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Council admits to backlog of 1,400 SEND reviews

2 mins read Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
Rochdale Borough Council has agreed to address “systemic issues” with its support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), after a probe uncovered a backlog of more than 1,400 education, health and care plan (EHCPs) reviews.
Rochdale Borough Council has agreed to produce an action plan for improving its SEND response. Picture: Rochdale.gov.uk

The council admitted the wider failings after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) investigated one parent’s complaint that her child’s EHCP had not been updated since 2018.

The law requires annual EHCP reviews – with parents to be kept informed of actions within specific timescales – but the LGO found in September 2024 that Rochdale flouted the requirements in the case in question, causing the mother “distress and uncertainty”.

When the LGO quizzed Rochdale about its records, it admitted to having more than 1,400 cases where it had failed to tell parents of a decision to amend, maintain or cease an EHC Plan within four weeks of the annual review meeting.

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