A PROPOSAL to widen the scope of the new company running children’s social care to include education services has been criticised by the county council’s Lib Dem and Green councillors.

If plans are approved, Worcestershire Children First, the new private company which will be running children’s services from next April, would also be responsible for the majority of education services, early help services, services for children with special educational needs and disabilities as well as the commissioning of services for vulnerable children and families and community health services.

A motion put forward by the council’s Lib Dem and Green councillors at a full meeting of Worcestershire County Council last week, said they were “shocked” by the plans and called for a full consultation before such a “huge” decision was made.

It said: “It would be a severe loss of democratic involvement in the life and needs of Worcestershire’s young people and would offer a blank cheque from council tax payers for policy and priority choices made by the independent company.”

A report, to be discussed by the council’s cabinet this Thursday (November 15), sets out the council’s rationale for moving the majority of education services into the new company’s remit and County Hall says it would mean the new company could focus on improving services for children and young people as a whole as well supporting an integrated approach.

The report said widening the scope of Worcestershire Children First would allow the company to have a “single unwavering focus” on children and young people in the county as well as allowing the board of directors to concentrate on improving children’s services and services for children with special educational needs – both of which are under regular monitoring visits by inspectors Ofsted.

The report said: “With a broader scope, this focus will cover the full range of services for children and young people thus supporting a more inclusive and integrated approach.

“There will also be opportunities, which otherwise would not have existed, to integrate service provision together, such as services for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).”

An Ofsted inspection in March blasted the council and the county’s clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for its plans for children with SEND and ordered a proper improvement plan was put in place.

The motion was not discussed by the council as the time limit on debate was reached.