A public consultation is under way on proposals to increase the education provided to children and young people who can’t attend school because of medical needs.
North Yorkshire County Council is reviewing its medical education service with the aim of ensuring equality across the county for all children and young people absent from school for medical reasons, whether that’s their physical or mental health.
The proposals offer an increased range of options, including digital solutions, personal home tuition and group education, which is currently available only to secondary school pupils. This would enable a flexible, bespoke package to be created for each child. Regular meetings with pupils, their families, health professionals and schools would ensure a pupil and family-centred approach that reflected the child’s needs.
Cllr Patrick Mulligan, Executive Member for Education and Skills, said:
The proposals on which we are consulting aim to provide joined-up solutions to minimise disruption to a child’s education and to enable the earliest possible return to school for many pupils. They would see more involvement of health professionals and schools to create more bespoke options depending on the need of the child or young person.
The proposed service would also be available to children with special educational needs and disabilities that have an additional medical need and that attend special schools, are in post-16 education or are in education with an education, health and care plan up to the age of 25.
Cllr Mulligan added:
These proposals are about strengthening our provision and our accountability in ensuring pupils’ needs are met. They set out to improve the range of the education and the number of hours on offer to young people requiring medical tuition, with the aim of reducing the time missed through absence from school.
Currently, provision is delivered through enhanced mainstream schools and pupil referral units.
For more information or to take part in the consultation, go to www.northyorks.gov.uk/medicalneedstuition. The consultation is open until 13 October 2019.
The County Council is holding the following consultation events at which people can find out more about the proposals and provide feedback. The events are split into two parts as outlined below:
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Consultation Events
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| Locality Area
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Date | Venue | Time | Audience |
| Selby | 12 September 2019 | The Regen Centre, Landing Lane, Riccall, YO19 6PW | a) 12:00 – 1:30pm
b) 2:00 – 3:30pm |
a) Parents, Carers, Children and Young People
b) Professionals |
| Craven | 17 September 2019 | The Tempest Hotel, Elslack Lane, Skipton, BD23 3AY | a) 12:00 – 1:30pm
b) 2:00 – 3:30pm |
a) Parents, Carers, Children and Young People
b) Professionals |
| Harrogate | 19 September 2019 | The Old Swan Hotel, Swan Road, Harrogate, HG1 2SR | a) 12:00 – 1:30pm
b) 2:00 – 3:30pm |
a) Parents, Carers, Children and Young People
b) Professionals |
| Scarborough | 20 September 2019 | The Crown Spa Hotel, The Esplanade, Scarborough, YO11 2AG | a) 12:00 – 1:30pm
b) 2:00 – 3:30pm |
a) Parents, Carers, Children and Young People
b) Professionals |
| Hambleton / Richmond | 24 September 2019 | The Golden Lion, 114 High Street, Northallerton, DL7 8PP | a) 12:00 – 1:30pm
b) 2:00 – 3:30pm |
a) Parents, Carers, Children and Young People
b) Professionals |
| Ryedale | 25 September 2019 | The Talbot Hotel, Yorkersgate, Malton, YO17 7AJ | a) 12:00 – 1:30pm
b) 2:00 – 3:30pm |
a) Parents, Carers, Children and Young People
b) Professionals |
