The Children's Services Scrutiny Panel of Ealing Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 22 September 2026. The meeting's agenda includes an update on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Inclusion, as well as a review of the panel's work programme.

SEND and Inclusion Update

A significant portion of the meeting is expected to focus on an update regarding SEND and Inclusion. The report pack indicates that this item will provide a comprehensive overview of Ealing's Local SEND Reform Plan 2026. This plan outlines a future model for a more inclusive, coordinated, and financially sustainable 0–25 SEND system. The discussion is scheduled to cover the national and local context driving these reforms, Ealing's specific vision and strategic goals, and the four key building blocks of the local approach. These building blocks are detailed as: strengthening mainstream inclusion and specialist support, refining statutory Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) processes, and developing local specialist provision. The report pack also states that the discussion will address the local framework for attendance and educational access, Elective Home Education (EHE), Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS), Children Missing Education (CME), and Children Missing Out on Education (CMOE).

The report pack highlights that nationally, the SEND system is under pressure due to increasing demand for statutory assessments, workforce shortages, rising placement costs, and difficulties for families navigating services. Ealing's Local SEND Reform Plan, submitted in June 2026, aims to address these issues. The plan notes a substantial increase in EHCPs, from 3,119 in 2021/22 to 4,545 in 2025, with forecasts suggesting this could reach approximately 5,445 by 2029. The report pack also details a changing needs profile, with autism, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs, and severe learning difficulty being significant components of the EHCP cohort.

Ealing's vision for SEND is that every child and young person with SEND is welcomed, valued and supported to achieve and thrive within their local community. This vision necessitates a shift from a system organised around statutory assessment and specialist intervention to one focused on prevention, early identification, skilled mainstream practice, and integrated partnership working. The plan outlines four strategic goals: strong outcomes and preparation for adulthood; timely, coordinated services and family confidence; mainstream capacity and early intervention; and financial sustainability and improved outcomes.

The report pack details four building blocks for the future system:

• Strengthening inclusion across education settings: This involves refreshing the Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) framework, supported by the Ealing Learning Partnership (ELP) and the Experts at Hand model. The Experts at Hand model aims to bring together educational psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, specialist teaching, and outreach from special schools and alternative provision, accessible through a Joint Front Door without requiring a statutory assessment.
• Access to specialist support and local placements: This building block focuses on expanding local specialist provision to complement mainstream capacity, aiming to reduce reliance on LA-funded independent placements.
• System leadership, partnership collaboration and co-production: This emphasizes the SEND and AP Strategic Partnership Board as the primary forum for collaboration, with a focus on co-production involving parents, carers, children, and young people.
• Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours: This involves developing a shared definition of inclusion and focusing on equity, ensuring that SEND identification, exclusions, suspensions, access to support, and outcomes are understood by ethnicity, language, need, and locality.

The report pack also addresses attendance and educational access for vulnerable children, noting that attendance for children and young people with SEND remains lower than the wider school population. It also covers Children Missing Education (CME) and Children Missing Out on Education (CMOE), outlining Ealing's approach to identifying and supporting these children.

Panel's Work Programme Report

The panel is also scheduled to consider its work programme for 2026-2027. The report pack indicates that this item will outline and update the panel's planned scrutiny activities for the municipal year. It is noted that the work programme is subject to change as new issues arise or priorities shift. A suggestion has been made to consider a report on the number of asylum-seeking, unaccompanied minors, and children and families with no recourse to public funds for a future meeting.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in The Elizabeth Cantell Room, ground floor, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing W5 2HL, commencing at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held in public.