Draft
These are the draft minutes of the SEND Strategic Partnership Board. This note will be removed once the minutes are signed off at the next meeting.
Attendance
- Adam Walker, People Too
- Andre Imich, Independent Chair
- Amy Bickford, SEND Participation Lead, Devon County Council
- Amy Carey-Jones, Information Advice and Support Lead, DiAS
- Brian Gale, SEND Adviser, DfE
- Clare Merchant-Jones, head of SEND Operations, Devon County Council
- Councillor Denise Bickley, Cabinet member for SEND, Devon County Council
- Councillor Julian Brazil, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Schools, Devon County Council
- Dan Harris, Head of Financial Systems and Processes, Devon County Council
- Donna Manson, Chief Executive, Devon County Council
- Hollie Billington, Children and Family Health Devon
- Jo Pritchard, Clinical Lead for SEN and Children, NHS Devon
- Julia Bonell, Co-chair of Parent Carer Forum Devon (PCFD)
- Julian Wooster, Director of Children and Young People’s Futures, Devon County Council
- Kellie Knott, SEND Strategic Director, Devon County Council
- Lisa Sage (minutes), Safeguarding Conference Officer, Devon County Council
- Maddie Hayden, Communications Officer, Devon County Council
- Mark Tucker, Senior Learning Disability and Autism Programme Assurance Manager and SEND Lead NHS England and NHS Improvement South West, NHS England
- Matt Greenhalgh, Interim Head, SEND Improvement, Devon County Council
- Melanie Coleman, Programme Manager for SEND Transformation Programme, Devon County Council
- Mohammed Jamal, DfE Case Lead, Department of Education
- Paul Walker, CEO, First Federation Multi-Academy Trust and Chair of Devon Schools Leadership Services (DSLS)
- Sally Heath, Deputy Director, Transformation and Business Services, Devon County Council
- Sophie Turner, Education Schools Team (SW Region), Department of Education
- Steve Brown, Director of Public Health, Devon County Council
- Su Smart, Director of Women and Children’s Improvement, NHS Devon
- Victoria Mitchell, Co-chair of Parent Carer Forum Devon (PCFD)
Apologies
- Emma O’Connell, Children and Family Health Devon Acting Director
- Jack Newton, Deputy Director – Education and Schools, Devon County Council
- Natalie Wickens, Children and Family Health Devon
1. Welcome, introductions and apologies
The Chair opened the meeting, welcomed attendees, noted apologies and confirmed that actions from the previous meeting had largely been completed.
2. Updates on lived experiences of parents, children and young people
Parent Carer Forum Devon (PCFD)
- Families are reporting anxiety and uncertainty arising from national reforms and local system changes; confidence is reduced in some areas.
- ‘Question of the Week’ social media engagement running for seven weeks has generated meaningful feedback; PCFD welcomes collaboration on shaping future questions.
- A larger survey is being launched to gather deeper insight.
- Key themes emerging from recent feedback include:
- Short Breaks consultation – families feeling unaware of opportunities to contribute. Need to consider how we run and promote these and ensure they are accessible.
- PCFD will share feedback from recent announcement regarding post 16 closure proposals in East Devon, with central concerns around consultation accessibility.
- Challenges with school transport, including traumatic experiences for some children.
Children and young people’s participation:
- A video was shared highlighting young people’s voices.
- Young people are currently experiencing exam and transition related anxiety and excitement.
- It was agreed it is important to follow through on commitments to maintain trust.
- Work is underway as to how best to use and share feedback.
- Holly Billington highlighted the Participation team within CFHD and offered support on participation practice.
3. Four Cornerstones – follow up from postponed January session
Key points discussed:
- A new stand alone workshop is proposed for 29 April from 10.30am to 2.00pm, with time for group discussion and networking.
- Concerns were raised about short timescale for venue booking, but members agreed it remains important to proceed promptly due to the significance of embedding the Four Cornerstones.
- A smaller group will confirm final arrangements. A later date would possibly impact exams and it would be necessary to defer until July which is too late.
Actions:
Smaller planning group to confirm date and location for stand-alone coproduction workshop. AI, JB, AB
4. General updates
Self Evaluation Framework (SEF)
- SEF was circulated. A finalised version to be circulated by the end of the month.
- Whilst we’re good at documenting activity, the process has identified that we’re not as good at identifying and analysing impact.
