SEND services must improve, BCP Council told

A review found SEND services were not improving fast enough in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

A council and its partners have been ordered, by the government, to improve their special educational needs and disability (SEND) services.

A Department for Education (DfE) review in July found the pace of improvement in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) was too slow.

BCP Council, NHS and schools have since drawn up an action plan which has now been approved.

The council said wait times had already fallen and the backlog reduced.

It said the time taken to issue education, health and care plans (EHCPs) for children had improved - in January, 27.9% were issued in 20 weeks, compared to 0% in January last year.

The backlog for EHCPs had also fallen from 211 waiting over 30 weeks in January 2023, to 137 in January 2024.

Similarly, the backlog of those waiting for educational psychologist advice was down from 294 cases in January 2023 to 123 in January 2024.

BCP Council's children's services director, Cathi Hadley, said: "The partnership did have a plan, in 2021 signed off by the DfE, monitored by the SEND board in which parents were involved.

"On review, it was collectively agreed that this plan would not have the desired impact. We then undertook a thorough analysis of the situation and readjusted the plan which has collective agreement which we are now working to."

Acting chief executive of NHS Dorset, David Freeman, said: "We fully acknowledge the pace of improvement so far has not been fast enough and we understand how distressing this is for any family who encounters delays in accessing the right support for their child."

A statement from BCP Council said: "The plan comes at a time when BCP Council alongside many other local authorities are facing increasing requests for provision of SEND services, but inadequate funding."

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