Feb 13, 2024, Lancashire Telegraph: Council boss calls for action to get a grip on broken SEND system
NW England
Hyndburn Council's leader has branded the latest Ofsted report into Lancashire's special educational needs and disabilities provision 'damning' and demanded urgent action and investment to improve it.
Cllr Munsif Dad is writing to county council boss Cllr Philippa Williamson to demand she 'get a grip' on the service's failings.
He made his comments to Hyndburn's cabinet meeting on Wednesday after the publication of Ofsted report on SEND in Lancashire condemned it over "unacceptable” delays in children getting the support they and their families require.
It also warned urgent action was needed to improve the SEND services on offer in the Lancashire County Council (LCC) area which amounted to a 'postcode lottery'. . . .
As Cllr Dad was making his comments Cllr Azhar Ali, independent county councillor for Nelson East, was demanding the resignation of LCC's education boss Cllr Jayne Rear over the report.
Cllr Dad told the meeting: "Today's Ofsted report on Lancashire County Council's SEND services is damning.
Independent county councillor Azhar Ali called for heads to roll
"It exposes widespread and systematic failings that have left vulnerable children and their families struggling.
"Children with SEND are being let down, especially in Hyndburn.
"Parents are fighting battles they never should have to fight just to secure the support their children deserve because of years of Conservative neglect, underfunding and poor planning.
"I see it in my casework every day - families desperate for school places, for specialist support, for an education system that actually meets their needs.
"Instead they face delays, confusion and a broken system. . . . .
Cllr Ali said: "There are kids with disabilities and special needs who have been let down for years and the Conservatives have ignored pleas from parents and carers for the last seven years - enough is enough.
"Cllr Jayne Rear needs to resign with immediate effect as cabinet member for this service - the report is damning."
Lancashire County Council leader Cllr Williamson said: "The inspection carried out was of the SEND Partnership – not just Lancashire County Council.
"It therefore does reflect the whole picture around SEND.
"This was a local inspection but it does reflect what is being seen nationally. The problems we are facing are not exclusive to Lancashire – these are issues being faced by local authorities across the country.
"Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Service is experiencing high demand levels due to the level of referrals received across the service relating to education, health and care plans.
"Additional resources are required to recruit more staff to meet the additional demand and deliver education, health and care plans within the statutory timeline and £5 million [$6.3M] has been included in the 2025/26 budget to address this need.
"Last week councillors approved the expansion of six special schools and the development of Special Educational Needs (SEN) Units and Special Education Resource Facilities (SERF) at nine mainstream schools across Lancashire.
"This is to address a continuing increase in demand for more specialist provision for children with educational needs and disabilities.
"A total of 265 additional spaces will be created across Lancashire in 2025 through the delivery of this programme.
"The capacity to improve was noted by the inspectors who had confidence that the SEND Partnership is in a good place to move the system forward.
"We will drive forward these improvements as a partnership. The welfare of our children remains uppermost in our minds and we want the very best for them."
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