The meeting concluded with thanks to all participants for a productive and constructive discussion.