Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to simplify the education, health and care plan (a) application and (b) assessment system; and what support her Department provides to (i) Suffolk County Council and (ii) other local authorities to help ensure that they are able to meet the 20 week timeframe for issue.

The department knows that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan processes and is planning to work across the sector to provide support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), those needing alternative provision (AP), and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and AP settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

The department wants to ensure that EHC plan applications are processed promptly and, where required, plans are issued as quickly as possible so that children and young people can access the support they need. The department publishes annual data from the SEN2 survey in relation to every EHC plan maintained by individual local authorities and closely monitors and uses the information from the annual SEN2 data collection to inform discussions with local areas. Where a council does not meet its duties, the department can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement. The department offers a range of universal, targeted and intensive support through department-managed programmes, such as the sector-led improvement partners which provide peer-to-peer tailored support.

The local area SEND inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for Suffolk local area partnership in November 2023 found widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.

The local area partnership submitted a priority action plan to Ofsted and the CQC to address the areas for priority action, including actions to improve EHC plan timeliness, with progress monitored by the department through deep dive and stocktake meetings.

An expert SEND advisor has been commissioned by the department to support the improvement work being undertaken by the partnership, including improving EHC plan timeliness, by providing advice, guidance and challenge alongside the Regional NHS England SEND Manager.

Ofsted and the CQC introduced a strengthened area SEND inspection framework in January 2023, leading to a greater emphasis on the outcomes being achieved for children and young people. It is the primary tool to maintain a focus on high standards in the SEND system across all partners.