Last week marked the start of the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of our local area Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) services. I wanted to take a moment to share what this means for us here in Essex – and why it matters.
As I’ve shared in previous blogs, Essex has been on a SEND improvement journey for several years. Our last full inspection was in 2019, and since then we have been working hard to strengthen the way we support children and young people with SEND. This latest inspection is an important opportunity for inspectors to consider the progress we have made, as well as identifying where further work may still needed. Their findings will help us understand how effectively our improvements are being felt by families and where we must continue to focus our efforts.
Inspectors will be speaking directly with families, professionals and partners, reviewing how well our education, health and social care services work together and considering whether children are receiving the right support at the right time. A key part of this will involve hearing directly from families and professionals.
Over the past few years, we have made real strides in strengthening how we listen to children, young people and families. I have spent time speaking with parents and carers directly who have been frustrated or disappointed by the local SEND system. These conversations have, understandably, not always been easy. But what they have told us has been vital in helping us understand where change is most needed and in keeping us focused on the lived experiences behind the data.
Families’ voices now play a central role in shaping our priorities and guiding our improvements. Through regular engagement sessions, co‑production groups, lived experience panels and ongoing feedback channels, families have helped us simplify processes and focus on what matters most to them. While this has led to meaningful changes, we know that not all families will have experienced these improvements in the same way, and there is still more to do to ensure consistency across the system.
This inspection also comes at a particularly challenging time for SEND services nationally. Demand has risen sharply, the needs of children are becoming increasingly complex and the long‑awaited Government White Paper – expected to set out a clearer, more sustainable national framework – has been delayed once again. Councils, schools and families urgently need clarity and long‑term funding solutions that match the scale of the challenge.
Here in Essex, we continue to face many of the same pressures seen across the country. Demand for support has grown considerably, and we are seeing more children with highly complex needs who require specialist provision. At the same time, the cost of providing this support continues to rise. These pressures inevitably affect the experiences of families, and while we are working hard to respond, we know that some services are still stretched and that improvements are not yet where we want them to be.
Despite these challenges, I am proud of the progress we have made. We have invested significantly in strengthening inclusion, improving the quality and timeliness of Education, Health and Care Plans, expanding specialist school places and developing earlier, more joined‑up support for families. We have created new support, invested in our workforce and improved pathways so that children can access the right help sooner. These changes are making a difference, but we recognise that progress is uneven and that some families may still be experiencing delays or barriers.
The inspection gives us the chance to reflect honestly on how far we have come and where we still need to go. It is also an opportunity to highlight the dedication of our teams, education settings, partners and providers, who work tirelessly every day to support children, young people and families.
We remain absolutely committed to building a SEND system in Essex that is compassionate, inclusive and sustainable. There is more to do, and we will continue to push for the improvements, investment and national reforms that children and families deserve.
I look forward to updating on the inspection in the near future.
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