Agenda item

Findings of the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission Area SEND Inspection

To share the feedback report from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following the area SEND inspection of Herefordshire conducted in December 2024.

 

Minutes:

The Service Director Education, Learning and Skills introduced and gave an overview of the report.

 

A joint Ofsted and CQC inspection of SEND services had been conducted in Herefordshire during December 2024.

 

The inspection process had been spread over three weeks and included two weeks of onsite activity, involving case tracking of individual children and the services wrapped around their families.

 

The outcome had been the middle of three possible ratings and reflected the variable experiences of children and families across Herefordshire.

 

Strengths identified within the service and partnership included:

 

  • Strong leadership across the partnership.
  • An adaptable workforce that was able to swiftly respond to growing demand for services.
  • Positive relationships between children and their workers.
  • Co-production across the partnership such as the recently opened Youth Employment Hub, which had been developed with input from local young people.
  • The SENCO Network, Early Help Services and the Children with Disabilities Team had been praised for working in a collaborative, innovative and effective manner.

 

Four priority areas requiring improvement had been identified:

 

  • Reducing the length of waiting times for young people to access health services, especially in relation to neurodivergence assessment and diagnosis
  • The local area partnership needed to ensure sufficient capacity, stability and improved quality across all health services to improve service consistency, development and delivery.
  • Young people who had recently been diagnosed with or were waiting for treatment for a neurodivergent condition needed to be well-informed about accessing available support.
  • The local area partnership needed to ensure that high-quality and accurate information regarding the range of services available to children and young people with SEND, their families, and professionals was promoted and communicated in an accessible form.
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The Director of Operations and Delivery Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board pointed out that work was already underway to change the model of neurodivergent support through the introduction of workshops and improvements to the Local Offer.

 

The Service Director Education, Learning and Skills stated that the inspection outcome was partly good news and that the next full inspection would take place in three years.

 

The Chair invited comments and discussion from the committee in relation to the report. The key points of the discussion are detailed below:

 

  1. The committee enquired about how the SEND financial deficit was being managed.

 

  • The Director of Finance, confirmed that the £11.1 million deficit in Herefordshire’s High Needs Block (HNB) was relatively low compared to other councils. The local authority was not yet eligible for intervention programs like Safety Valve due to its smaller overspend. The council was using its reserve balances under statutory override, but recognised the urgency to manage and contain future overspends. A Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit management plan was in place, and capital investment was being targeted to create more in-county specialist provision to reduce reliance on costly external placements.

 

  1. The committee raised concerns about open-ended spending and asked how value for money was measured in relation to SEND services.

 

  • The Director of Operations and Delivery Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board emphasized the need to balance high-quality provision with cost-efficiency. It was noted that investment in early support and technology-enabled care could lead to long-term savings. It was pointed out that there were moral and statutory obligations to support all children and the complexities of individual SEND needs made financial decisions more nuanced.

 

  1. The committee enquired as to whether there was coordination between NHS and council funding.

 

  • The Director of Operations and Delivery Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board explained that children with complex needs often required both NHS and council services. Joint planning was key to removing duplication and ensuring cost-effective streamlined support. The most complex cases could cost the NHS up to £500,000 annually. Strategic investment in early care reduced long-term costs by improving children's ability to self-manage their care into adulthood.

 

  1. The committee raised concerns about rising demand for SEND services and asked what was driving the increase.

 

  • The Service Director Education, Learning and Skills highlighted several contributing factors including: COVID-19's impact on early development, increased screen time, and broader diagnostic pathways, particularly around neurodivergence. The rise in mental health needs and greater awareness of SEND had also contributed to the rise. It was noted that growth in demand had slowed slightly, but high levels of need persisted.

 

  1. The committee asked if the increase in SEND demand was a temporary spike or a long-term trend.

 

  • The Service Director Education, Learning and Skills explained that monitoring suggested the trend would likely continue, with early years children showing significant needs. Some leveling off had been observed, but structural challenges in the system and national funding gaps meant that high demand was expected to remain.

 

  1. The committee enquired as to whether short breaks were adequately meeting family needs.

 

  • The Service Manager Children with Disabilities stated that short breaks had been praised in the inspection. Children with complex needs received swift access to breaks post-assessment and there was currently no waiting list. The number of providers and types of break available had broadened, and communication with families relating to services and support had improved.

 

  1. The committee considered why there had been a discrepancy between the Ofsted and Parent Carer Voice (PCV) survey responses.

 

  • The representative from Parent Carer Voice pointed out that parents tended to respond more readily to Ofsted surveys due to a perceived belief that they had greater impact. Local surveys were ongoing, with PCV using regular forums to gather consistent feedback and encourage trust and engagement.

 

  1. The committee asked how the Local Offer was publicized and understood.

 

  • The Service Director Education, Learning and Skills explained that the Local Offer was shared via websites, newsletters, events, QR codes, SENCO networks, and family sessions. There were concerns about the term 'Local Offer' being unclear to families. Rebranding it as a support directory was under consideration and efforts were ongoing to make its function clearer and more accessible.

 

  1. The committee enquired about the current status of specialist school capacity.

 

  • The Service Director Education, Learning and Skills stated that Herefordshire’s special schools were full, with limited space to expand. A new free special school had been approved, but had been delayed due to slow central government processes. Capital grants were small and had been used creatively to add classrooms, but most schools were now at capacity. Business cases for new provision were being developed.

 

  1. The committee requested details regarding how mainstream schools were supported to deliver SEND provision.

 

  • The Service Director Education, Learning and Skills pointed out that over 900 children with EHCPs were currently in mainstream settings within the county. A dedicated school improvement advisor focused on inclusion, and resource bases in mainstream schools had been expanded. Staff training, networking events, and advisory services were being provided to encourage inclusive practices and boost confidence and capability within mainstream settings.

 

  1. The committee requested details regarding how SEND service outcomes were measured.

 

  • The Head of Additional Needs explained that annual EHCP reviews traced individual progress. Broader metrics like education participation, independence, and employment readiness were also monitored. The council used a SEND dashboard with over 400 metrics to monitor system-wide performance and guide strategic decisions.

 

  1. The committee enquired as to if and how voluntary and community sector organisations were being engaged.

 

  • The Service Director Education, Learning and Skills stated that groups like Marches Family Network were crucial and played a vital role. The council supported them through referrals, joint working, and exploring funding options to help them expand their reach and scale-up their services. However, demand exceeded capacity.

 

  1. The committee asked if Ofsted’s findings matched local expectations.

 

  • The Service Director Education, Learning and Skills stated that the findings aligned with the council’s self-assessment and no surprises were noted. The four improvement areas had already been identified locally and were being followed up on.

 

 

At the conclusion of the debate the committee discussed potential recommendations and the following resolutions were agreed.

 

Resolved:

 

1. That the committee note the report.

 

Supporting documents: