Somerset Council unites to demand urgent action on SEND assessment delays
Somerset Council will take urgent action to speed up special needs assessments following a cross-party motion at full council.
Children in Somerset who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) often require an education, health and care needs assessment (EHCNA) to see what support they need to continue their education, either in mainstream school or a more specialist setting.
The council has struggled in recent years, in the face of rising demand, to meet its legal duty to complete ENHCAs within a 20-week period, causing additional stress for children, parents and carers.
At the full council meeting in Bridgwater on Wednesday afternoon (May 20), the ruling Liberal Democrats joined forces with the Conservative opposition to back a motion calling for “urgent action” on these delays.
Currently, only up to five per cent of assessments in Somerset are completed within the statutory time-frame, with the average waiting time being 47 weeks – leaving hundreds of children and young people in limbo.
Councillor Faye Purbrick (Conservative, Yeovil South) introduced the motion, which called for the council to take four key steps:
Recognise it is failing to meet its legal duty and “commit to urgent improvement”
Implement a 12-month plan to cut the current backlog, “significantly reduce” waiting times and “improve timeliness”, so that at least 40 per cent of EHCNAs are being handled within the 20-week time-frame
Provide up to £1.4m from existing reserves to provide additional resources to implement these changes
Make regular reports to the new children, families and education scrutiny committee on the progress being made
Ms Purbrick said: “Meeting these timelines is essential to ensure young people receive the education and support they need to thrive and, in this regard, time is truly of the essence.
“We have all heard heartbreaking stories from parents and young people left waiting for assessments and support. What those families need now is action, not just words.
“Any delay in moving forward with these proposals should be kept to an absolute minimum – let’s get on with it.”
Councillor Connor Payne (Conservative, Chard South) said: “As someone working day-to-day in a mainstream secondary school, I see the impact these delays are having on children, families and staff.
“Teachers are doing everything they can, but without timely EHCPs and proper support in place, too many Somerset children are being left waiting far too long for the help they are legally entitled to.”
Councillor Susannah Hart (Conservative, Glastonbury) added: “Having worked in SEND education for more than 30 years, I know just how difficult it can be for children and families to access the support they desperately need.
“This motion sends a clear message that the council recognises every child matters and that every child deserves the opportunity to achieve and thrive.”
Conservative opposition leader Councillor Diogo Rodrigues (who represents Bridgwater East and Bawdrip) had previously criticised the council’s SEND record when the executive met in early May, focusing on the transitional arrangements between primary and secondary schooling.
Speaking after the full council meeting, he said: “We have been clear for some time that Somerset’s performance on EHCP timeliness is not good enough and that children and families have been waiting far too long for the support they need.
“At full council, we previously put forward proposals for additional investment into SEND services, including educational psychology support, which sadly did not receive backing at the time.
“However, we are pleased that work has continued within the service and that we are now able to support this important investment on a cross-party basis.”
Council leader Bill Revans seconded the motion, ensuring that it passed by a substantial margin.
Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Heather Shearer, portfolio holder for children and families, said she looked forward to detailed improvement plans coming forward as soon as possible.
Ms Shearer (who represents the Mendip West division) said: “The SEND system nationally is not working and we welcome the long-overdue reform which is now coming through.
“We also recognise we need to improve our own performance on EHCPs and are pleased to see the whole council unanimously endorse our plans for investment to help clear the backlog.
“This is not about politics; it’s about getting it right for our children and families, moving from confrontation to collaboration.
“We look forward to bringing through the detailed plans and working together to improve outcomes.”