New steps have been agreed to further support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and their families.
The council’s education, skills and growth overview and scrutiny panel recently looked at how well information is shared and how people are listened to, as part of the SEND improvement work. Parents, carers, children, young people and support groups all shared their views. Their feedback helped shape a set of recommendations, which were agreed by Cabinet on 19 May.
The panel recommended:
- improving the communications between everyone involved in SEND
- giving young people a better understanding of their rights
- refining and updating the customer care charter
- making key stages of the SEND process easier to understand
The next step is to build stronger working relationships between families, the council and partner organisations, so children and young people get the support they need at the right time.
Cllr Jodie Watts, chair of the education, skills and growth overview and scrutiny panel, said:
“There can often feel like a divide between the local authority and the SEND parent community. This isn’t unique to our area, it’s something felt widely across the country. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Being both a SEND parent and a councillor has given me a clearer view of the experiences on each side. I know firsthand how challenging it can be as a parent, and I also see the significant amount of work that goes on within the local authority.
“Over the past 9 months, we’ve put a lot of effort into this review and as a councillor, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together. As a SEND parent, I know it can still feel like progress comes in small steps.”
The recommendations focused on building a more positive and collaborative culture to create lasting change. The aim is for families and the council to learn from each other, and work together to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND. With the recommended improvements, the council aims to make SEND services easier to access and more responsive.
More information
More information on the report and recommendations can be found in the report pack for the Cabinet meeting on 19 May 2026.
Contributors to the review can be found on the final page of the SEND review report.