Progress made by Bristol SEND services but improvements needed to build trust with parents and carers

Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can affect a child or young person's ability to learn. They can affect their behaviour or ability to socialise - for example they may struggle to make friends, or find reading and writing difficult because they have dyslexia.

At the initial inspection of SEND services in 2019, inspectors found the following: 

• The lack of accountaility of leaders at all levels, including school leaders.
• The inconsistencies in the timeliness and effectiveness of the local area's arrangements for the identification and assessment of local children and young people with SEND.
• The dysfunctional EHC [education and health care] plan process, and inadequate quality of EHC plans.
• The underachievement and lack of inclusion of children and young people with SEND, including the high rates of persistent absenteeism and fixed-term exclusions.

After revisiting in 2022, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commissions found SEND services to have made 'sufficient progress' in addressing these 'significant' weaknesses.

However, they said the progress has not been made to address "the fractured relationships with parents and carers, lack of co-production and variable engagement collaboration".

The inspection report also stated that "plans are in place to re-establish a formal body to represent parents and carers. Until this is in place, parent and carer representatives and area leaders must ensure that co-production with parents and carers is maintained."

As not all the significant weaknesses have improved, the Department for Education and NHS England will determine the next steps.

Thank you to the Bristol residents who shared their feedback with us about SEND services, which was passed on to the inspectors.

You can download a copy of the inspection report below.