(UK) Worcs: 900 children waiting more than 2 yrs for special needs assessment
- The end of childhood
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Jan 19, 2026, Worcester News: SEND waiting lists have got worse since Ofsted report
WAITING lists for children’s ADHD and autism assessments have got worse since a damning Ofsted and CQC assessment 18 months ago.
The number of children waiting for community paediatric support and speech therapy in Worcestershire has also increased since the regulators reported “widespread systemic failings” in July 2024.
Health and education bosses say demand continues to outstrip capacity.
Reducing long waiting times was one of the main priorities set out in a three-year action plan by Worcestershire’s SEND Local Area Partnership - a collaboration between the county council and the ICB (integrated care board) - following the inspection.
An update on progress shows the number of children waiting for ADHD services had risen from 1,506 in September 2024 to 2,094 in November 2025.
The number waiting for autism services has gone up from 2,389 to 2,862 over the same period.
Cases in which children have been waiting more than a year or more than two years for a diagnosis have also increased.
Jade Brooks, director of operations at NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said waiting lists are “incredibly difficult to manage”.
She told a scrutiny panel meeting: “The numbers will keep going up and up every month, because the number of children joining the list keeps going up.
“The capacity we have in the NHS is 10 percent of the actual demand, so that means 90 percent we haven’t got a service for. It is as harsh and as difficult as that.”
The ICB is looking at improving productivity, using technology and hiring more staff, she added.
An investment of £1.2m [$1.6M] is being used to get 900 children who have been waiting longer than two years assessed by other providers.
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