'Nothing much has changed': Parents' dismay at improvement plan for Central Bedfordshire's SEND service

Earlier Amy, from Dunstable, was sharing her parental special educational needs and disability (SEND) experiences at an extraordinary public meeting.

Central Bedfordshire Council’s children’s services overview and scrutiny committee was measuring progress of an improvement plan to correct failings within its SEND service.

A joint Ofsted/Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection earlier this year found “significant areas of weakness in the local practice”.

Their report demanded a written statement of action from CBC and Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Amy Ivins told the meeting: “In terms of what parents are experiencing ,nothing much has changed.

“Last week we were told annual reviews are all up-to-date,” she said.

“But this is meaningless when the majority are full of unquantified, unspecified provisions that render the entire document legally worthless.

“Lots of parents are reporting their annual reviews are being finalised, despite them asking for amendments.”

Parent Lisa Therkildsen agreed, saying: “We hear the service is good. In fact it’s a shambles.

“It was a shambles before Covid and a shambles before Ofsted.

“This is completely unacceptable for the people who’re supposed to protect.”

Councillor Sue Clark, executive member for families, education and children, replied: “We’ve heard and we’re listening. I know you don’t believe me, but it’s the truth.

“We want the shortcomings in our service to be corrected. We’re working towards putting them right.

“I don’t think we’ve ever said our service is good. I’ve been misquoted when I was talking about the school improvement service.

“I promise you that we’re absolutely determined we’ll improve our service.”

Presenting the response to the joint CBC and Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) the council’s director of children’s services, Sue Harrison, described the improvement journey as “a marathon not a sprint”.

She explained: “This is a culture shift across the partnership.”

The SEND improvement programme seeks to work with all local area partners to undertake reform of the entire SEND system, according to a report to the committee.

“This is to improve the life chances and choices for some of Central Bedfordshire’s most vulnerable children, young people and families,” said the report.

Conservative Leighton Buzzard South councillor David Bowater referred to the joint Ofsted/CQC inspection, saying: “It means we’ve a partner in this, in the NHS and the local CCG.

“Can we have some information on its involvement?” he asked. “How are they supporting us on this?”

Chief nurse at the CCG Anne Murray replied: “I very much have taken a leadership role to make sure the CCG were completely sighted on the challenges around the written statement of action and the resources required to work in partnership with Sue.

“And I’m working hand in glove with her to make sure our services are responding and that we’re working through all those challenges we’ve been discussing.

“This will make sure we start to improve those pathways and that we work closely so the experience of those children and families are better.

“We’ve joint funded the posts to deliver this really extensive programme, and myself and the team will stay very close right through to the end, and continue on afterwards.

“So we’re very much part of this.”