SEND System Backlog Exposed: Lancashire Children Face Lengthy Delays

Lancashire County Council's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system is struggling with a significant backlog, leaving over 1,800 young people waiting for assessments by educational psychologists. This backlog has been criticiqued in an Ofsted inspection report earlier this year, which described the delays as "unacceptable". The shortage of specialist professionals and surge in demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) have contributed to this issue. To alleviate the problem, the council has recruited 101 agency staff, with nine more set to join, aiming to generate 2,400 individual pieces of EHCP advice over the next year.

Key Takeaways:

• 1,850 young people in the Lancashire County Council area are currently waiting for assessments by educational psychologists.
• The advice provided by these psychologists is crucial in determining whether the youngster receives an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
• There are an additional 300 children who have already received advice from educational psychologists but are still waiting for their EHCP to be finalized.
• A nationwide shortage of educational psychologists and a surge in demand for EHCPs have led to "unacceptable" delays in the SEND system.
• Lancashire County Council has engaged three agencies to bring in additional staff, recruiting 101 individual agency staff with nine more due to start work.
• The aim is for the new staff to generate 2,400 individual pieces of EHCP advice over the next year.
• Initial EHCPs should be produced within 20 weeks of an application being submitted, and a review of the plan should then take place each year.

Statistics:

• 1,850 young people are waiting for assessments by educational psychologists in the Lancashire County Council area.
• 300 children have already received advice from educational psychologists but are still waiting for their EHCP to be finalised.
• 12,200 live EHCPs existed in the county council area as of January this year, more than double the 5,200 a decade ago.
• 101 individual agency staff have been recruited to support the SEND system.
• 9 more staff are due to start work in the coming days.
• The aim is for the new staff to generate 2,400 individual pieces of EHCP advice over the next year.

Sources:

• Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) - "Left waiting years for special needs services for Lancashire children condemned in Ofsted inspection"
• Lancashire County Council - "This is what has been done to improve SEND services in Lancashire after damning Ofsted report"