New plan to drive further improvement for SEND services in Wirral

A Priority Action Plan has been published, to drive improvements for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Wirral.

The plan focuses on the three priority areas identified in an inspection of the area’s SEND services, by Ofsted and the CQC earlier this year. The plan confirms a timeframe for change and details the steps the partnership will take to: 

• Make Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans more timely, high-quality, and effective, ensuring annual reviews are completed on time and lead to meaningful updates.
• Help young people with SEND transition smoothly into adulthood, ensuring coordinated support across education, health, and care.
• Reduce waiting times for Speech, Language & Neurodevelopmental Support and improve communication and support for families while they wait.

The January inspection looked at services for children and young people with SEND across Wirral, including the local authority, NHS and education. This Priority Action Plan was put together by Wirral’s Local Area SEND Partnership Board - a board set up to bring those services together, with parents and carers, to ensure improvements are made.

Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paula Basnett, said: “Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paula Basnett, said: “We want local families to really see a change in the services they access and to feel confident that across Wirral, they’re getting the best options for their children. 

“The board will be tracking the progress made against the plan to ensure services are improving. This is another step forward in delivering a more responsive, inclusive, and outcomes-focused SEND system in Wirral.”

Simon Banks, Place Director (Wirral), NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said: “It is important that we have a shared and agreed plan as a Partnership. It is also important that this plan, and progress against it, is visible to children and young people with SEND and their families and carers. We are all committed as a Partnership to delivering this plan.”

You can download and read the plan on Wirral’s Local Offer website, SENDLO.