The Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel of Merton Council met on Thursday 17 September 2026 to discuss departmental updates, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) service, and the School Place Planning Strategy. The panel also reviewed performance monitoring, the action log, and the work programme.

Departmental Update

The panel received an update on the work of the Children, Lifelong Learning and Families (CLLF) Department. This included information on schools, Merton Adult Learning, short breaks for families with disabled children, and the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. The report highlighted that auto-enrolment for free school meals would be rolled out to all schools in the borough by September 2026. The department also provided an update on children and young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET), noting that Merton's rate of 2.1% was significantly lower than the national average. The report also detailed the ongoing SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) reform plan, workforce development, and the Families First Partnership Programme, including the Abbey Pilot. Corporate parenting updates and the Youth Justice Service were also covered.

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) Service 2025/26

The panel was presented with the annual report for the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) service for 2025/26. The report detailed that the LADO service received 420 contacts during the year, with the majority relating to requests for advice and threshold consultation. The education sector continued to be the primary source of contacts, accounting for 39% of all interactions. The report highlighted achievements such as the delivery of bespoke training and positive feedback from Ofsted. Areas for development included a proposed review of the harm threshold for LADO involvement and ongoing concerns regarding the absence of CCTV on transport for children with special educational needs.

School Place Planning Strategy

The panel reviewed the draft School Places Planning Strategy for 2026-2031. The strategy outlines a continuing fall in demand for primary school places, which is impacting some schools' ability to meet balanced budgets. It also forecasts a significant fall in demand for secondary school places within approximately four years. The strategy details plans to manage the demand for specialist provision, noting a substantial increase in the number of children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and a corresponding rise in demand for specialist school places. The report indicated that Merton has doubled the number of specialist state-funded places to meet this demand.

Performance Monitoring

A performance report was presented, focusing on key performance areas across Children, Lifelong Learning and Families, with an emphasis on supporting children to achieve well and ensuring their safety. The report included data on educational attainment, with Merton pupils performing above national benchmarks in Early Years Foundation Stage Profile, Year 1 Phonics, and Key Stage 2 assessments. The timeliness of EHCP plans being issued within the 20-week timescale was highlighted, with Merton issuing 91% of plans within this timeframe in the 2025 calendar year, although a dip was noted in July 2026 due to capacity issues within the Educational Psychology Service. The report also provided data on children subject to child in need plans and child protection plans, with Merton's rates being comparable to London averages.

Action Log

The panel reviewed the action log, which tracks information requested from previous meetings. Actions included a request for further data on childhood immunisation uptake, a description of the timeline for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) being provided with an education setting, and a needs analysis breakdown by ward for school absence. Updates were provided on the progress of these actions, with some still being pursued.

Work Programme

The panel considered its work programme for 2026/27. This included scheduled items such as the LADO Annual Report, the School Place Planning Strategy, departmental updates, and performance monitoring for the September meeting. Future meetings were planned to cover topics including budget scrutiny, the Family First Partnership, children in temporary accommodation, children's health, local SEND reforms, and child poverty.