SEND resources in Suffolk need addressing urgently says OFSTED and QCQ

From the 13th to the 17th of November 2023 a Local Area Partnership inspection was carried out for Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) resources in Suffolk with Ofsted and the CQC.

These inspections take place every 4 years with the last one in January 2019.

In Suffolk, those responsible for planning and commissioning services to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND include the following as part of the Suffolk Local Area Partnership (LAP).

• Suffolk County Council
• The NHS Suffolk and North Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB)
• NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB

"The Suffolk LAP oversees the commissioning of local education, social care and health provision for children and young people with SEND."

The report has identified "significant concerns" with multiple issues including their needs not being identified "quickly or accurately enough."

• "Assessments for support take too long."
• "Needs are not identified early or well."
• "long wait times for services - such as assessments and diagnosis"
• They do not receive "good enough help to prepare for adulthood."
• Families very often "do not know, or do not understand" the support" that is available.

Due to these issues, the report has found that children with Education, health and care (EHC) plans in Suffolk, "achieve less" in schools "than similar pupils elsewhere."

They also are "much more likely to be excluded and to find themselves not in education, employment or training (NEET).

The main two things the inspection report identified that required priority actions are the following.

1. "The partnership should work more collaboratively and effectively to improve strategic planning.

This needs to deliver systems with measurable impact that will create better experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND."

2. "Leaders should cooperate to take urgent action to improve the timeliness and quality of the statutory Education Health Care plan process, Education Health Care plan needs assessments and Education Health Care plans and annual reviews.

"This should ensure that plans meaningfully capture the views and aspirations of children and young people with SEND and their families so that they get the right support at the right time."

"When the right help is put in place, it is often only at the point of crisis."

What improvements are being made?

The local area partnership say they are now implementing a "number of urgent actions." Which include

• "A proposed investment of £4.4 million into SEND services next year by Suffolk County (This is yet to be agreed, and will be decided on the 15th of February)
• Establishing a "Suffolk SEND Improvement Board will be chaired by an Independent Chair, to oversee the improvement plan and actions needed.
• "A new SEND Strategy is also in the process of being co-produced with parents and carers to set the strategic direction. "

Nicola Beach, Chief Executive of Suffolk County Council, said:

“We accept that our improvement work has not yet had the positive impact on the experience of children and young people with SEND and their families in Suffolk.

“This is not good enough and I apologise to children and young people and their families.

“We accept the findings of the report and we must now go further and faster as a partnership to deliver the urgent improvements needed.

“Our SEND staff work with passion and conviction every day to make children's lives better and it is important to recognise this and thank them for their ongoing hard work and commitment.

"I understand the challenges that colleagues face and that is why I will continue to work with senior leaders from the NHS to strengthen changes to make a difference.”

The full report can be found here .

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