1. The Lamb Inquiry – Implications for SI Services & Schools
January 14th 2010
Brian Lamb, Executive Director of Advocacy & Policy, RNID 1

2. Lamb Inquiry March 2008 – December 2009 Parental confidence projects
Advisers Group and Reference group
Support from: National Strategies, Capita, Institute of Education, Warwick University, KIDS
3 interim reports:
SEN and disability information
Quality and clarity of statements
Inspection and accountability
Implementation plan ‘early in the New Year’ 2 2 2

3. Innovative projects 8 projects: Wolverhampton: Team around the Child
Durham: Parent partnership, School Action Plus and provision management
North Tyneside: Delegated budgets, with Sunderland
Blackburn with Darwen: School Action Plus
Newham School Action Plus
Kent Parent partnership
Portsmouth Parent partnership, LA decision-making
Oxfordshire Parent partnership, School Action Plus, school funding 3

4. Challenges Low expectations Poor outcomes
Parents search for ‘someone who understands my child’s needs’ 4 4 4

5. A clearer focus on outcomes
School leadership
Achievement for All
Pupil and parent guarantees
Early access to multi-agency teams
Development of skills and expertise
teaching assistants
teacher skills: advanced and specialist
children’s workforce
Tackling bullying and exclusions 5 5 5

6. Challenges Statutorily required information not published
Inaccessible information
Poor communication
Not enough listening to parents
Support doesn’t reach enough parents 6 6 6

7. A stronger voice for parents
A cultural change: the core offer
Mainstreaming SEN information
Schools’ SEN policies: simplified, parents consulted
Anticipating information needs
Accessible information
Parent partnership services: deployment and standing with the legislation
Dedicated independent helpline 7 7 7

8. Challenges Local variation
Lack of clarity about respective responsibilities: schools and LAs
Limited strategic capacity and poor deployment of skills
Poor statements not focused on outcomes 8 8 8

9. A more strategic local approach
Leadership of children’s services
Development of SEN commissioning
Published policies:
SEN Information
Disability equality schemes
Parent engagement:
strategy
projects
Improved statements
Increased right of appeal following annual review 9 9 9

10. Challenges Variation in the system Parents left ‘policing the system’10 10 10

11. A more accountable system
Voice of children and young people
School report card
Governors
School improvement partners
Ofsted:
training for all inspectors
a duty on HMCI 11 11 11

12. A more accountable system
Local authority level:
Scrutiny by elected members
Better information gathering by DCSF and a protocol for sharing information with Ofsted
SoS powers of direction
Ofsted to keep CAA process under review
School and LA complaints to go to LGO
Exclusions:
guidance to be explicit on SEND checks
training for IAPs 12 12 12

13. A more accountable system
Tribunal:
Guidance and information
Children and young people
Exceptional funding scheme/legal aid 13 13 13

14. Challenges Professional advice Alternative models Core challenges 14

15. The national framework
Codes of conduct
Evaluation of educational psychology service models
Personalisation and early intervention
Strengthening the DDA 15 15 15