Heather Tomlinson gave an overview of the six main pillars in the report and stated that in implementing the Act there is one strength and three challenges.

The strength is that the Department of Education monitoring visit has highlighted that Merton is particularly strong on involving parents in developing the local offer and the new Education Health and Care Planning Framework.

The first challenge is that the new process is more demanding than before because of the integrated nature of education, health and care planning. Trying to arrange for all the agencies to get together in one room can be difficult. Furthermore all professionals have different statutory processes and methodologies.  Councils across the country are finding the demanding process a problem. In Merton eighteen plans have been accepted, four have been completed with only two of these within the timescale. Again other local authorities are having similar problems. The department must transfer the current one thousand statements into the new model. Twenty four have been completed and according to the timescales we should be completing two hundred and fifty per year. All this is putting additional strain on services.

The second challenge is the need to secure real and meaningful integration with health partners. The new structure has made provision for a dedicated health team and there is also a need for a Dedicated Medical Officer. This post has still not been filled in Merton and health partners are not sufficiently round the table as yet. The third challenge is the move to personal budgets and transfer of funds to eligible parents for travel and short break provision. We need to identify unit costs.

Councillor Holmes asked for further details about feedback from professionals on page six of the agenda. Heather Tomlinson said the national pilot is reporting the same issues that are being found in Merton including limited resources and the need to clarify roles and responsibilities. We need to do more training on multi-agency working. We need to identify and share good practice. Professionals need to develop smart outcome focussed plans, we need a new mindset and to be able to think ahead. Yvette Stanley added we are asking professionals to think in all three domains, therefore we are asking teachers and health workers to make judgements about the care of a child. Historically we used to collate this information, now all professionals need to be in the room with the parent and child. This is a longitudinal programme we are also experiencing financial retraction and maximum outcomes are required with limited support.

Councillor Hanna asked if the implementation of the Act is achievable within current resources. Yvette Stanley said London local authorities recently met with the Department of Education and it was identified that there would be some economies of scale due to the  likelihood of fewer disputes with parents. Councils received a £150,000 grant of which a third will go towards employing two extra staff members so there would be no capacity for additional services. It is still early in the process but more difficult than we thought, especially if an inspection regime is created around it.

Councillor Henry said that mediation is important and cost effective.  Therefore in a time of budget constraints why is the department looking at outside providers for mediation services when we could do it in-house. Paul Ballatt said given that we only have a small volume of cases we tend to spot purchase these services. It is early days and we still need to decide if we need to commission this service. Heather Tomlinson said we have to provide this independent of the local authority but we can purchase services from other councils, private or voluntary sector.

Councillor Kenny asked if all the one thousand cases to be transferred are from within Merton and if all the relevant groups will be fully integrated at the transition meeting.Heather Tomlinson said some children will be out of borough. We have to go through a streamlined process working with the child and family and translate this into an Education Health Care plan. We have prioritised year groups; this year will be year eleven school leavers, sub groups include those in residential care. It is challenging preparing a plan that prepares the young person for adulthood especially if there are no links with social care. Yvette Stanley added eleven children are out of borough and over one hundred live at a distance, there is a wide range across the spectrum of need.

RESOLVED

The Panel has concerns about the challenges associated with implementing the Act and thanked the Children Schools and Families for working to tackle them.