Agenda item

(10 mins intro by officer, 20 mins questioning)

Jane Wood (Director, Wellbeing) set out the main elements of the transition in services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), specifically:

• the introduction of integrated single assessments across partner agencies (with a pilot project underway); and
• the move towards personal budgets which transferred control of provision to parents, and requiring detailed support around understanding the market.

The Panel discussed the main challenges with this transition, looking at the need for a stable workforce with retraining where required, and risks and opportunities around personal budgets.  Members noted that there had been an approximate 65% update of personal budgets in Adult Social Care where management of the budgets had been successful, and introducing these for SEND would develop choice in the market allowing parents, and the child, to decide on their provision, improving their service satisfaction.

Resolved – to note the report.