Oxfordshire County Council publishes SEND action plan

Parents of children with special educational needs have held protests over the quality of local services

An authority criticised over its care for children with disabilities and special educational needs (SEND) has published an action plan.

Earlier this year inspectors found Oxfordshire County Council was not meeting the needs of children requiring its help.

The so-called local area partnership priority action plan sets out five priority action areas that it believes will improve services.

The plan has been approved by Ofsted.

Kate Gregory, cabinet member for SEND improvement, said: "We recognise that we are only at the start of our improvement journey and that it will take time for real change to be felt by families."

She added: "Progress has been made but much more is to come... we are all determined to make a real difference."

The five priority actions are to:

• Gather and act on the views of children and young people with SEND and their families

• Develop effective communications systems to ensure coordinated approaches

• Improve the "timeliness and quality assurance" of education, health and care plans

• Commission services to meet the needs of children and young people and their families

• Make plans that are co-produced with children and young people and their families, which will be "rigorously monitored"

The plan is a joint endeavour involving the council, NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, and the parent carer forum.

Rachael Corser, the care board's chief nursing officer, said there was "still a way to go, but by working together with families we are starting to make a difference to the way children and young people get the support they deserve to help them thrive".

The recently-established Oxfordshire SEND Strategic Improvement and Assurance Board will regularly meet to ensure goals are met.

Improvement notice

Oxfordshire's service had "long-standing failings", leading to "a tangible sense of helplessness" among families, an Ofsted inspection previously found.

The report added: "Too many children and young people are unable to access the education provision they need. Some wait for years."

In the aftermath Labour left the council's alliance, claiming the Liberal Democrats were not interested in "working together" to solve the issues.

Liz Brighouse was replaced by John Howson as cabinet member for children's services, while Kate Gregory took on a new role solely focussing on SEND improvement.

An improvement notice was subsequently issued to the council from the DfE.

Lisa Lyons was appointed as the new director of children's services in November.

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