Manchester's special educational needs services praised by watchdog

The special educational needs and disability services have been praised following an inspection

Services for children with special educational needs (SEND) in Manchester have been praised by government inspectors.

The five-day inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission in November said services had continued to improve despite the coronavirus pandemic.

It praised the "clear vision" of local leaders and said it was communicated with "passion and ambition".

Inspectors noted the progress and pace of change in improving the provision.

They said "another key strength" was the strong working relationship with parents and carers through the Parent Carer Forum, which works with city leaders.

The inspectors also highlighted the culture of co-production and collaborative between professionals who "work well with parents, children, and young people".

They noted the views of children and young people were "at the heart of decision-making" through the 'changemakers' - a large group of volunteer children and young people with SEND in the city who work closely with area leaders to help shape future projects.

'Comprehensive and rigorous'

Inspectors said improvements had continued during the pandemic and they recognised the considerable strain some families were under.

The team found "no serious weaknesses" and noted the capacity of city leaders to make any changes necessary in the few areas identified for further improvement - all of which had already been identified by leaders themselves and have robust improvement plans in place.

Councillor Garry Bridges, executive member for children and schools at Manchester City Council, welcomed the findings of the "comprehensive and rigorous inspection".

"One of the key things they remarked on was the strength of relationships in the city, both between professionals, and between professionals and the families they support," he said.

"This is a credit to everyone involved and I want to thank all staff whether they work in the council, health, schools, or elsewhere, and pay tribute to them and also to parents and young people."

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