Issue - meetings

Approval is sought of the Speech, Language and Communication Needs Business Case

Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to report.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services, which set out proposals and to seek a mandate for creating a speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) service, integrated in the SEND and Inclusion Service.

This was part of the transformation plans for speech and language following the OFSTED Inspection in 2023; and was consistent with the Greater Manchester Balanced System work which has indicated a gap in Oldham in universal and targeted services around speech, language and communication.

This would allow greater join up of specialist teachers and specialist Speech and Language Therapy (S&LT) support for children and young people with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN). The new provision would be school-facing and would deliver support directly in schools/settings.

There were a higher-than-average number of children and young people in Oldham who had an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) compared to national (Oldham: 6.7% and national: 5.3%).

The most common type of need for children and young people with an EHCP was autism, although SLCN remains a significant area of need.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1 (preferred Option) – To expand the Oldham SEND & Inclusion Service, Specialist Services Team, by increasing the capacity for support related to SLCN through a settings-based delivery model. This would be achieved through the employment of speech and language therapists, advisory teachers, and therapy assistants (possibly, and in part, through conversion of current ELSEC and Better Communication Team staff), with increased capacity to create a new model. 

Option 2 – To continue to commission all S&LT services for children and young people under the current arrangements with the current provider. Current ELSEC and Better Communication funding is time limited so these teams would be vulnerable under this option.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet agrees to the creation of a S&LT universal & targeted support team, through a joint funding agreement with the integrated care partnership (ICP), with the service to sit within the existing SEND & Inclusion Service team, alongside other specialist services.