The Children, Families and Skills Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday 14 May 2026 to discuss early years education and childcare, and the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Priority Action Plan. Key decisions included noting the progress made in improving early years outcomes and childcare sufficiency, and reviewing the ongoing work to address SEND priorities.

Early Years Education and Childcare

Abby Hardy, Head of Education Improvement, presented an overview of the council's duties and current outcomes in early years education and childcare. The council has a statutory duty to improve outcomes for children under five, reduce inequalities, and secure sufficient childcare for working parents. While there are currently enough childcare places for 0-4 year olds across Lancashire, some school planning areas have a deficit. To address this, £2.2 million in early years capital funding has been awarded to create 500 new places in priority areas.

Take-up rates for funded early years places are generally strong, with two-year-old entitlements at nearly 77% and three- and four-year-old entitlements at 97%, both exceeding national averages. However, challenges remain in specific districts like Preston, Pendle, Hyndburn, and West Lancashire for two-year-old entitlements, and in rural areas for three- and four-year-olds. Strategies to improve take-up include enhanced communications, targeted outreach to priority communities, school and setting engagement, and direct support for families applying for places.

Regarding the quality of early years provision, 97% of Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) settings and 98.8% of childminders have a good or better Ofsted judgment. However, the percentage of children achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD) nationally is 68.3%, while in Lancashire it is 64%. Disparities exist within Lancashire, with higher GLD rates in areas like Fylde (75.6%) compared to Burnley and Pendle (58%). Specific groups, including boys (57% GLD) and children with SEND (15.3%), are identified as areas needing focused improvement.

The committee discussed plans to refine the quality improvement approach by focusing support on areas of high deprivation and lower educational outcomes. This will involve more targeted visits and a reduction in the traded offer to enable officers to concentrate on free, targeted support. Efforts are also being made to increase practitioner knowledge of child development, with a focus on communication and language, and the use of the Wellcome screening tool has shown positive impacts. Recruitment and retention in the early years sector remain a challenge due to low pay, leading to high staff turnover.

SEND Priority Action Plan Update

Paul Turner, Director of Education and Inclusion, provided an update on the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Priority Action Plan. He highlighted positive feedback from the Department for Education (DfE) and NHS England regarding accelerated progress and partnership working. The council is preparing for a potential Ofsted revisit in September 2026.

A key development is the requirement to submit a SEND reform plan to the government by 19 June 2026, outlining a three-year vision for SEND in Lancashire. This plan aims to shift towards more children being educated in mainstream schools and to reserve Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for those with the most significant needs. The council has secured over £9 million in Experts at Hand funding for this financial year.

Significant progress has been made in improving EHCP timeliness, with 20-week timeliness increasing from below 10% to 30-33% in recent months. The backlog of historic EHCPs has been reduced to under 50, and the Educational Psychologist backlog has been cleared. The SEND service has doubled its staffing, from 109 to 191.5 full-time equivalents, with a focus on place-based teams. A new EHCP portal is being developed for requests, reviews, and amendments.

The committee raised concerns about the reduction in support for some settings as resources are refocused on targeted areas. Discussions also covered the new statutory duty regarding holiday clubs and the provision of childcare for 11-14 year olds, which is seen as a significant gap. Questions were raised about the accuracy of data, the impact of low wages on staff retention, and the messaging around the SEND reforms to parents and schools.

The committee requested further reports and briefings on several areas, including the next steps for early years education and childcare, clarification on the term reducing support, wages and costs for holiday provision, and a more detailed analysis of EHCP auditing and quality.

Lancashire House Project Update

An update was provided on the Lancashire House Project, a supported accommodation initiative for young people leaving care. Cohort 4, comprising 12 young people, is progressing well, with the first individual moving into their home in March 2026. The project is working with Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) to secure properties and is exploring expansion into the South Ribble area. Joint working with district councils is ongoing to improve housing pathways for care leavers.

Children, Families and Skills Scrutiny Work Programme 2025/26

The committee noted the work programme for 2025/26, which outlines planned scrutiny activities across children's social care, children's services, and education and skills. The programme is an evolving document, allowing for the inclusion of emerging priorities.

The meeting concluded with thanks to officers and a reminder of the next meeting date.