SEND inspection: 'Issues to deal with, but positive trajectory'

Coun Wayne Daley, cabinet member for childrens services.

There were '˜no shocks or surprises' in an inspection report detailing '˜significant weaknesses' in services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Northumberland.

As previously reported, a joint inspection of Northumberland’s provision by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which took place in October, raised ‘significant concerns about the effectiveness of the local area’.

National reforms which came into force in 2014 placed a duty on local authorities to lead on integration arrangements between health services, social-care provision and education for children and young people with SEND (special educational needs and/or disabilities).

Assessing the county’s progress since then, the report, published in December, concluded that a written statement of action (WSOA) must be produced that explains how the local area will tackle three ‘areas of significant weakness’.

At last Thursday’s (January 10) meeting of Northumberland County Council’s family and children’s services committee, an update on the inspection and the next steps was given to members.

Cath McEvoy-Carr, the council’s executive director of children’s services, said the WSOA was ‘not a surprise’, pointing out that there have been seven inspections in the North East so far and six have resulted in a statement.

She added that Northumberland’s self-assessment, a key element of the inspection, was ‘honest, transparent and open’ and was recognised as such by inspectors.