Derbyshire Partnership committed to continued improvement to SEND support for families

Derbyshire Local Area Partnership is committed to continuous improvement in education, health and care services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, says a new report.

The Partnership – made up of Derbyshire County Council and the NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board – is stronger than six months ago with a focus on addressing key issues, according to the Department for Education and NHS England.

It follows a ‘stocktake’ to review how the partnership – responsible for planning, delivering and commissioning services for children and young people with SEND – is addressing issues highlighted by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission.

A joint inspection in September 2024, found a number of areas requiring improvement in education, health and care services including delays in education and health assessments, children missing school and poor communication with families.

After this 12-month progress review, the DfE and NHS England report a ‘good sense of a strengthening partnership’ together with a ‘willingness and commitment to continued improvement’.

It adds there is ‘a shared ambition to understand the lived experiences of children and families’ and a ‘clear commitment to improving outcomes across SEND services’.

The Partnership is working on a priority impact plan which the report says is having demonstrable results, including making sure children’s and young people’s voices are heard when making decisions locally and regionally.

The report adds it is also engaging with key stakeholder Derbyshire Parent Carer Voice – a SEND parents’ participation and campaign charity – which feels heard and is building trust with leaders across the partnership.

It goes on to say it is now essential that the Partnership’s focus of improvement should include acknowledging what differences have been made and are being felt by children, young people and their families by making all activity meaningful, clear and valuable.

Derbyshire County Council temporary Executive Director for Children’s Services Alison Noble said: “We welcome the Department for Education’s report which highlights our continued commitment to working together to improve SEND services for all children across Derbyshire.

“We know there is always more to do and we continue to work hard with our health, education, private, public and voluntary sector partners to offer a service these children deserve.

“The latest stocktake has recognised the multi-million-pound investment we’ve made in employing more specialist staff, improving efficiency around assessments and creating more special needs school places and that these changes are starting to show positive improvements.

“In Derbyshire, as nationally, there’s been a significant increase in demand for SEND support but despite this we want every child in Derbyshire to have the best possible start in life, whatever their ability.”

Rosa Waddingham, Executive Director of Quality (Nursing) for NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board, added: “We are pleased the progress we have made together over the past year has been recognised. The research and engagement we have done means we now have a greatly improved understanding of the health needs of children and young people in Derbyshire.

“That enables us to commission services to meet those needs better now and in the future.

“We have also made immediate progress by investing in children and young people’s mental health services and in supporting schools to be more inclusive of neurodiverse children, so they can get the support they need at the earliest opportunity.”

To read the letter in full visit: Derbyshire SEND Improvement and Assurance Board