Agenda item

Dr Morwenna Wagstaff introduced the report and answered the members’ questions with Dr Lucie Doyle, Jacquelyn Elias and Hayley Page:

·        A member asked if ELSA training is available to all pupils, and if we are promoting emotional literacy in schools.

ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) training is for staff, not pupils, but emotional literacy support is available to all pupils. ELSA training is targeted at teaching assistants, and every school in Monmouthshire has at least one trained ELSA. While the training itself isn’t for pupils, schools use it to deliver time-limited interventions and ongoing support like morning check-ins. Additionally, there’s a broader commitment to emotional well-being through the Healthy Settings service, aligned with Welsh Government’s statutory framework. This includes action plans for schools to become emotionally healthy environments. Universal, trauma-informed professional learning is also offered to ensure all pupils benefit from inclusive, preventative approaches.

·        A member asked for more qualitative and quantitative information about the 68 to 70 placements that have been maintained.

The 68 to 70 placements refer to the number of children who have been maintained in their current placements due to the support provided. The Council is working on providing more detailed qualitative and quantitative information in their reports.

·        More information on the risks or concerns mentioned in the report was sought, specifically regarding schools having the time and commitment to changing processes, and the over-reliance on grant funding.

The concerns highlighted in the report include:

-        Time and Commitment: Schools face pressures on the availability of support staff, which can impact how situations are responded to, especially with children presenting distress or dysregulation. The Council supports schools with ongoing professional development and training.

-        Changing Processes: Schools are in the process of aligning with new statutory frameworks and guidance around emotional health and well-being, which requires changes in policies and practices.

-        Over-reliance on Grant Funding: The trauma-informed work initiated post-COVID is funded by Welsh Government grants, which are provided on a year-by-year basis. The Council is developing an in-house model of professional learning and training to ensure sustainability should the grant funding end.

·        It was noted that additional reports that are linked in the main report can’t be opened – ACTION

·        A member asked for more information about the concerns in 3.4.10.

The key issues include staffing pressures, systemic change and funding uncertainty. There is a risk that schools may not always have enough emotionally attuned adults available to support children in distress, due to limited support staff. Schools are adapting to new statutory frameworks on emotional health and well-being, which requires ongoing support from the local authority to align policies and practices. Much of the trauma-informed work began with Welsh Government COVID-related well-being grants. While this funding continues, it’s allocated annually, creating uncertainty. In response, Monmouthshire is developing a sustainable in-house training model in partnership with Traumatic Stress Wales to ensure continuity if external funding ends.

·        A member asked about the provision of educational psychologists, and whether officers feel they can manage the expectations from parents and schools.

There is a national shortage of educational psychologists, but Monmouthshire is fortunate to have a full team. They support Cardiff University, including by having trainee educational psychologists work with the team. The team engages in preventative work and offers professional learning to schools. Each school has a link educational psychologist who works closely with the additional learning needs coordinator to prioritise individual young people. The service also offers various ways for schools to access support, including anonymous consultations and problem-solving sessions.

·        A member asked if, in future, numbers or percentages be given in place of words like ‘most’ and ‘many’, e.g. in 3.5.2.

The language used in the reports follows Estyn’s standardised terminology. This language is intentionally used because it aligns with Estyn’s quantifiable categorisation system and reflects expected inspection language. Clarifying these terms and quantifying their meaning can form part of the glossary that will be created and included in future reports.

·        A member asked what provisions are in place for the one pupil not covered by the figures in 3.7.6.

The apparent omission was due to a wording issue in the report. The pupil in question was supported through a managed move to another mainstream school. So, all pupils were accounted for; the confusion arose from how the sentence was structured.

·        A member asked if there any special provisions provided for our children looked after.

The Council prioritises children who are looked after within all their provisions for vulnerable learners. They have a vulnerable learner lead role and a statutory officer specifically responsible for children looked after. These children are given priority access to services such as the education support team and the educational psychology service.

Chair’s Summary:

The Chair thanked the officers for the report and their responses to the committee’s questions and reiterated the committee’s appreciation for the team’s work.