- Zoe Heywood appointed as SEND Inspection Lead.
DfE Maturity Assessment
- Draft Maturity Assessment developed amalgamating information gathered through survey findings and online session.
- Work is ongoing to finalise the assessment tool, which will be circulated once we have a final version.
- Response variations suggest differing interpretations and a need to revisit perceptions.
Building Inclusive Communities
- Mark Vickers (Olive Academies) is leading inclusion work with schools.
- A recent Inclusion Conference was well attended and helped develop a shared understanding of the need for improvement.
- Concerns remain about scepticism from some schools due to past initiatives not being implemented.
- Members stressed the need for culture change, patience, and consistent communication.
Actions:
- Kellie Knott to circulate finalised SEF to the Board by the end of the month.
5. Areas of significant weakness
Key points discussed:
Embedding Strategic Plans and SEND arrangements
- Slides shared on the Four Cornerstones and Devon’s updated SEND JSNA highlighted increasing complexity of need and gaps such as pathway delays and integrated needs led models.
- Work is ongoing to align SEND, neurodiversity, SLCN, mental health and sufficiency strategies into a single coherent model.
- Members noted improved experience for some families, with more compliments being received, although impact is not yet widespread.
- Importance of recording compliments for analysis emphasised. Individuals already so but need a more central process.
Communication with Key Stakeholders
- New Communications and Relationships standards have been rolled out with a very positive all day workshop including both practitioners and parent carers taking place at the end of February. Focus was on using a “What would it take?” approach.
- Legacy trust issues remain and will take time to rebuild but some signs of improvements.
- New standards require responses to families within five days.
- Locality structure being strengthened to ensure families receive consistent communication.
- Health communications adopting “You Said, We Did”, clearer waiting time information, and improved contact lines (OT line with 100% positive feedback).
- Need to get a better understanding of each other’s services. It would be useful to have a central resource of useful contacts to help staff better signpost.
Timeliness and quality of EHC plans
- Demand pressure continues; February saw a 28% increase with 242 requests, and over 500 requests this year. Feeling is that this is largely a response to the publication of the SEND White paper.
- Backlog reduced from 1,200 last June to approximately 400.
- 80 plans drafted by Enhance last month to help speed up the issuing of plans and 3 additional EHCP partners have been recruited to speed up the issue of older plans.
- Important there is a balance between addressing the 20 week criteria to ensuring other families are not left waiting longer than they would otherwise have been.
- New SOPs and iDot system improving information flow.
- Decision making more rigorous: approval rate reduced from 62–70% to 45–50%.
- Some delays due to securing school places.
- Concerns raised about inconsistent inclusive practice in schools.
EHCP Quality Assurance findings:
- Parent carers will join the multi-agency audits from April.
- Audit results: 0 green, 11 amber, 5 red.
- Common issues: weak “All About Me” sections, inaccurate health information, overly long or duplicated parental views.
- Template criticised for readability and structure.
- Next steps include: no plan issued without health information, increased training and improved attendance at QA meetings.
- Donna Manson highlighted major concerns: 40% incorrect primary need, 25% plans not requiring an EHCP, pointing to training needs.
Actions:
- MG – EHCP QA update to be provided to the board in three months’ time.
6. High Needs Banded Funding Framework
- Board asked to endorse updated Banding framework, including funding values, phased implementation from April 2026, and development of Band 10+ route.
- Widely welcomed by schools
- Based on modelling of 73 moderated cases this is estimated to cost the council an additional £3.8m
- PCFD stressed need for clear communication with families.
Key decisions:
- The Board was unable to formally approve the framework due to national funding constraints, ongoing DfE assurance requirements and local governance processes. However, the Board endorsed the proposed framework.
7. SEND Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
- A 500 page report is being condensed to an executive summary; date for release TBC.
- Small updates have been made following earlier Board discussion.
Action:
• KK – To circulate JSNA Executive summary once completed.
8. DfE Schools White Paper
- Devon received a letter from DfE requesting a Local Area Reform Plan, with a draft due mid May.
- This will require extensive cross-agency data and collaboration; early work is underway with the ICB.
- The next Board meeting will occur two weeks before the submission deadline. Suggestion to make this the main focus of the meeting.
Date for next meeting: Wednesday 6 May 2026. 9.30am – 12.30pm