DfE Safety Valve programme discussed
Board members appreciated the open and transparent discussion at the Strategic Board meeting of 15th November 2022, around the DfE Safety Valve Programme. This programme, Stephen Kitchman, Director Children’s Services, explained, is a DfE initiative to work with the highest spending local authorities to eliminate their in-year budget deficit on SEN high-needs through a medium-term transformational plan.
S Kitchman shared the factors that had led to the large accumulated budget deficit which included a 59% rise in the number of EHC plans issues since 2017, a need for more specialist support in mainstream settings, the rising cost of out-of-borough independent specialist school places and the cost of SEN transport. The draft proposals for mitigation, which will be finalised with the DfE in the new year, include a wider implementation of evidence-based interventions at SEN Support, developing a cultural change around SEND inclusion in mainstream settings, robust place planning to reduce the number of children going to expensive out-of-borough independent special schools and bringing more learners back in-borough at key transition points.
Board members highlighted the impact of inflation on costs, the potential failure to meet agreed milestones in the mitigation plan, the need to meet the legal requirements around the EHC needs assessment process and migration of children into the borough with unidentified need as potential risks.
To ensure that all head teachers have a chance to give their views, it was agreed that sub-group co-chairs would lead a carousel discussion at Head Teacher Forum, on 30th November 2022, where schools would be invited to share how they identify and support need early, to discuss the challenges they were facing and to give any other ideas or ways in which they could support.
