High Peak’s Labour MP ‘disappointed but unsurprised’ by damning report into SEND provision by Tory-run Derbyshire County Council

Ofsted's report, titled Area SEND inspection of Derbyshire Local Area Partnership, makes clear the failings by the Conservative-led county council, which have resulted in a crisis in SEND provision in Derbyshire.

The report’s Inspection Outcome states: "There are widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), which the local area partnership must address urgently."

The report also identifies the following specific issues:

• pupils with SEND requirements can wait over two years for assessments, causing many missing significant amounts of education

• a critical shortage of special school and alternative provision (AP) places is forcing schools and trusts to make their own provision and desperate parents to consider home education

• poor communication with families, unanswered calls and emails, has left many feeling ignored and frustrated

• The absence of a cohesive strategic approach has led to a ‘post code lottery’ in support availability across our region.

Jon Pearce, MP for High Peak, said: "This report makes for disappointing but unsurprising reading and validates what so many families with SEND children have been saying to me for such a long time. 

"I have been contacted by so many parents and carers desperate for help in accessing appropriate SEND provision for their child, and it is a regular topic of concern at my advice surgeries, on the doorstep and in my post and emails.

"So many of our young people are denied the support they need to succeed, some missing months of schooling, and so many families are in distress."

County Councillor Joan Dixon, Leader of the Labour Opposition at Derbyshire County Councillor said: "I didn’t need an OFSTED report to know that there were widespread and systemic failures with SEND in Derbyshire.

"The sheer numbers of complaints that we were receiving as councillors from angry parents and carers spoke volumes. And even for us as councillors, it was hard to get ourselves heard and issues addressed. We felt that we were being kept in the dark.

"Being a corporate parent is the single most important role that we play as councillors, and I hope we will be allowed to contribute to getting the county’s SEND provision back on track."

In the Autumn Budget Statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves acted, with an additional £2.3 billion for schools - £1 billion of which has been allocated to SEND and Additional Provision funding.

The government has also committed to a restructuring of the SEND system, focusing on improving inclusion in mainstream settings, digitising and simplifying the Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process.

Whist there is an urgent need for investment and reform throughout the UK, this report makes clear that parents and carers in Derbyshire are also suffering from systemic failures within Derbyshire County Council, which has been under Conservative control for eight years.

Early this year, Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield spoke in parliament about the millions of pounds earmarked for school spaces for children with special needs that Derbyshire County Council had left unspent.

Of the £17.5m the council had received since 2019, £1.5m had been spent.

DCC has, however, paid £565,000 to two consultants for “strategic” help on children’s services, schools and learning. 

Despite this help the report notes: "Significant delays in the processes for education, health and care (EHC) plans and annual reviews mean that, frequently, needs are identified too late. EHC plans are not completed in a timely manner. The accuracy of the plans is poor. Some plans are finalised without contributions from health or social care professionals.

"Despite the council spending over £500,000 on consultants, we are still hearing from parents and carers facing unacceptably long waits for assessment and poor-quality Education and Health and Care (EHC) plans. 

"The result is that more and more of our children and young people are being without a suitable school place."

The report also noted that  a number of directorate posts are interim, and some are filled by consultants. During the inspection, the newly appointed director of early help and safeguarding was stepping up into the role of director for children’s services due to the absence of the substantive director, and other senior staff were also not present during the inspection.

Mr Pearce stated: "It is vital that these failures are addressed as an absolute priority by the Conservative leadership at Derbyshire County Council. Labour’s Derbyshire MPs and I will be working every day to ensure every child in Derbyshire has access to the education they deserve.

"Conservative incompetence is ruining the lives and the futures of so many children and they have driven parents and carers to despair. 

"I would like to see someone actually take responsibility for what they have done to these families. An apology would be a good start but nowhere near enough."

Jon Pearce MP along with all the Derbyshire MPs are asking parents and carers, experiencing problems around SEND provision, to contact them to see how their office can help. Please contact: Jon.Pearce.MP@parliament.uk or call 01298 918189.