Report attached.

Contact: Karen Bradshaw, Executive Director of Children’s Services, Shropshire Council

Karen Bradshaw, the Director of Children’s Services for Shropshire and Julia Dean, Service Manager for SEND introduced themselves.  The Director of Children’s Services introduced the report – copy attached to the signed Minutes – which provided an update on the local area SEND inspection and the written statement of action.   A joint SEND CQC and Ofsted Inspection had taken place in Shropshire across education, health and social care between 27 January and 31 January 2020. The final letter, published on 6 May 2020, identified many strengths but also highlighted those areas that required further development as well as some areas of significant concern.  As a result of the findings of this inspection and in accordance with the Local Area Inspection Framework the Chief Inspector determined that a Written Statement of Action (WSoA) was required because significant areas of concern were identified.

The Chairman thanked the team and their partners for the considerable work involved, particularly in relation to getting the written statement of action agreed and signed off.

Councillor Ed Potter, Lead Member for Children’s Services for Shropshire Council, commented that there was a real positive change and progress for young people within the County and he was pleased to see the progress being made and thanked all those involved for their hard work so far.

RESOLVED:

1.           That Health & Wellbeing Board endorse the actions contained within the Written Statement of Action and the priorities contained within the SEND Strategy

2.           That the Health and Wellbeing Board agree to review progress against the actions, and to receive periodic updates including holding organisations to account as necessary.

3.           That the Health & Wellbeing Board acknowledge and endorses the priority that this work needs to be afforded across the system in order to make the necessary improvements.