Local Authority Strategic Reviews of High Needs Funding Emily Taylor Senior Manager for Strategy and Engagement, ISEND East Sussex County Council

Since 2015, government funding through the “high needs block” has increased by 11% across England, but demand has increased by 35%. In the north funding has increased by 8% but the number eligible for support has increased by 39%. Jack Hunter, IPPR North, The Guardian 04.04.19

“This is a moral failure but it is also a failure to recognise the economic benefits of upfront investment in young people’s futures. For example, supporting one person with a learning disability into employment could increase their income by between 55% and 95%, and reduce lifetime costs to the taxpayer by at least £170,000.” Jack Hunter, IPPR North, The Guardian 04.04.19

East Sussex https://czone.eastsussex.gov.uk/media/3756/escc-strategic-high-needs-block-review-report.pdf strengths

East Sussex No HNB overspend 2018/19 3 Successful Free School bids Capital funding for 4 additional resourced provision in mainstream schools Increasing costs of INMS strengthen business case to Capital Board 200 additional specialist place capacity -Free school- external provider all through SEMH/PRU/PMLD/ASD Resourced provision- 3X primary ASD and 1X SEMH 2X secondary ASD

East Sussex Reduction in maintained EHC Plans 2016/17 Experience of HNB and strategy work with other LAS regionally and nationally- all have strengths. What are your strengths? - all will have- share for activity

Collaborative Strategic Mainstream matrix and SEN moderation panels Review of high needs top up across all sectors Collaborative Strategic High Needs Funding Review Social Media and Communications Locality partnership exclusion boards Consistency of message Review of services & outreach Strategic Collaboration with Health

Golden thread ISOS report Affirmation ISOS

East Sussex SEND Strategy https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/childrenandfamilies/specialneeds/localoffer/send-strategy/

Common Areas of Enquiry Inclusion How do we define ‘Inclusion’ What is the measure for inclusion How is a culture of inclusion communicated to all parties? Provision and Funding Establishing banded SEND Matrices to determine levels of provision and funding Cost schedules for Post 16 provision Variance across LAs of the role of Pupil Referral Units in the continuum Monitoring of provision Service reviews including central delegation of outreach services Overhaul of Local Offers Seeking contractual arrangements with INMS Exclusion and part time timetables used as adjustment 8 SE LAs represented- E.Sussex/W.Sussex-PACC/ Hampshire/Kent/Oxfordshire/Southampton & Portsmouth/Slough Inclusion- definition & Measure for inclusion-Nasen work. Interpretative tool takes existing key school measure to provide analysis that gives indication of inclusivity of school. Stephen Chamberlain CEO Challenger Academies. Takes account current education policy context-applicable at MAT as well as individual school level. Free resource- 2/3 months/SEND gateway Culture of Inclusion- DfE strategy checklist- ‘Is the strategy affecting the culture across the local SEND system?’ Matrices- locally agreed thresholds PRUs-difference in take-up (some LAs reducing numbers/some increasing) risk of generating increased special school places where provider run by special schools/academies Outreach -for improved quality and consistency

Common Challenges Increase in demand Overspend on HNB Capacity in specialist sector Conflict with school accountability measures Rates of exclusion and EHE Understanding SEND core offer Capacity & expertise of services to meet demand Parental expectations & coproduction Increasing Tribunal rates demand Placements and EHCPs=- from parents Non-educational drivers Very Significant increases Movement of pupils across the continuum ‘domino effect’ ES reached tipping point whereby more CYP with EHCPs in special than mainstream Core offer-special/colleges/INMS in order to challenge costs and placements or develop appropriate outcomes Services- Case work officer recruitment, retention, CPD/EPS

Agree on 3 strategies that have had the greatest impact in your area There is variation across LAs in HNB spend with strengths in many areas Agree on 3 strategies that have had the greatest impact in your area Which challenges could we address collectively? Gap analysis Rank top 3 Collectively address-how?