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

ChildrenCHTHE MEMBER the The member for children’s and young people introduced the report.   It was noted that this was a joint inspection conducted by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, it was joint because it was Herefordshire Council and the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board. 

The cabinet member reflected on a few elements and acknowledged the strong leadership from the service director and the chair of the Integrated Care Board.  Also, the contributions from all partners including education settings, care and health providers and from parent carers voice. 

It was noted that the joint inspectorate reported positively on the strengths of the local area partnership both at a strategic and operational level.  There had been a huge amount of work delivered through the operational group and with a great degree of detail of measures, data and the impact of outcomes.  

The inspectorate recognised the investment in workforce development and increasing capacity as a strength, they reflected that the partnership was highly responsive to meet needs.  The staff across the whole partnership were recognised for building positive relations with children and young people, listening and responding to their views.  It was also recognised that professionals knew the children and young people well.

A feature of the report focused on how the local area partnership supported children, their progress towards next steps and their preparation for adulthood.   It was highlighted that the report referenced the youth employment hub noting that it ‘already making a significant difference for young people who access the service’.

The educational settings across Herefordshire were referred to positively throughout the report.   The inspectorate recognised that vulnerable groups were noted and supported by alternative providers including Herefordshire People Referral Service, which included those who may have faced exclusion, absence or had medical needs which meant they couldn’t access education in the same way.

It was recognised that there was work to do regarding the council’s alternative provision, as some of the buildings were in a poor state of repair.  It was confirmed that the service was in the process of producing a business case to improve the building conditions and to locate to one site, instead of two sites. 

The importance of referencing the range of additional activity beyond education was noted, for enrichment and engagement in community and allowing children with special educational needs and disabilities to fulfil their potential. 

The report noted the high-quality alternative provision in the council’s specialist settings and were recognised as being innovative in providing appropriate solutions for meeting the more complex health and learning needs.

Children and Young people reflected that they felt well supported by and listened to by the school and college staff.   

It was noted that the council’s performance in Education Health and Care Plans was, in most cases, within statutory timescales and Herefordshire performed well against national performance.  The special educational needs coordinator network were praised for its joint work across the partnership schools, school social care and health providers.  The inspectors found that children and young people known to early help services were provided swift support from education health and social care teams. It was noted that the quality of assessments was recognised as being positive and the inspectorate confirmed that disabled children and young people who received a service from social care were well supported into adulthood.  There was also positive recognition of the children with disability team, the inspectorate confirmed that they particularly understood children's needs well.   

It was identified that changes in social workers was an issue.  This was acknowledged by the cabinet member, and it was confirmed this was being progressed.   

It was confirmed this was a joint inspection with health, and no extended waits were identified for a child to access child and adult adolescent mental health services.

It was confirmed that four areas of improvement were identified by the joint inspectorate. Three were largely for health partners, one was regarding the council to promoting its offer more widely.  It was confirmed that the four priorities for improvement would be addressed through the Special Educational Needs strategic board and the operational delivery group.

It was confirmed that the local area partnership will be subject to its next full inspection within the next three years. 

There were no comments from cabinet members. 

Councillor Fagan as chair of children and young people scrutiny committee commented that scrutiny considered this item last week and it was positively received.  The work being carried out for children with SEND was phenomenal, especially with the increasing rise in demand. 

Councillor Fagan confirmed that co-production worked very well in Herefordshire.  However, scrutiny noted a difference in what parents told the carer group compared to what they told the inspectorate, and more work could be completed around communication. 

It was noted by scrutiny that schools in Herefordshire came out strongly, and the work SEN co-ordinators were doing to support children in the schools was strong.

It was noted by scrutiny that there was a huge need for alternative provision placements and extra places were needed for children going through the Pupil Referral Unit and special school places. It was also noted that more communication was needed to raise awareness of the short breaks offer. 

Scrutiny noted that a concern regarding the provision of health services, it was understood that therapeutic services were improving in the county.  However, due to the rise in autism and neurodiversity in the county, the triaging process was leaving children without the proper support they needed. 

Group leaders gave the views of their groups.  The improvements that had been made were welcomed.  Involvement of partners in the co-production of the report was also welcomed. 

It was queried what the potential threats and implications would be to the council and the children of the county from the government changes to NHS England,  from ICB’s reducing their expenditure by 50% and the potential for merger. 

Accessing the commissioned services for speech and language provision was raised as a concern.  It was noted in the report that access for some support did not require a formal diagnosis.  However, to access speech and language in secondary school there had to be an identified specific need.  The report was unclear if this meant a formal diagnosis or an identified need by other means.  Another issue was diagnosis for autism, it was noted there was limited access to support and the pathway to diagnosis for neurodivergence was a further issue.  Services that were no longer being commissioned, despite active referrals for that service, was a concern. It was noted that whilst this was a health issue, it had an impact on the council as well.  A clear way forward was requested. 

It was noted the services across the council could learn from the joint inspection report in terms of co-production and service user voice.

In response to queries, support from group leaders was welcomed and all the points raised by them stressed the point regarding good partnership working.  Similarly, the point on good practice being transferrable to the council was welcomed.  It was acknowledged that Herefordshire schools played a high role in support the children and families in ensuring the right support was there. 

It was reinforced that the partnership was aware and were prioritising access to assessment where it  was needed and the fact that sometimes you don't necessarily need an assessment to be able to access the appropriate support.

Regarding changes to the National Health Service and the potential impact on the Integrated Care Board it was confirmed that the council has a strong Special Educational Needs and disabilities partnership, which was ready to take up those challenges. It was confirmed there was post inspection meeting on 26 March to consider the necessary actions, and these will be monitored through that partnership board.  

Councillor Lester proposed the recommendations, and it was unanimously resolved that: 

That:

a)    Cabinet to receive and note the feedback from the published Ofsted report (Appendix 1).