Options Appraisal Option Description & Advantages Disadvantages Implications 1. Do nothing This would leave a High quality offer for those Model will become significant proportion of in the settings strong unsustainable? – resource tied up in the DSLP evidence of impact Inflexible resources – can’t settings. As IDS funding be readily moved or reductions are applied this matched to needs would disproportionately Bureaucratic resource – impact on the Outreach offer spent on assessment for as it would be impossible for entry the DSLPs to remain viable with a similar proportion of reduction. 2. Close DSLP Might result in more Improve equality of offer Potentially dilute offer to settings and move equitable offer in the longer across the County children with highest Sp & resource solely to term but it would take some Lang Impairment (SLI) Improve reach of and outreach years to get there unless access to offer Increased costs of specialist current cohort were staff travelling between Increased flexibility of immediately sent to other settings response settings, which would likely Pupils more subject to the Increased flexibility in provoke parental legal vagaries of different deployment of IDS school’s action. SEN Support offer resources (e.g. staff cover, Would fail to capitalise on wider range of needs) Time lag as schools adapt to the existing benefit of having and learn how best to meet Minimise bureaucracy SEN resourced provision expectations around admissions which the Council is Increased focus on committed to developing developing capacity - clear more of for a range of needs. expectations on schools & embedding the Matrix
Options Appraisal Option Description & Implications Advantages Disadvantages 1. Do nothing This would leave a significant proportion of resource tied up in the DSLP settings. As IDS funding reductions are applied this would disproportionately impact on the Outreach offer as it would be impossible for the DSLPs to remain viable with a similar proportion of reduction. High quality offer for those in the settings – strong evidence of impact Model will become unsustainable? Inflexible – resources can’t be readily moved or matched to needs Bureaucratic – resource spent on assessment for entry 2. Close DSLP settings and move resource solely to outreach Might result in more equitable offer in the longer term but it would take some years to get there unless current cohort were immediately sent to other settings, which would likely provoke parental legal action. Would fail to capitalise on the existing benefit of having SEN resourced provision which the Council is committed to developing more of for a range of needs. Improve equality of offer across the County Improve reach of and access to offer Increased flexibility of response Increased flexibility in deployment of IDS resources (e.g. staff cover, wider range of needs) Minimise bureaucracy around admissions Increased focus on developing capacity - clear expectations on schools & embedding the Matrix Potentially dilute offer to children with highest Sp & Lang Impairment (SLI) Increased costs of specialist staff travelling between settings Pupils more subject to the vagaries of different school’s SEN Support offer Time lag as schools adapt to and learn how best to meet expectations