East Sussex Local Area Partnership gets middle rating in Ofsted and CQC SEND inspection
The report of the Ofsted and CQC East Sussex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) inspection was published on 4 February 2025.
The inspection looked at the delivery, planning and commissioning of education, health and care SEND services in the county and the effectiveness of local partnership arrangements. The inspection had been anticipated for 18 months and finally took place over three weeks in November 2024. It was an exceptionally busy time for East Sussex Parent Carer Forum (ESPCF) who worked tirelessly to represent families in the process. Amaze also met with inspectors to discuss our services, including SENDIASS, ND Family Support and Amazing Futures, and share our insights on families’ experiences.
The East Sussex Local Area Partnership, which includes ESCC and NHS Sussex, was given the middle rating by inspectors:
“The local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The local area partnership must work jointly to make improvements.”
Inspectors felt that leaders in East Sussex are ambitious to improve the experiences of children and young people with SEND, with a renewed focus on SEND, and ambitious plans in place to secure better outcomes for children and young people with additional needs across the county.
The inspection report highlights areas of good practice and positive examples of work across agencies to provide support for children and young people and their families. At Amaze we were pleased that our SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) was recognised for the important guidance that it provides to families. Inspectors also reflected on significant progress made by ESPCF in strengthening co-production in East Sussex since the forum was set up in 2019.
The inspection identified four key areas for development including:.
- Improving the quality of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, so that there is consistent input across all agencies to better identify the provision that children and young people require to meet their needs. This should include:
– improving joint working of practitioners, particularly health, to contribute to EHC plans; and
– ensuring a more timely and precise annual review process. - Taking further action to reduce overall waiting times in relation to neurodevelopmental pathways, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) interventions and the provision of wheelchairs. They should ensure that the support that they provide to families while waiting is well used and beneficial.
- Developing and embedding work with education settings on improving inclusion, so that the proportion of children and young people achieving strong outcomes increases.
- Continue to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that there is sufficient and suitable AP and post-16 options for children and young people with SEND.
Partners are required to produce an action plan within the next 2 months setting out how these priorities will be addressed. Amaze and ESPCF will have the opportunity to input to this work through different meetings coming up.
East Sussex County Council and NHS Sussex said:
“We understand that families’ experiences of the SEND system in East Sussex is variable and that outcomes are not yet consistently good. We are committed to working together to make these improvements and to ensure that we meet the needs of all our children and young people with SEND.”
They also thanked parent carers who participated in the inspection by completing the Ofsted/CQC survey and ESPCF for their contributions and representation. We echo their thanks.
Read the full Ofsted/CQC report.
Read the Joint statement from East Sussex County Council, NHS Sussex ICB and East Sussex Parent Carer Forum.
