“SLOW and steady” progress has been made to address failings in Slough’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) service following a highly damning report.
Cllr Christine Hulme (Lab: Central), lead member for children's services, told cabinet councillors that a number of improvements have been made since 2021 but admitted progress has been “slow”.
Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission found “significant weakness” in the SEND provision and published their findings in a highly damning report on November 17, 2021, following a joint inspection.
It criticised the lack of collaboration with parents and families of SEND children, and parents and carers not feeling understood, welcomed, or helped. The report stated parents had to ‘fight for years’ to get support for their children.
READ MORE: "Significant weaknesses" found in Slough Council's SEND service
It also slammed some schools for not welcoming SEND children, high staff turnover, social care needs not being met, and long waiting times to see an occupational therapist or receive an educational health and care plan (EHCP).
The watchdogs found Slough Borough Council – which has since apologised – Frimley Clinical Commissioning Group, and Slough Children First – which is wholly owned by the council – responsible and required a written statement of action to be produced, outlining how it will make positive changes to the service.
Speaking at the meeting on Monday, January 16, Cllr Hulme said with additional resources, linked-up council strategies, and help from the Department for Education (DfE) advisers and commissioner, progress against the written statement of action has been made.
Some of the improvements made include recruiting six full-time SEND officers, improved communications with parents and stakeholders by supplying officers with mobile phones for direct contact, and working through the backlog of 130 EHCP cases, which has been halved.
Members also have more political oversight to check whether the strategies are being implemented and positive changes are being made.
Cllr Hulme added the council has been invited to take part in the DfE’s ‘safety value’ intervention programme, which aims to control the council’s high spending on SEND by reforming the aim to reduce the SEND budget deficit.
READ MORE: Slough Council knew SEND service was 'inadequate' before Ofsted inspection
She said: “We do need to create a sustainable high-needs system and spend in a sustainable way.
“Any government money we will get as a result of being in the safety value programme will help with that, but it is the question of being disciplined, organised, and officers being on top of this work going forward.”
Council leader James Swindlehurst (Lab: Cippenham Green) added: “The progress on SEND has been slow and steady but the thing we now hope is that it speeds up a bit in terms of members really wanting to see a grip on this and the restoration of better quality services.”
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