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Appendix 5 CSD - 29.09.2026

Committee report · Full Council · Tue 13 Oct 2026 · East Sussex County Council · agenda item 5 · the whole meeting

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The report states that at the end of Q1, 513 children were subject to a Child Protection Plan, representing a rate of 50.0 per 10,000 children. p5

It reports that for primary phase admissions in 2026, 91.4% of East Sussex residents who applied on time were offered their first preference school, and 98.0% were offered one of their preferences. p12

It reports a Q1 predicted outturn for Children's Services of £187.816m for 2026/27, a forecast year-end overspend of £0.127m. p15

It reports a forecast overspend of £2.860m in Home to School Transport spend, driven by growth in SEND pupil numbers and increasing transport costs. p16

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  • p5Children Subject to a Child Protection Plan (ref i) At the end of Q1, 513 children were subject to a Child Protection Plan, representing a rate of 50.0 per 10,000 children. This continues the positive trend seen over the last two years, with the rate reducing by more than 20% since Q1 2024/25. The reduction reflects sustained investment in early intervention and family support services, enabling concerns to be addressed before risk escalates. The input of SWIFT, who deliver specialist assessments and support, together with Connected Families interventions, the Family Help pilot and strengthened step-down arrangements from Child Protection Plans to Children in Need support have all contributed to this positive position. Whilst the overall number of children subject to a Child Protection Plan has reduced, safeguarding vulnerable children remains a key priority and robust oversight continues through regular multi-agency review and quality assurance arrangements. Target setting for the ‘Rate of children with a Child Protection Plan (per 10,000 children)’ was deferred so that the outturn for 2025/26 could be taken into account. We are aiming to reduce the rate of children with a Child Protection Plan to the IDACI expected rate of 44.0 by 2027/28. It is recommended that a target of 48.7 is set for 2026/27, which represents a realistically achievable reduction on the 2025/26 outturn of 49.9.
  • p12Primary School Admissions National Offer Day for primary phase admissions was on 16 April 2026. This year 91.4% of East Sussex residents who applied on time were offered their first preference, and 98.0% were offered one of their preferences. This figure is slightly higher than the previous year when 91.2% of East Sussex residents who applied on time were offered their first preference, and 98.0% were offered one of their preferences. Overall, primary school pupil numbers are decreasing and as a result some schools are concerned about low pupil numbers. We monitor the number of school places required through our School Organisation Plan which is published annually. We continue to work closely with small schools on their future sustainability through our Small Schools Strategy.
  • p15Progress is also being made in Social Care and Health. The backlog of Social Care reports within MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) has reduced from 278 cases in February 2026 to 145 cases in May 2026, a reduction of 52%. Dedicated caseworkers, supported by Social Workers and the Designated Social Care Officer (DSCO) where capacity allows, continue to focus on clearing outstanding reports, with regular oversight in place. Some delays remain in receiving advice from Health services, including Community Paediatrics and therapies such as Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, but performance data shows that delayed reports are reducing and are generally no more than three weeks late. Overall, while EHCP timeliness is still not where it needs to be, focused work across Education, Social Care and Health is reducing backlogs and supporting gradual improvement. Revenue Budget Summary Overview Based on current financial modelling, the Q1 predicted outturn for the end of 2026/27 is £187.816m. This is a forecast year-end overspend of £0.127m, or 0.07% (ref vii) , which demonstrates the accuracy of the budget-setting for this financial year. In 2026/27 CSD has a net budget of £187.689m. There has been £25.582m additional budget given for growth and inflation, and £0.596m removed as permanent savings (ref vi) . This equates to a net increase of £24.986m. This year, all £0.596m savings are forecast to be achieved. The principal financial pressure within the service continues to be Home to School Transport (HTST). Whilst statutory demand-led services, including Child Protection and Children We Care For, continue to experience significant levels of demand, current forecasts indicate that these services are operating within their allocated budgets. Children We Care For placements, which have been a significant budget pressure in previous years, is currently forecast to remain within budget at Q1.
  • p16The Council has little control over Home to School Transport spend as this is a statutory demand-driven area primarily driven by growth in SEND pupil numbers and increasing transport costs which requires national change to impact the spend. Due to these pressures, there is a forecast overspend of £2.860m. The later section of this report outlines measures the Council is taking to control this overspend where possible. Due to the increased forecast of £2.682m in income secured from NHS Sussex in 2026/27 to jointly fund specialist placements for a small number of Children We Care For with very complex needs, Children’s Services spend overall is forecast to be almost to budget for this year. This is a significant increase in health income from previous years (£0.225m in 2024/25 and £1.565m in 2025/26). This income is linked to specific young people and must be secured through continued close partnership working with the NHS. Funding is not always secured for multiple financial years, so it cannot be relied upon when setting the budget. Therefore, this income is volatile and if this income changes, or there is an increase in the number of children in care with complex needs requiring high-cost placements, then the underspend in this area of the Children’s Services budget will no longer be able to cover the overspend in Home to School Transport. Not included in the figures reported above is the position of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which, in accordance with the Schools and Early Years Finance (England) Regulations 2020, is required by local authorities to be shown on their balance sheets. As of 31 March 2026, East Sussex has a cumulative deficit of £19.845m. The Council is unusual in having only moved into a deficit position in the last financial year, as most local authorities have been accumulating significant deficits for multiple years now.

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