Members were next provided with an update on the Safety Valve, detailing the latest position that we are seeing regarding requests for statutory assessments and all of the information that we are receiving as a local authority regarding plans at this time,  before having to submit our next safety valve progress report to the Department for Education and Education Skills and Funding Agency on the 15th of December. It was explained that this report is an interim statement before the full overarching report in January’s Forum.

Although our financial position is improving, there are significant risks that are being seen in the emerging data and statistics across the Local Area. We are still seeing an increase in the Request for Statutory Assessments across the local area which is then leading to plans being issued. Rachael wanted members to be clear that plans are still being issued as they were previously. Actually what we are seeing is a higher rate of refusal now. We continue to issue the plans in line with the code, but however a significant number of referrals that are coming into us that actually children require an education, health and care plan to have their needs met and that's really coming out of the  fact there is some RSAs demonstrating that needs could be met through a graduated response and at SENK support, and that process of reviewing and applying strategies haven't been consistently applied across schools as well so.

Rachael explained that there's a huge amount of work that is coming in, in SEND, but actually that's work that is not leading to an outcome that actually either a school or a parent may have may have wanted, and actually it's work that actually could be into that SENK aspect as well. Our current refusal rate is 38% at the moment.

Stewart noted the differences in refusal rates between individual schools, and asked whether there could be an opportunity for schools to pair up, allowing SENCOs to work together? Rachael said that good quality referrals are being shared with Schools at our SENCO Forums, also noting that School colleagues being able to observe the SEND Panel process has been really helpful for schools to understand how the decisions are being formed.

Rachael then shared analysis of the next steps meetings, put in place when an RSA is refused. The majority of outcomes from these meetings, parents have been reassured through that process that actually their child's needs can be met at SEMK and we are not seeing that referral into a Request for Statutory Assessment.

Stewart then asked whether there was potential for parents to meet with the LA prior to an RSA being submitted, rather than the current process of a next steps meeting if the RSA is turned down. It was felt that this could mean parents felt more reassured, and also could potentially lead to a reduction in the number of refusals. Whilst Officers were open to the idea it was acknowledged that this would require a huge amount of work and may not be viable at present. With that in mind, Tamsin asked whether this approach could be trialled in a couple of schools, Officers agreed to look into this.

Members were also shown the tribunal outcomes that we've had in the last six months as well. Stewart noted that it is really positive in terms of tribunals are going our way. Parents are feeling reassured and RSAs aren't having to be resubmitted.