Ofsted recognises improvements made in provision for children and young people with Special Needs and Disabilities in York

Inspectors from Ofsted and CQC have highlighted the progress made in supporting children and young people in York with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), at a recent inspection revisit.

A team from Ofsted re-assessed the support provided by City of York Council and York Health and Care Partnership in November, following an earlier inspection in 2019 which found significant areas of weakness.

Inspectors spoke with children and young people with (SEND), parents and carers, and local authority and National Health Service (NHS) officers and found that progress had been made in each of the key areas assessed.

They particularly highlighted the strength of York’s co-production – how services are developed working with children, young people, parents and professionals - and the work to support local needs via the Early Talk for York communication and language programme and new Autism Hub.

Inspectors also recognised the creation of a joint commissioning strategy which identifies the key areas that benefit from partnership working between professionals, and an operating model which outlines what effective joint commissioning between the council and health looks like.

Cllr Andrew Waller, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “I’d like to thank everyone involved in the inspection and wider SEND provision for helping to drive the significant improvements in the support available for young people and their families in York. This re-inspection recognising the work done during the additional pressures of the pandemic, is a stage in a longer journey for our SEND provision. We are committed to work with partners to improve the support and provision available for children and young people and their families in the city, and making the case for improved funding for these services along with other councils nationally.”

Martin Kelly, Corporate Director of Children and Education, City of York Council, said: “I’m pleased that efforts to improve key areas of provision, including co-production with children and families, have been recognised. Our priority now is to continue the improvements of the last two years to ensure that York is a great place for all children and young people to grow up.”

Key priorities over the next 12 months include the creation of an operational service plan for the local area, focusing on delivering key elements of the SEND strategy; continuing to develop the newly established Autism Hub and delivering improvements to dedicated SEND facilities in the city through the £8m SEND capital plan.

Michelle Carrington, Director of Nursing / Quality Lead Humber Coast and Vale Integrated Care System, said: “I am pleased that by working together as a partnership, we have been able to make significant improvements on our journey to the best support and services for children and their families with SEND. It is a testament to the unwavering commitment of everyone including the children themselves and their families that we mark this milestone and this does not diminish in any way our continued drive to make even further progress.”

 Full details of the inspectors’ findings are available at www.yor-ok.org.uk/families/Local%20Offer/send-updates.htm