The inspection also found five key areas for improvement in services in the area
An inspection into Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services in the East Riding has found “inconsistent experiences and outcomes” for children and young people. A report on the September inspection, which was carried out by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (QCQ), has been published this week.
The inspection looked into the East Riding of Yorkshire Local Area Partnership which is made up of East Riding Council and the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). The council and the ICB are jointly responsible for the delivery of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services and support to families. The report states they “must work jointly to make improvements.”
The report found: “Many children and young people with an education, health and care (EHC) plan achieve positive educational outcomes and have high attendance. However, some receiving SEN support in mainstream schools experience variable provision and outcomes”. Whilst “the majority did receive EHC plans in a timely manner”, the inspection found that “the quality of some plans is inconsistent.”
Ofsted and CQC found many strengths including leaders across the local partnership being committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, children and young people with SEND have a voice in the local area and the lived experiences of families inform local decision making. It also found improvements in the timeliness of education, health, and care plans (EHCP) and SEN Support outcomes. The Inclusion Panel, Futures+, and Supported Internships were highlighted as positive developments.
The inspection found five key areas for improvement. These were: reducing waiting times for key health services including ASD/ADSD, SALT (speech and language therapy) and CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), continue improving SEN support outcomes, improving EHCP quality and consistency, enhancing short break provision and strengthening monitoring, governance and oversight.
Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children, families and education said: “I am pleased that the inspection highlights progress has been made, and that particularly for SEN support in mainstream settings, we need to continue with the actions we have begun. We will continue to work hard to provide positive experiences for all of our children, young people and families.
“To provide some context to the challenges, East Riding joins the majority of partnerships that have also been inspected as inconsistent. There is a national crisis with insufficient funding and increasing needs. East Riding is one of the largest local authorities and receives the lowest funding for high needs out of 150 areas. While sufficiency challenges remain – particularly around special school and alternative provision places -it’s important to note that the inspection team recognised that the local area has done all it can within its gift to address these issues.
“We are committed to ensuring children, young people and their families are able to access the right support at the right time, to meet their expressed and assessed needs. Together with our health partners, our schools and our children and families, we will continue to improve outcomes and experiences of children with SEND.”
Paula South, Director of Nursing, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board said: “We welcome the findings of the inspection and are pleased the report recognises the commitment of all partners to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Health services play a vital role in supporting families, and we acknowledge the areas where improvements are needed, particularly around waiting times for key services.
“We are working closely with our partners to address these challenges and ensure that children and young people receive timely, high-quality care and support. Together, we remain committed to listening to families and making the changes that will make a real difference to their lives.”
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