Decision details

Sian Rees, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Consultant, Lancashire County Council, reported on the progress following the inspection by Ofsted and Care Quality Commission in November 2017 to judge how effectively the special educational needs and disability reforms had been implemented, as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014.  The inspection identified two fundamental failings and twelve areas of significant concern.

Formal review visits by the Department for Education (DfE) and NHS England had taken place since 2018 to consider the progress being made in line with the Written Statement of Action; the most recent being on 19 August 2019.

Preparation for the forthcoming re-visit by Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) to the Lancashire local area had been taking place; the visit would assess the progress made in addressing the twelve areas of concern detailed in the original report.

The re-visit was expected to take place before the end of October 2019 and in preparation for this the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Partnership Board would consider the self-assessment at its next meeting on 16 September 2019.  The re-visit would include all partners and engagement with parents, children and young people.

Headlines from the 36 page self-assessment were presented to the Board and the full self-assessment would be circulated to members following the meeting of the Partnership Board on 16 September 2019.

Five areas were also identified where the pace of progress needed to be accelerated and again, these would be considered and the plans agreed at the Partnership Board also in September.  The five areas were:

Quality of Education, Health and Care Plans

Education Outcomes

Transition Arrangements

Information about the Local Offer

Implementing Neuro-development Pathway

The self-assessment was felt to be a fair and reasonable assessment, evidenced by some fundamental changes.

Resolved:  That the Health and Wellbeing Board:

i)  Received a presentation to outline the process of the forthcoming re-visit by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC);

ii)  Summarised the assessment of progress to date;

iii)  Shared the process in place to accelerate progress where this was required.