Many children with SEND and their families continue to have unsatisfactory experiences when navigating the SEND system, particularly in their interactions with local authority staff. These challenges are often rooted in a failure to work empathetically in partnership with parents and carers and demonstrate a limited understanding of the assessment process and its significance. In some cases, local authority staff make poor or inadequate contributions to EHC plans, undermining their quality an...

Many children with SEND and their families continue to have unsatisfactory experiences when navigating the SEND system, particularly in their interactions with local authority staff. These challenges are often rooted in a failure to work empathetically in partnership with parents and carers and demonstrate a limited understanding of the assessment process and its significance. In some cases, local authority staff make poor or inadequate contributions to EHC plans, undermining their quality and failing to reflect the needs of the child. These issues not only erode trust in the system but also contribute to delays, disputes, and ultimately poor Type: conclusion | Number: 64 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: We appreciate the Committee’s careful consideration of these issues and will respond to their recommendations on improving local authority accountability, including in relation to the SEND tribunal. Almost 95% of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) and asses