The quiet revolution inside Lancashire's SEND service

New figures show a tangible turnaround in the county council's performance in SEND provision since April this year.

Among the most striking is a rise in allocations for requesting Educational Psychologist advice, which shot up by 758% between April and October this year, while the backlog of annual reviews dropped by 18% over the same time.

In a similar way, 5% more special school places were provided from September last year to this, while places in specialist SEND units went up by 92% over the same time, effectively almost doubling the original amount of local school places ensuring children can be educated as close to home as possible.

There has been a 34% increase on the number of EHCPs issued this year to date in comparison to the number issued throughout the whole calendar year in 2024.

The turnaround is thanks to a comprehensive set of measures taken since spring this year in the wake of a critical regulatory inspection last December.

The fresh package has included more SEND officers, plan writers and independent advisers for families (SENDIAS), new software and the introduction of audit tools to support SEND plan writers.

Future measures outlined in the SEND Capital Program include plans for new or expanded specialist provision for children with SEND aged 0-25 years, more SEND units, less reliance on independent sector placements and innovative ways to support home-to-school transport.

There are also upcoming plans  to introduce a digital form for requesting  an Education and Health Care Needs Assessment in the near future, meaning an audit trail of all documents submitted as part of the assessment.

Wider transformation is also taking shape in the form of Lancashire’s SEND Strategy 2025–2028 which sets out a bold vision to ensure every child and young person with special educational needs and disabilities thrives in an inclusive, nurturing environment, supported by timely, joined-up services across education, health and social care. It has been shaped by the Lancashire SEND Partnership - which includes NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), Lancashire County Council, the Lancashire Parent Carer Forum and POWAR, a participation group for children and young people with SEND.

At the fore of the fresh approach is early identification and intervention, strengthening inclusive practice in schools, enhancing preparation for adulthood, and embedding co-production with families and partners.

Councillor Matthew Salter, cabinet member for Education and Skills, stressed the importance of ensuring families receive timely support without unnecessary delays or bureaucracy and supporting children and young people to have their needs met as close to home as possible.

However, the turnaround isn't just happening on the SEND frontline. In the wings of the SEND service, a similar transformation is underway in the form of accessible SEND transport. On the ground,25 new SEND minibuses hit Lancashire's roads in September, and an extra 25 are planned to start running after February half term.

The new high quality fleet of minibuses will cut cost of transporting the student by 30% at the schools where the vehicles are deployed, meaning less traffic at the school gate.

 And with 60 % of the county council's budget being spent on the most vulnerable people, between £250m and £300m per year is spent on supporting children with SEND.

Councillor Matthew Salter, cabinet member for Education and Skills, said:  

"We are very pleased with the improvements in Lancashire's SEND services, as we know that the improvement trajectory is continuing.

"With that in mind, I’d like to reiterate our unwavering commitment towards improving outcomes for our children and young people with SEND and their families.

"We want our children and young people, their parents and carers to know that they are at the heart of every single decision we make, at every stage of the journey that they are on.   

"We know that this is about real change, rebuilding trust, and delivering results, and we really want people to know about the progress, but also the very real challenges we have been navigating, and to see high-quality services and outcomes delivered.  

"Working collaboratively through the Lancashire SEND Partnership, we are continuing to invest in our staff to ensure that they have the tools and resources they need, and are empowered to deliver effective, people-focused services.  

"We are confident that with the right measures, and the right support, the SEND journey in Lancashire is being transformed, so that our children and young people get the support they need to thrive."