TAMESIDE’S provision for people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has been savaged by inspectors.
‘Widespread and/or systemic failings’ were found in the service as Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission jointly examined it.
The report even found some children are at risk of exploitation and that some staff admitted there is a lack of staff understanding, training and management of the dangers.
And they have ordered the partnership responsible for running it to produce a priority action plan as soon as possible, while saying they will be back in about 18 months.
They also painted a grim picture of what it is like to be someone with SEND in the borough.
In a report after an inspection done from May 12 to May 16, they said: “Too many children and young people with SEND, and their families, do not receive the support that they need to thrive.
“Many children and young people with SEND wait too long for their needs to be identified and met.
“This is particularly the case if a child or young person is waiting to access the neurodevelopmental (ND) assessment pathway.
“This is compounded by children, young people and their family’s frustrations at not being able to access sufficient support while they wait for assessment.
“Similarly, children and young people with SEND wait too long to be assessed and to receive their education, health and care (EHC) plan.
“Although there have been some recent improvements in newly issued EHC plans, the quality of older plans is generally poor.
“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.
“As a result of this inspection, HMCI requires the local area partnership to prepare and submit a priority action plan (area SEND) to address the identified areas for priority action.”
Failure to regularly update EHC plans was found to make them ‘not the valuable documents that they should be’ and inspectors noted an ‘overwhelming culture of distrust and frustration.’
They also found the older children get, the larger the education gap, with the report adding: “Children and young people with SEND are not as well prepared for future education, training or employment as they should be.
“This is because there is a lack of co-ordination around preparing them for adulthood effectively.
“Educational outcomes for children with SEND are generally positive in early years settings, but as they get older, the gaps between children with SEND and their non-SEND peers widen.
“By the time children and young people with SEND attend secondary school, increasing numbers struggle to attend regularly.
“Too many children and young people with SEND are at risk of, or have been, excluded from school.
“A fundamental barrier that remains is an overwhelming culture of distrust and frustration from stakeholders in Tameside.
“Despite new leaders’ best efforts, the local area partnership does not have a strong and enduring foothold on the many aspects of SEND provision and services that need to be improved for children, young people and families in Tameside.
“Inspectors found that a small number of children and young people with SEND are living with unassessed risk in relation to child exploitation.”
Among other faults, services being disjointed and having a lack of co-ordination were flagged up several times, while the area’s alternative provision (AP) – or rather a lack of it – has had serious consequences.
Inspectors noted: “For some children and young people, this has led to some permanent exclusions, where they may otherwise have been mitigated if AP commissioning processes were appropriate.”
Tameside’s SEND provision is managed by a local area partnership of Tameside Council and Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB).
And after Jill Colbert was brought in as the council’s director of children’s services, some improvements were spotted.
Inspectors said: “Recently appointed local area leaders are keen to ensure that children and young people with SEND are at the heart of all that they do.
“They are fully committed to bringing their vision to improve provision for children and young people with SEND into reality.
“There are some examples of positive work to support children and young people with SEND.
“The local area partnership has a renewed determination to improve the lives of children and young people with SEND in Tameside.
“To this end, there has been significant recent financial investment made across education, health and social care. Local area leaders are open and committed to change.
“They are acutely aware of the significant journey ahead to improve the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND. There are positive signs that leaders are gaining the confidence of some stakeholders.
“Local area leaders are making inroads to address some of the issues around providing sufficient, appropriate school places for children and young people with SEND.
“A new special school, which opened in September 2024, is already providing more places for primary-age children with complex SEND. There are plans to develop several locality-based specially resourced provisions.”
Reacting to the inspection, Tameside Council and NHS Greater Manchester said they are ‘united in their commitment to act swiftly and decisively and an action plan is being developed to speed up improvements.’
They added: “This will build on the changes already underway and focus on key areas to provide children and young people with SEND, and their families, the support that they need to thrive. “
Tameside Council’s executive member for lifelong learning and culture, Councillor Leanne Feeley added: “We fully accept the findings of the inspection and are determined to deliver the changes our children, young people and families need and deserve.
“While we are encouraged by the recognition of recent progress and the confidence shown in our new leadership, we know there is a long road ahead.
“We are committed to working openly and collaboratively with our partners, schools, and families to rebuild trust and deliver lasting improvements.
“As a partnership, we recognise the importance of listening to the voices of children, young people and their families, and will continue to work closely with the Tameside Umbrella Parent Carer Forum, OKE, and other stakeholders to ensure that lived experiences shape the way forward.”
Mark Fisher, chief executive of NHS Greater Manchester, commented: “We want every child and young person especially those with additional needs to feel seen, supported, and safe.
“This report shows where we must do better and improve. We take that responsibility seriously.
“Families have told us what needs to change and we’re listening. Working closely with the council and local partners, we are focused on improving services and making sure support is there when it’s needed most.”