SEND delays: Watchdog issues national warning after Surrey case

The watchdog said a family sought counselling 'as a direct result' of delays to provision for a girl with autism

A warning has been issued to the government after Surrey County council was ordered to pay £1,000 over delays to education support.

The Local Government Ombudsman said a plan for a girl with autism was delayed by nine months, "mainly" due to a lack of educational psychologists.

It said "significant input" was needed to resolve a national shortage.

The council apologised for the "distress" the family experienced and said it would take "necessary action".

The Department for Education has been approached for a response.

The watchdog said the council had agreed to carry out an education, health and care (EHC) assessment for the girl, which would detail what support needed to be put in place.

She had been been "struggling to cope" in a mainstream school, the ombudsman said.

But a plan for her education support was issued in September 2023, nine months over the legal timeframe for completion.

It meant she was unable to attend school for months.

Advice from educational psychologists is needed to complete EHC assessments, but half of Surrey's posts are vacant.

'Service failure'

The watchdog said its report highlighted "the difficulties faced" by councils amid a shortage of educational psychologists and rising demand for assessments.

Surrey County Council says it has seen a 64% increase in referrals since 2020.

Nigel Ellis, Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) chief executive, said: "This situation will not be resolved without significant input on a national scale,"

He said a recent government pledge to boost funding for training educational psychologists needed to be "implemented at pace".

The LGO described the case as "service failure", with Surrey County Council given a three-month window to confirm how it will respond to recommendations.

Clare Curran, Surrey County Council's cabinet member for children, families and lifelong learning, said the authority took the findings "very seriously".

She said the council had agreed to take "all necessary action" in response to the report and had outlined its proposals to the ombudsman.

"Despite national pressures we regret all delays and are working hard to reduce any backlogs for EHC needs assessments."

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