Published on: 15 July 2024
An inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) into Worcestershire’s approach to special education needs and disability (SEND) has been published.
Ofsted and CQC inspectors felt that there were systemic failings in the Worcestershire local area, with the following 2 priority actions required of the local area partnership.
- The local area partnership should urgently address the long waiting times for community paediatrics, the neurodevelopment assessment pathway, occupational therapy and physiotherapy
- The local area partnership should urgently develop genuine co-production with children and young people with SEND at a strategic level. Children and young people should feel they have fully participated in the process of developing services, improvement strategies and plans that meet their needs
The local area partnership, which comprises of NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board, Worcestershire Children First and Worcestershire County Council, fully accept their findings and recommendations on what needs to improve. Whilst the report recognises that progress has been made in some areas, the Partnership would like to apologise to those children and young people with SEND who have not received the timely support they need.
As a Partnership, we are committed to reducing waiting times and providing better support for those children and young people who are currently waiting. We want children and young people with SEND to feel truly seen and respected as individuals and this will be a key priority for us in further developing our co-production of services.
A monitoring inspection will be carried out within approximately 18 months and the next full reinspection will be within approximately three years. As a result of this inspection, His Majesty s Chief Inspector requires the local area partnership to prepare and submit a priority action plan (area SEND) to address the identified areas for priority action.
Read more here: Latest news | Worcestershire County Council
