Stockport SEND Inspection

9th May 2019

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Inspection

Stockport has recently received an Inspection Report following a Joint Local Area Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) review.  The full report can be read here: Local Area SEND Review.

The review examined how well Stockport has developed on its SEND reform implementation journey for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities 0-25 years.

The SEND inspection is a joint area review involving Ofsted and The Care Quality Commission. The joint inspection looked at partnership working and integration across Stockport’s education, health and social care services to identify how well we are working together to meet statutory requirements and responsibilities for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

How does the inspection work?

A total of three inspectors met with children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, parents and carers, representatives from the Council and CCG leads. An additional three inspectors were also present to ensure quality of the inspection process. The inspection will review a range of information about the performance of the local area, including the local area’s self-evaluation, performance data and evidence about the local offer and joint commissioning.

The inspection focused on three key lines of enquiry:

• The effectiveness of the local area in identifying children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities;
• The effectiveness of the local area in assessing and meeting the needs of children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities;
• The effectiveness of the local area in improving outcomes for children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Co-production working with children young people and families underpins the SEND reform agenda and as such is the golden thread throughout the inspection.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Local services offer for children and young people (aged 0-25) with special education needs and/or disability (SEND).

What is the Local Offer?

The SEND Local Offer provides information for parents, carers and children. Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have a statutory responsibility to work with local authorities on the local offer for families in their area.  To learn more about the Local Offer visit the website: Stockport Local Offer.

The local services are provided by many local agencies (both statutory and voluntary), including education, health and social care. The local offer aims to improve choice, flexibility and transparency for families – by setting out clear, comprehensive, accessible and up to date information about statutory entitlements, what’s available and how services can be accessed.

What services are commissioned for children and young people with SEND?

There are a wide range of universal services commissioned for the whole of the population. More specialist health services specifically for children and young people with additional and complex needs include:

• Continuing and complex care assessments and packages
• Equipment including wheelchairs and mobility aids
• Child and adolescent mental health services
• Therapy services – speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy
• Audiology services

What happens next?

The Council and CCG are required to provide a Written Statement of Action and will work closely with parents, families and partners to ensure that the local SEND services continue to meet the needs of local communites.

The Written Statement of Action can be read here: 

For further information about the method and approach used by Ofsted and the CQC, including the full inspection framework and handbook, is available here.