SEND reforms by Suffolk County Council 'reassuring' according to government advisors

The Department for Education described the effectiveness and pace of reform within special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services in Suffolk as “reassuring”.

A review by government Care Quality Commission representatives found investment in areas such as mental health service and language therapy to be positive and noted “the leadership’s commitment to improvement in a wide range of areas”.

However, they stated they would like to see a progress report on plans to improve timescales of Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and the outcomes of funding for speech and language and occupational therapy services during their next review.

The review took place last July and the report was given to the council on March 1.

Rachel Hood, Cabinet Member for education, SEND and skills at Suffolk County Council, said: “Since I took up my position as Cabinet member for SEND, I have been clear that I wanted to see significant change and improvement in the County Council’s SEND provision.

“I am pleased that experts within the Department for Education have been able to recognise the progress we have made to date, and are reassured by our ongoing efforts.

“There is more still to do. Transforming a programme as complex as the delivery of essential services for children and young people is never quick or easy, and we recognise that not every family’s experience is where we would like it to be.

“However, SEND reform continues to be the council’s biggest priority.”

The positives cited in the review also included significant investment in staffing the neurodevelopment pathway and improved quality assurance arrangements for EHCPs.

The review followed a 2016 inspection, after which a written statement of action was agreed due to problems with SEND services and provision “because of significant weaknesses in the local area’s practice,” according to the Ofsted report.

The Department for Education monitors this improvement every six months, with a follow-up review in April 2023.

This comes as families of children with SEND are protesting outside Suffolk County Council’s offices in Ipswich today on behalf of the “hundreds if not thousands of others have been failed” by the SEND system in Suffolk – according to organiser Toni Wasag.

A letter will be handed to county council representatives detailing the ongoing struggles of a mother of two children with SEND, who has had seven upheld complaints to the local government and social care ombudsman – including for not providing support outlined in EHCPs and failures in the annual review process into EHCPs.

The mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims to suffer PTSD as a result of her experiences of trying to ensure her children get the right support.

EHCPs are legally binding documents that lay out the support children with SEND need.

The letter states: “Our daughter has cried many times about her EHCP. She used to cry ‘I thought it would help me’ and now just refuses to have appointments relating to learning or mental health as she does not trust that they will help.”

According to the mother, her daughter hurt herself or made herself sick to miss school. The mother also claimed her daughter was removed from her college’s registers without being told.

The letter to be handed over tomorrow refers to some positive experiences, though claims they were cut short. It states the daughter gained one to one support at home after being removed from college, which was “the best education experience she has ever had” but only lasted one year.

The letter also states: “Weekly meetings with key senior staff who really do care were provided for my son towards the end of Year 11.

“But they cannot move forward because you do not have the systems or resources in place, and our son is now missing out on post 16 education.”

The family has had seven complaints to the local government and social care ombudsman (LGSCO) upheld – including for not providing support outlined in EHCPs and failures in the annual review process into EHCPs. These decisions have been seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Annual reviews are processes required by law, in which the child’s progress and the suitability of their EHCP is considered.

Of all the children with EHCPs in Suffolk who were not attending school or another education provision at the beginning of January 2023, around 60 per cent had an overdue annual review – according to a freedom of information request made by Adam Robertson, campaigner for SEND families in Suffolk and Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

Toni Wasag, one of the organisers for tomorrow’s peaceful protest, said: “This protest group was started during the pandemic, with a view to making a visual representation of all families, children and young people failed by the services in Suffolk, schools and other health services – including Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust.

“It’s important to remember that protesters are the tip of the iceberg, and for everyone out in support there will be hundreds if not thousands of others who have been failed in Suffolk.”

Cath Byford, deputy chief executive of Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, said: “We recognise there is currently significant work underway to reform SEND services commissioned and provided by Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System, which we welcome.

“We work closely with all our partners across health and education to help make sure children and young people get the mental health services they need, when they need them. ”

The protest will take place outside Endeavour House in Ipswich between 12pm and 2pm tomorrow.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust has been contacted for comment.