SCN0683

 

Supplementary written evidence from Steve Rumbelow.

 

 

  1. In the Education Committees session on Tuesday 12th February which I attended you asked if Rochdale Council used Project SEARCH.

 

  1. I can now confirm that we do not use Project SEARCH to source internships/job opportunities for SEND young people. We do have local arrangements which we believe are effective.

 

  1. As a large local employer the Council has established a programme of supported internships. We provide opportunities in Neighbourhood Service, Childrens and Adults Social Care and Resources Directorates. This year we have an intern working with a Resource Officer who prepares materials for learning in schools helping to put co-production at the heart of everything we do. We have also brokered a number of internships within our local health system and have our first in a local school.

 

  1. We have apprenticeships available via local training providers, Mantra, Rochdale Training and The Growth Company. We work closely with our local FE College, Hopwood Hall on apprenticeships and a broad range of training opportunities. The key to the success of this approach is the provision of life coaches to support young people into work and beyond.

 

  1. Whilst this service works well the case load of life coaches that are central to its success are bigger than we would like and this is just one of the cost pressures which we discussed in the session which I attended.

 

  1. We broadly welcome the SEND reforms but it is clear that the scale of the reform programme was underestimated. The transition process was a significant task and the implementation grant was insufficient. The new SEND arrangements are significantly underfunded going forward and new burdens funding should have been allocated. There is also a need for an injection of targeted capital funding to reflect local requirements for specialist provision. A sustainable funding strategy (revenue and capital) is needed as a matter of urgency.

 

  1. I hope this is helpful but if you require anything further please let me know.

 

 

March 2019.