Report finds 'widespread systemic failings' for SEND services in Slough

An inspection of special educational needs and disability (SEND) services in Slough has revealed ‘widespread systemic failings’, an Ofsted and CQC report has found.

Children in the borough are supported through the Slough Local Area Partnership which includes the council, the NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board (ICB), education providers and other commissioned partners.

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission carried out an inspection of the partnership from July 7-11 and published a damning report today (Thursday).

Inspectors found ‘widespread systemic failings’ across Slough Borough Council’s services for SEND children and young people which need to be ‘addressed urgently’.

The report said: “Being a child or young person with SEND in Slough means typically having to navigate a disjointed system.

“Too many children and young people with SEND receive insufficient support to meet their needs and many wait too long for specialist assessments.”

The report added: “Many children and young people with SEND and their families experience challenges in finding and getting the right help at the right time.

“While in the early years some families experience an encouraging start, this strength of practice is not continued as children get older.”

Inspectors said the partnership should prioritise gathering views from parents, carers and the children themselves to make the system more effective.

Sue Butcher, Slough Borough Council’s executive director of people (children) accepted the findings of the report and said that it clearly shows how the council can improve its services.

She said: “We are working closely with our partners, parents, carers, children, and young people to make these improvements a reality. I am sorry that we have not made more progress in delivering the services that our children and families need.”

The report found that in some schools, children and young people benefit from the required support, with staff understanding what students with neurodiverse and mental health needs require.

But it still found that ‘there is more work to be done’ across schools in the borough with too many children getting ‘insufficient support’.

Some children and young people in the borough do not get the help they need because their education, health and care plans do not contain up-to-date information about their needs, the report added.

In some cases, the report found that 'weak coordination and unclear planning' leads to children transitioning from primary to secondary school feeling ‘unprepared, unsupported and anxious about their future’.

SEND children are also more likely to face delays if they need to access health services for both non-urgent checkups and physical assessments for young people with disabilities.

A plan to address access inequalities is expected to be put in place by September next year.

But the report added the borough’s partnership leaders are ‘ambitious and determined’ to make improvements and initiate plans for service improvements.

Councillor Puja Bedi, cabinet member for children and lifelong learning, said: “I am determined that the partnership continues to make rapid progress so that children and families receive the support they deserve.”

The report found that some families and young people are already receiving individual support from the council’s social work team through packages of care or direct payments to meet their required needs.

Youth focus groups like Together as One also give children the opportunity to make friends and access support directly.

Ofsted and the CQC have identified a number of areas for Slough Borough Council and the NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board to take ‘priority action’ to improve. These include:

• Ensure a governance structure is in place to provide effective monitoring of the whole SEND system
• Ensure education, health and care plans are up-to-date and reviewed annually
• Prioritise systems to gather the views of parents, carers and children with SEND to improve experiences.