SEN inspection plans 'unsustainable', say children's services chiefs
Jess Brown
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Plans to assess an area's special educational needs (SEN) provision are "untimely and unsustainable", according to the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS).
Proposals put forward by Ofsted would see health, education and social care services across a local authority area assessed on how well they meet the needs of children with SEN and disabilities (SEND).
However, the ADCS response to Ofsted's consultation on the proposals said the remit of the local area SEN inspection is too broad, unsustainable and overly ambitious. It also said it is unclear how the inspections would be completed in the required timeframe of one week.
In addition, ADCS said it does not believe now is the right time to begin a new inspection for SEN, as reforms introduced in 2014 are still bedding in and resources across the public sector are declining.
The proposals state that the inspections will be carried out on a local authority "footprint", but ADCS is concerned that the boundaries of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which will also be inspected, do not align with councils.
Consequently, ADCS said that a CCG will be inspected a number of times if its boundary overlaps with more than one local authority area.
“ADCS believes that there are other means available to the government to quality assure these services while services are still in the midst of a period of intense transformation and change.
“Regular data monitoring, coupled with some thematic studies to bring good practice and common issues to light will, in ADCS’s view, improve outcomes for children and young people.
“It is unclear at present how the proposals, as they stand currently, will drive improvement, as the focus is more on compliance.”
The consultation closes next month.
