Experiences of special educational needs and disability (SEND) reforms and service provision in Newcastle upon Tyne

Healthwatch Newcastle carried out this research into SEND because it was prioritised for in-depth research by members of the public and attendees at their 2016 annual conference.  They undertook surveys of young people between 16―25 years with EHC plans or Statements, and another for parents and carers of children and young people between 0―25 years with EHC plans or Statements, in Newcastle. They achieved a good response, with 201 valid questionnaires from parents/carers and 51 from young people.

Parents, carers and young people said that they were generally satisfied with most health and social care services and were positive about the introduction of EHC plans. The most common positive views of the EHC plan from parents and carers were that the plan helped their child get the required support, attend the right school, and gave them a sense of direction for the future. These comments align well with the aims of the SEND reforms. Almost every parent and carer rated the introduction of an EHC plan as the same as, or an improvement on, their Statement. The most common words people used to describe their EHC plan/Statement were ‘helpful’, ‘good’, ‘supportive’ and ‘informative’.

This research also brought up a number of issues about specific services or aspects of the EHC plan process. The most important improvement parents and carers wanted was better communication between providers and themselves, and also among providers.  Parents and carers wanted better attendance of providers at EHC planning meetings. Some parents and carers felt they were not being listened to enough by professionals. Many parents and carers did not understand ‘who does what’, and where to go for specific information or support. Many parents and carers did not have good communication with their SEN Case Worker during the EHC plan development.

Parents and carers were very concerned about their child becoming an adult and didn’t feel that EHC plans sufficiently addressed these concerns; young people were less concerned, and most interested in finding work and making their own decisions. Young people, parents and carers wanted more training for life skills and more support to gain employment.

A quarter of parents and carers said that not all services were being provided according to what had been agreed in their EHC plans or Statements. Nearly half of young people said they needed extra support than they were receiving. Waiting times for certain services were too long for some parents and carers. Parents and carers raised concerns about the accessibility and quality of the Children and Young People’s Services (CYPS) for mental health support

The report contains 12 recommendations about how service users can participate in decision making, helping users prepare better for adulthood and high quality provision to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.