Barking and Dagenham Council Scrutinises SEND Crisis Amidst Rising EHCP Demand
Barking and Dagenham's Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday to discuss the growing pressures on services, schools and parents relating to the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process. The committee reviewed national and local evidence, highlighting a system struggling to meet the increasing demand for special educational needs support.
The meeting, which was the first of four sessions dedicated to understanding the EHCP process in the borough, included a presentation from Jane Hargreaves, Commissioning Director Education, and contributions from Elaine Allegretti, Strategic Director Children and Adults. The discussion centred on the challenges posed by rising EHCP numbers, funding constraints, and the need for improved communication and early intervention.
Key Issues and Challenges
- Rising Demand: The number of EHCPs in Barking and Dagenham has increased significantly, with assessments rising four times the national average in 2022. This trend has continued, placing immense pressure on the council's resources. The council had 150 families come into the borough last year with EHCPs, and of those, 60 needed a specialist school place. Placing these children, especially those needing specialist provisions, on a daily or weekly basis is a significant challenge.
- Funding Constraints: Despite the surge in demand, council funding for SEND services has remained stagnant since 2021, exacerbating the strain on already stretched resources. Barking and Dagenham is projected to have an overspend of around £5.3 million in the high-needs block for 2024-25, which can only be covered from reserves for one year. The council is planning savings with the borough's Schools' Forum to address this.
- Inconsistent Processes: The Ofsted inspection report highlighted inconsistencies in the quality and consistency of EHCPs, with plans not being updated regularly enough. This administrative backlog was a key area of concern.
- Communication Gaps: Communication with parents remains a significant challenge, with high caseloads for EHCP coordinators limiting their ability to provide timely and individualised support. To improve communication, the council is exploring technology solutions to improve the interface between the council and parents. This includes working on using the synergy case management system so that professionals can see the progress of a child's EHCP, with the potential to make this information available to parents in the future.
- Lack of Incentives for Inclusion: The current funding model penalises inclusive schools, as they are required to cover the first £6,000 of costs for each child with an EHCP from their own budget. This disincentivises mainstream schools from being more inclusive. Very inclusive schools currently spend a greater proportion of their 'notional' budget on supporting children with high needs, which protects the budgets of less inclusive schools. Cllr Elizabeth Kangethe stated that the Secretary of State's decision to earmark capital funding to promote inclusion is a welcome first step and that the government should also adopt a 'test and learn' approach to strengthen the inclusive model.
- Health Service Pressures: Accessing health expertise, particularly speech and language therapy and CAMHS, presents a significant barrier, with long waiting times impacting the timely identification and support of SEN needs.
Proposed Solutions and Improvements
- Early Intervention: The committee recognised the importance of early intervention and is exploring ways to strengthen early years support through family hubs and collaborations with organisations like the University of Cambridge.
- Improved Communication: The council is working to improve communication with parents by restructuring capacity, exploring technology solutions, and addressing complaints more effectively.
- Incentivising Inclusion: The committee acknowledged the need to flip the current system to incentivise and reward inclusive practices in mainstream schools.
- Collaboration: The council aims to foster better collaboration between education, health, and social care services to provide more holistic support for children with SEND.
National Context
The committee reviewed several key national documents to understand the broader context of the SEND crisis:
- The Growing SEND Cohort Report: This report from MIME and ISOS Partnership highlighted the national data on SEND growth and trends, including EHCP numbers, needs, provision, and places.
- Public Accounts Committee Report: This report highlighted the inconsistent and inequitable nature of the SEND system, the lack of understanding of demand increases, and the absence of a costed plan for reform.
- Education Committee Report: This report called for a culture shift and funding to make mainstream education genuinely inclusive.
Local Context
The committee also considered Barking and Dagenham's specific challenges and strengths:
- High Numbers of New Arrivals: The borough faces unique pressures due to a high influx of families with existing EHCPs, placing immediate strain on specialist provisions.
- Inclusive Provision: Barking and Dagenham has a long-standing policy of local schools for local children, resulting in some of the most inclusive provision nationally.
- Financial Stability: Despite the challenges, the borough has managed its high-needs block in budget, although it is likely to go into deficit this year.
Next Steps
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee will continue its in-depth review of the EHCP process over the next three sessions, with a focus on identifying key areas for improvement and making recommendations to improve local outcomes. The committee will also hold informal meetings with key stakeholders from schools, the service, and from parents and residents.
As Cllr Andrew Achilleos, Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, said, the aim is to be a critical friend to help,
finding innovative ways to deal with the problems as a local authority.
