Agenda item

To submit a report by the Director of Educaiton, Skills and Young People.

The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People was presented for consideration by the Committee.

The Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language said that the Additional Learning Needs & Inclusion (ALN & I) Service was established in September 2017 as a joint service between the Isle of Anglesey County Council and Gwynedd Council.  The service has evolved over the years to respond to changes in demand and the wider context.  The service was reviewed externally in 2020 and again in December 2023.  All schools receive funding to accommodate learners with an Individual Development Plan. 

The following were points of discussion by the committee :-

·         Questions were raised as to what extend does the ALN & I service provide value for money, and what plans are in place to utilise AI to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency and value for money?  The Director of Education, Skills and Young People responded that the use of AI is not currently used within the ALN & I service as there are safety and legal implications but there is research undertaken that will help the introduction of AI in the future.  The Senior Manager – Additional Learning Needs & Inclusion said that the focus is undertaken with the regard to the pupil’s individual development plans and the Co-ordinators needs to keep the plans up to date.  She noted that the Head Teachers are requesting targets that the school may use for pupils with specific needs which will reduce bureaucracy, and it is hoped that moving the new formula-base funding method in March 2024 will also reduce bureaucracy.

·         Questions were raised as to what, if any, are the potential negative impacts of the new formula-based funding method set to take effect in March 2025 and whether the formula approach encourages discord amongst schools.  The Director of Education, Skills and Young People responded that a Briefing Session on the new formula-based funding method and the ALN & I Action Plan details can be arranged.  He noted that the new formula-based funding method is only relevant to the primary sector at present.  The Senior Manager – Additional Learning Needs & Inclusion said that new formula will provide more financial stability to maintain staffing levels and will have a more consistent regime across schools.  She noted that the formula is based on the number of learners with Individual Development Plans, in addition to the severity of learners’ need areas.  The new formula will be based on individuals and the complexities of the pupil.   Further questions were raised as to when the new formula will be escalated into the secondary school’s provision.  The Senior Manager – Additional Learning Needs & Inclusion responded that it is hoped that discussion will be undertaken next year as to a similar system been afforded within the secondary schools. 

·         Questions were raised whether more parents of children with Additional Learning Needs choose to educate their children at home.  The Director of Education, Skills and Young People responded that the education service creates individual plans for children with Additional Learning Needs but if parents decide to educate their children at home, they are responsible for their child needs and support.  The Education Service must ensure that the safeguarding element is robust with a visit to the home within six weeks of the decision to educate the child at home and thereafter an annual visit.  He noted that the numbers of children that are educated at home on Anglesey has slightly decreased recently with children wishing to re-enter the educational system. 

·         Questions were raised as to how effectively the service delivers the needs of schools and putting the learners at the centre of the process and whether the demand for the service has increased. The Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language responded that each pupil has an individual learning plan as part of the new legislation which ensures the child is central to the educational provision afforded.  He noted that the intention of the new legislation was to be cost neutral, but there has been an increased costs which could have resulted from people being aware of the needs of individual children.  The Director of Education, Skills and Young People said that the demand for the service has increased nationally but the capacity and resource has not increased.  He noted that the service must be flexibly to respond to the different challenges and the pandemic has had an immense impact as has recently been reported by Estyn.  Working in partnership with children services, health service and the family of a child is crucial due to social aspects of the complexity of some children. 

·         Reference was made to the lack of funding toward the ALN & I service nationally and locally to be able to sustain the service and that a letter be sent to Welsh Government requesting additional funding for the service and the support of the WLGA is also required to put pressure on Welsh Government. It was noted that every child needs to receive adequate education, and it is unacceptable that same children are having to wait a considerable period to be reviewed, and some children are leaving education before they are assessed. The Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language agreed that there needs to be additional resource to the ALN & I service. 

·         Reference was made that some children with additional learning needs are located with the mainstream education, but these facilities are sometimes not the adequate provision as they need to be within a special school provision with the facilities that they require.  The Leader of the Council referred to the innovative work undertaken within this Authority with ‘hubs’ located within the five secondary schools which have been established between the Education and Social Services Departments.  Welfare Officers, Youth Officers and Teachers with expertise are located within these hubs to support children.  He further referred that some pupils with special needs are located within mainstream education and there are also examples that some pupils would not benefit from being within a special school environment.  As the Council is a small Authority it can work across different departments and the creation of the ‘hubs’ has proved that the Council can be innovative and be more effective despite the lack of funding received towards additional learning needs.  The Chief Executive noted expertise within the ALN & I service is also crucial within the service to enable the children to receive the support they require.  He further said that the new legislation has been established and the Authority must be committed to afford the service to the children but there is a need to increase the resource towards the ALN & I service.

·         Reference was made to the national shortage of Educational Psychologists and especially bilingual psychologists.  Questions were raised whether discussion are undertaken with Welsh Universities and especially Bangor University to enable training for Educational Psychologists.  The Leader of the Council responded that the matter has been raised with the First Minister, Welsh Government and with the Vice-Chancellor of Bangor University to allow a training pathway for bilingual Educational Psychologists to be trained at the University. 

It was RESOLVED:-

·         to accept the report;

·         that a letter be sent to Welsh Government that additional funding needs to be made available for the Additional Learning Needs & Inclusion service;

·         that the support of the WLGA needs to be undertaken, to put pressure on Welsh Government, on behalf of the 22 local authorities, that additional funding is needed towards Additional Learning Needs & Inclusion.