Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have today published
guidance for the next series of area SEND thematic visits.
Each year, as part of the area SEND inspection
framework, Ofsted and CQC explore a particular
aspect of the SEND system
in depth. This year, inspectors will explore the ‘local offer'.
Read the guidance: Thematic reviews of
the SEND local
offer
Every local authority is responsible for publishing their local
offer, which sets out the provision available for children and
young people with SEND and
their families. The local authority must work with other partner
bodies, such as health services and education providers, to
develop and review their offer.
Inspectors' visits will focus on how local area partnerships are
working together to identify and respond to local needs at the
earliest opportunity and commission services appropriately. This
will include considering how young people and their families are
involved in developing and reviewing the local offer.
Ofsted and the CQC will gather evidence
from key stakeholders to understand their experiences, including
from children and families themselves. Inspectors will focus on 4
key themes:
- How well the local area partnership understands the needs of
young people with SEND in
their local area.
- The local area partnership's strategic oversight and delivery
of services outlined in the local offer.
- How young people and their families are involved in
developing the local offer.
- The experiences of and outcomes for children and young people
with SEND when
accessing local services.
The visits will not result in inspection outcomes about
individual local areas. Instead, a national report will be
published highlighting inspectors' insights. Any relevant
findings will also be shared with the Department for Education
(DfE) and Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to
contribute to policy development.
Lee Owston, Ofsted's National Director for Education, said:
We know that the SEND system
is not currently meeting the needs of far too many children and
their families.
It's vital that the most vulnerable children and young people
receive the support they need in their local communities to
enable them to thrive. With the recently announced reforms to
improve the SEND system,
I hope that these visits will help us to understand how well the
local offer is working for children and young people and
responding to their individual needs.
Lucy Harte, CQC's Deputy Director of
Multiagency Operations for Primary and Community Care, said:
These visits will help us understand the impact of the local
offer, including how local area partnerships work with children
and families to review and develop the local offer.
This insight helps us consider how partnerships are responding to
children and young people's needs and where further improvement
may be required. Importantly, these visits will allow us to
consider the impact of the local offer on the experiences and
outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
