To present a report in relation to the strategic review of Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion by Gwynedd Council.
Minutes:
Submitted – a report for the consideration of the Joint-Committee outlining Gwynedd Council’s vision for Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion.
Gwynedd Council’s Portfolio Member for Education stated that transforming the services provided for children and young people, particularly the vulnerable, was one of the principal priorities in the Council’s Strategic Plan. Planning around the needs of children and young people and their families will be central to any newly developed plans. One of the transformational plans is the Strategic Review of Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion which addresses a provision which is complex, sensitive and multi-agency.
The Education Portfolio Holder referred to the aim of the review and the context in which it was conducted, which included changes on a national basis such as the White Paper and at a local level such as the programme for building a new special school for children and young people with extra learning needs in the county of Gwynedd. The Portfolio Holder mentioned the type of results that one would wish to see through the review for the individuals as service users and for the authorities as providers and commissioners and he mentioned the engagement process and the conclusions of that the process.
Gwynedd Council’s Director of Development reiterated the comments and said that the Extra Educational Needs Service was an area where nearly £15m is invested annually. The intention by conducting a review is to ensure the best results for children in the area who have extra learning needs, so that they attain their full potential. The whole area was looked at in its entirety including children and family services and initial proposals where formulated with a view to improving the service’s effectiveness and efficiency in order to ensure best value from the resources in which an investment is made. The work programme at the end of the report summarises the present work streams under the main outcome headings that the review will hopefully fulfil. Amongst the tasks identified were reviewing the function of the Joint Committee as the body from which the provision is commissioned and in light of the proposed legislative changes in the area. Some of the activities within the work programme will be quite common to both authorities.
The Anglesey County Council’s Director of Lifelong Learning noted the areas within the work programme of the Strategic Review which the Authority in Anglesey had agreed to and was already moving in the same direction and he noted the activity where Anglesey’s approach was different. He agreed that there was a need to be clearer regarding commissioning the services of the Joint Committee but that Anglesey saw that this would happen through extending the Joint Committee and commissioning more thoroughly.
Gwynedd Council’s Head of Education said that the Strategic Review had suggested that there was room to consider joining the function of the Education and Inclusion Manager in Gwynedd with the role of educational psychologist in the sense that the post holder would have expertise in the area of educational psychology. The Additional Educational Needs area is broad in relation to the numbers which are within the scope of its services in Gwynedd and it is believed that there is a need for a specific background for the post so that the appropriate guidance can be given to the services in the context of the new legislation and also as regards acting as the chief commissioning officer for the Joint Committee.
The representation from Anglesey on the Joint Committee voiced concern regarding the shortage of qualified bilingual educational psychologists outside the Joint Committee, and that the need for more psychologists could only be met by drawing on the expertise within the Joint Committee and by doing so, would possibly weaken the Joint Committee and the provision across the two counties. It was noted that the Joint Committee had been established to overcome the lack of expertise in the field locally and to work together to ensure a pool of expertise across the special educational needs spectrum within the two counties.
The Gwynedd Council Director of Development said that there was significant public expenditure that supported the Joint Committee and that there was a need to ensure the best value from the investment and the best results for children locally. The provision and the expenditure need to be monitored with clear expectations regarding the Joint Committee’s work and it needs to be defined better so that the difference it is making is clear. Because of the financial context and the pressure on public funding and also the new expectations, we need to develop the relationship between providing and commissioning and make it more definite.
Anglesey’s Director of Lifelong Learning explained that the Authority in Anglesey had also identified the need to tighten processes and also the Joint Committee’s monitoring procedures as regards justifying the expenditure and there was a need to look again at the commission given to the Joint Committee so that control may be tightened in some cases. However, in Anglesey’s opinion, that will be achieved through broadening the function of the Joint Committee rather than establishing a specific post. A discussion is required to identify whether it is practical to include this element within the work of the Joint Committee.
Gwynedd Council’s Director of Lifelong Learning said that one element of the transformation programme is the role of the Joint Committee and a number of work streams within the work programme are ones that could be planned and worked on together with Anglesey. As the two clients, it is important that the authorities work together on the brief for the Joint Committee.
The Chairman agreed that there was scope to discuss things further and that the Joint Committee was in agreement regarding achieving the best results for the children of both counties.
Anglesey Council’s Director of Lifelong Learning drew the Joint Committee’s attention to the fact that every service in Anglesey including the Education Service had been asked to identify savings of up to 10% for 2015/16 and that proposals to that effect were being planned and presented. Amongst the options is reducing the budget of the Joint Committee. The Officer said that he was eager to raise awareness within the Joint Committee of this possibility and to have a discussion on it.
It was resolved to accept the report and note its comments.
FURTHER ACTIONS :
• Gwynedd Council’s Director of Development to report back to the next meeting of the Joint Committee regarding the progress with reviewing the way forward for special educational needs and inclusion in the context of further discussions that are to be held.
• Anglesey Council’s Director of Lifelong Learning to report back on the financial situation and the savings that will need to be achieved.