Planning and support gap: SEND students with complex needs left behind

The struggles faced by school children with SEND in Cornwall and Warrington are outlined in the recently published joint area SEND inspection reports

Students aged five to 16 encounter inconsistent fulfillment of their needs due to a lack of clear information about available services.

While delays in accessing mental health services have been notably reduced, some students continue to experience prolonged waits for speech and language therapy.

The most concerning revelation revolves around the unsuccessful progress in reducing waiting times for neurodevelopmental assessments, leaving certain children and young people unable to access support when they need it most.

Moreover, students awaiting specialist placements find themselves deprived of an education that best caters to their needs, lacking the specialised assistance required to thrive academically.

Sarah Hall, Warrington’s cabinet member for children’s services, said the report highlighted “some of the good work our local area partnership is doing to make a difference to the lives of children and young people with SEND”.

But she said they would “also fully take on board the areas of improvement highlighted in the report”.