The Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Leicestershire Council met on Tuesday 3 March 2026 to discuss proposals for expanding community-based support for early years children with additional needs, the Building Education Services Together programme plan, and the Oakfield Short Stay School. The committee also reviewed the Quarter 3 2025-26 performance report.

Expanding Community Based Support for Early Years Children with Additional Needs

The committee discussed proposals to create more accessible and inclusive Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) nursery places within Leicestershire communities. The plan aims to increase inclusion support and funding for children aged 0-4 with additional needs, enabling greater access to mainstream provisions across the county and reducing reliance on specialist nurseries. This approach is intended to address current inequalities in access to early years provision, where specialist nurseries are not evenly spread and often have insufficient places. The proposed model includes recruiting additional specialist SEND practitioners and introducing a new Inclusion Funding band of £10 per hour for early years providers supporting children with more complex needs. This is projected to cost £1.32 million per year, the same as the current cost of specialist nursery places, with all existing funding being reinvested. The report also noted that repurposing existing specialist nursery buildings could create 41 additional special school places for statutory school-aged children, potentially offsetting around £1.7 million per year of future High Needs Block expenditure. A public consultation on these proposals concluded on 22 February 2026, with a further report to be considered by the Cabinet on 24 March 2026.

Building Education Services Together: Programme Plan

The committee received an overview of the Building Education Services Together (BEST) programme plan, which aims to support the 2026–2030 departmental plan for Children and Family Services. The programme aligns with national SEND reforms focusing on 'mainstream inclusion' and aims to improve financial sustainability by projecting savings of £48 million over four years, with a stretched target of £66 million. Key strategic priorities include enhancing graduated support with outreach, ceasing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) where provision has ceased, expanding specialist provision, reviewing the Early Years SEND support offer, reviewing the Educated Other Than at School (EOTAS) policy, and advancing smarter commissioning and demand management. The programme incorporates 24 workstreams designed to improve service performance, ensure a sense of belonging in educational settings, and provide early support for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

Oakfield Short Stay School

The committee was informed about changes to Oakfield Short Stay School and how the council will meet its statutory duties to ensure sufficient high-quality places for excluded pupils or those at risk of exclusion. The report highlighted that the previous sites for secondary provisions were no longer fit for purpose, and temporary arrangements had been put in place. The Oakfield Short Stay School has developed a graduated approach offering preventative advice, outreach, two-day placements, and five-day provision for permanently excluded pupils. This is a consistent offer across Leicestershire, ensuring equity. Data indicates that 23.41% of pupils attending Oakfield Short Stay School have an EHCP with a special school named, and 48.8% have SEND. The school's outreach service has contributed to a reduction in suspensions and permanent exclusions compared to the previous year. The core funding for the school is £5,482,674 annually, with additional funding for outreach and preventative work. Investment from the capital programme will be required for new property resources.

Quarter 3 2025-26 Performance Report

The committee reviewed the Children and Family Services Department's performance for October to December 2025. The report indicated that while some areas showed improvement, others remained areas of focus. The percentage of children becoming subject to a child protection plan for a second or subsequent time increased to 22.6%, placing Leicestershire in the second quartile of local authorities. The percentage of re-referrals to Children's Social Care within 12 months also saw a slight increase to 23.2%, placing the authority in the fourth quartile. However, the percentage of assessments completed within 45 days remained stable at 88.1%, and care leavers aged up to 21 in suitable accommodation (96.2%) and in education, employment, or training (63.3%) continued to perform well, placing Leicestershire in the top quartile for both indicators. The number of children Electively Home Educated (EHE) increased by 12% compared to the previous year, reaching 1,320. The percentage of young people aged 16-17 not in education, employment, or training (NEET) was 1.2%, remaining below the target.