Terry Reynolds, Newham's director of education and skills, told a parliamentary inquiry into the government's SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) reforms of 2014, that the measures have reduced a backlog of education, health and care plan (EHCP) assessments.
Department for Education data published in January put the council at the bottom of a 2017 list of 149 local authorities for the number of EHCPs completed within the government's target time of 20 weeks.
Of the 316 EHCPs issued in Newham in 2017, just 1.4 per cent were completed within the 20-week timescale.
By contrast, Northumberland Council achieved a 100 per cent completion rate for its 929 EHCPs issued the same year.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
