Agenda item

Report of the Group Director of People.

The Cabinet Member with the Children and Young People Portfolio introduced the report of the Group Director of People (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to the reviewed Special Educational Needs (SEND) Accessibility Strategy 2021/24 (also previously circulated).

The submitted report stated that the Council had a statutory duty to prepare an Accessibility Strategy in relation to schools for which it was the responsible body; the Strategy must be reviewed every three years; and that due to Covid-19 the review took place in Autumn 2021 and concluded in early 2022.  The Strategy set out how the Local Authority would work with maintained settings to increase the extent to which disabled children and young people could participate in the school curriculum; improve the physical environment of schools; and to improve the delivery of information to pupils with disabilities and / or learning difficulties.

Particular references were made to the to the Equality Impact Assessment screening that had been undertaken which had not identified any significant impact on people with a protected characteristic; the positive impact the strategy would have on all children with disabilities; the key change to the strategy which was the inclusion of a key priorities section; the financial considerations; the consultation that had been undertaken; and the outcome of that consultation.

In presenting the report the Cabinet Member with the Children and Young People Portfolio stated that academies had also been consulted on the Strategy.

References were made at the meeting to the delay in the review of the Accessibility Strategy; whether the recent review of the SEND provision had any implications on the Strategy; and on the response from the academies to the consultation.  The Cabinet Member with the Children and Young People Portfolio responded thereon.

RESOLVED – (a)  That the process undertaken to review the Special Education Needs (SEND) Accessibility Strategy, including consultation, as detailed in the submitted report, be noted.

(b)  That the Special Education Needs (SEND) Accessibility Strategy, as appended to the submitted report, be agreed.

REASON – The Strategy is required under the Local Authority statutory duty.