Dec 4, 2023, Woking News and Mail: New Ofsted report exposes parent upset at Surrey's SEND services https://www.wokingnewsandmail.co.uk/news/education/new-ofsted-report-exposes-parent-upset-at-surreys-send-services-652703
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Some families in Surrey “do not feel listened to” and are receiving “inconsistent” support for children with additional needs or disabilities, according to a new report.
Ofsted and Care Quality Commission inspectors said families shared “powerful examples of not feeling listened to and feeling cut out of how decisions are made about their child or young person”.
An inspection into services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Surrey took place in September.
Surrey’s county council and two integrated care boards are responsible as a partnership for planning and commissioning services for children and young people with SEND in the county.
Inspectors said: “Children and young people with SEND have variable experiences in Surrey….
Across Surrey, 28,348 children and young people receive SEN support in school, and 12,925 have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
While inspectors said leaders had identified weaknesses, they said many parents, carers and children and young people with SEND had “not yet felt the impact” of improvements being made….
She told the LDRS: “We have made some progress, but we know there’s an awful lot more still to do.”
The county council’s stated ambition is “no one left behind” in Surrey, which Cllr Curran said continued to be a priority for the authority, as was the most vulnerable and the disadvantaged in society getting the support and the services they needed.
In the last inspection of Surrey County Council’s children’s services, Ofsted said the service as a whole required improvement but noted an improvement overall since its previous “inadequate” inspection in 2018.
Cllr Curran added: “I know that the services that we’re providing at the moment as a partnership aren’t where we want them to be, many families are still waiting too long.”
She also acknowledged the “stress, the distress and the anger that many families feel”.
With an end-to-end review of SEND services currently underway at the council, Cllr Curran added: “We do have a plan in place and this has been one of my real priorities since I came into role, that we are going to make improvements in this area….
With some children and young people receiving time limited services, particularly in health, and frequent staff changes in social care, inspectors said some parents and carers “felt ‘bounced about’ and confused” about the help on offer.
Inspectors said: “In this context, many parents and carers find it hard to build trusting relationships with professionals….
Inspectors said: “In these situations, children and young people often spend extended periods of time out of education while waiting for their needs to be identified.
“While education and health professionals are now addressing this issue, there are often further delays in arranging and agreeing provision which is suitable to meet these needs.”
This meant children were spending too long out of education and were not well prepared for their next steps, according to inspectors.
The report also highlighted families reaching “crisis point” before returning to full-time education outside of mainstream schools, because despite professionals identifying their needs carefully, the provision is “too often” put in place after too long a wait.
Inspectors also said: “Too often, children and young people with SEND and their families do not feel valued or visible in their communities….
They said waiting lists for short breaks programmes were too long to access and that older children felt there was “a lack of support and suitable opportunities for them, such as safe spaces or groups outside of education”.
With another inspection due within around three years, inspectors pointed to “shining beacons” at the partnership, including an All Age Autism Strategy, and “ambition” for children and young people with SEND in Surrey….
Heartlands ICB, said: “Health partners, like those in education and social care are facing the difficulties associated with rising demand and increased complexity of need, set within the challenging context of finite resources.”…
Cllr Curran said it was important to look at Surrey in a national context, with more families requesting assessment for their children and the number of education, health and care plans nationally growing.
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