Council to Review Proposals for Enhancing Area’s SEND Services

Forty-two recommendations, including new policies, guidance, and a request for a government review of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, have been put forward to enhance services in specific areas of Cheshire. Cheshire West and Chester Council initiated this review during the summer period. Earlier this year, families expressed their discontent with existing services by protesting outside the council’s administrative buildings. Councillors are scheduled to discuss this report at an upcoming meeting. According to the report, dissatisfaction with the SEND framework has been increasing across both local and national levels. The report identified several contributing factors, such as a rise in assessment requests, insufficient staffing, and inadequate provision for families with more complex requirements, in addition to various challenges encountered during the pandemic. The report stated, “As a result, some Cheshire West families have been waiting too long for assessments, plans and support.” Local authorities are mandated to complete Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs) within a 20-week timeframe. While the national average for plans completed within this period stands at 49%, the rate is lower within the Cheshire West and Chester council area. For the second quarter of the current financial year, the borough’s completion rate was 7.4%. The report offers recommendations across several domains, such as enhancing communication with families, reviewing staff collaboration with schools, and increasing council oversight of services. Furthermore, it underscores challenges related to staff turnover, illness, and hiring processes. It noted that this situation had resulted in some families feeling “frustrated, anxious and powerless, and then subsequently feeling dissatisfied with the service, eventually losing trust in the system.” The report additionally indicated that despite its focus on local concerns, it acknowledged the broader national context and the necessity for comprehensive system reform. Consequently, the report advises the council to formally request a comprehensive review of SEND provision from the government. Councillors will deliberate on the report before it is presented at a full cabinet meeting scheduled for next month.