(UK) Blackburn: SPED services 'inconsistent'
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Feb 20, 2026, Lancs Live: Special educational needs services in Blackburn branded 'inconsistent'
Arrangements for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across Blackburn with Darwen Borough provide ‘inconsistent experiences and outcomes’ government inspectors have said.
This is the man conclusion of a report by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission conducted in December and published this week.
The Area SEND Inspection of Blackburn with Darwen Local Area Partnership focuses on the experiences of children and young people who are supported by Blackburn with Darwen Council and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB).
It also highlights the work of ‘caring and understanding’ SEND professionals who work with these children and young people.
Of three possible inspection outcomes, Blackburn with Darwen local partnership received the middle judgement. It will now work to make improvements identified by Ofsted and CQC.
The Ofsted/CQC report said: “The local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
“Ofsted and the CQC ask that the local area partnership updates and publishes its strategic plan based on the recommendations set out in this report.
“This is particularly the case for those waiting for specialist and adapted wheelchairs and older children and young people waiting for a diagnosis of their neurodevelopmental (ND) needs.
“For many children and young people with SEND, practitioners work well together to understand children’s needs and are effective at providing the right support at the right time.
“However, some children and young people wait too long for their needs to be identified and met.
“Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans are consistently completed and reviewed within statutory timescales.
“Babies, children and young people can access commissioned contacts, health assessments support and guidance from a well-embedded 0 to 19 team, whose members are readily accessible within all family hubs across Blackburn with Darwen.
“Young children benefit from a comprehensive and well-coordinated range of early years support.
“In some areas, leaders across the partnership have not had full oversight of gaps in services.
“There are examples of where gaps in service exist, and reasonable steps to mitigate these have not been put in place.
“Pathways for young people aged 16 to 25 with autism, and those aged 18 to 25 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are not commissioned in a way that meets need.
“There is a lack of clarity across Blackburn with Darwen about the arrangements for confirming a diagnosis of a learning disability.”
Blackburn with Darwen Council’s children’s services boss Cllr Julie Gunn said: “It’s reassuring to hear from the inspectors about the support which is making a difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
“I’m particularly proud of the passion that clearly exists to do the very best for our children and young people and the focus on quality of life.
“Our network of Family Hubs where services are all provided together continue to make sure that we can help those who need it most from babies up to age 19.”
Joanne Siddle, the borough’s director of children’s services and education said: “We are always keen to hear from inspectors regarding any key gaps in our provision and are already strengthening governance and any oversight across the partnership.
“As well as early years support that is well structured, we are also preparing young people with SEND for adulthood.”
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board’s chief executive Aaron Cummins, said: “We acknowledge the findings of the report.
“The ICB is aware that the lengthy waiting times to access some health services are unacceptable. A range of improvement programmes are in place to transform services with long waiting times.”
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