Hertfordshire County Council's ambition to improve its offer for children with special educational needs and disablities (SEND) is to be discussed this week.

The council's executive committee agreed to make a significant investment into SEND in July 2023, enabling a new programme of work 'Making SEND Everybody's Business'.

The programme aims to recruit 138 specialist roles in SEND and has already received over 900 applications, with hopes this will reduce the caseload of education and health care (EHC) plans by 30 per cent.

The flagship policy will be discussed during a meeting of Hert County Council's Impact Scrutiny Committee on Friday.

A report prepared by council officers states: "To the end of April, 111 of these posts have been appointed to already.

"These recruits have a range of backgrounds and SEND experience in education, social care and personal lived experience with SEND themselves and/or as parents and carers.

"The SEND Academy launched in January 2024 and, using learning from the way social workers have been supported and professionalised in Hertfordshire to an Outstanding level, is providing a comprehensive induction and training programme to ensure that staff are equipped to provide accurate and consistent advice to parents and professionals.

"Delivered and facilitated via a blend of external and internal expertise, the Academy is delivering an in-depth 6-week programme to ensure a strong foundation and effective induction.

"The programme is also now offering the opportunity to pursue the BTEC Level 3 and 4 in SEND Casework and Casework Management, accredited by NASEN2 and reflects the importance of continuing professional development for practitioners.

"External evaluation of the initial phases of the Academy is currently being completed by the University of Hertfordshire and ongoing investment for a SEND Learning & Development (L&D) programme has been secured as well as dedicated resource for SEND L&D within the wider Children's Services L&D function. 48 of our new recruits have completed their induction via the SEND Academy with a further 34 currently in training.

"The programme is Making SEND Everyone's Business by ensuring statutory SEND delivery is spread across a range of teams, and no longer sits with just one team, as had been in place previously. The Virtual School was the first area to take on responsibility for the children looked after cohort within this programme in autumn 2023.

"All remaining transfers of EHCPs3 are taking place between April and June with Access, Inclusion and Alternative Provision, Early Years and Services for Young People taking responsibility for their respective cohorts. This means almost all new recruits, having completed the induction programme, will be working directly with families by July 2024.

"The investment will enable school-aged and post-16 EHC Coordinators to deliver statutory SEND duties for between 170-200 children and young people each, with lower numbers in those teams supporting particularly vulnerable groups."