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Inspectors: Children with SEND are 'valued, visible and included'

Inspectors: Children with SEND are 'valued, visible and included'
04 February 2025

Darlington local area was inspected by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission in November 2024 to evaluate how services in the area support Children and Young People with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Darlington has seen improvements to services for children with SEND since its previous inspections in 2022.

Darlington Borough Council and the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) are jointly responsible for the planning and commissioning of services for children and you people with SEND in Darlington

The report was published today (4 February) and can be read here. It said children and young people with SEND have a voice in Darlington. They are valued, visible and included in their communities. Children, young people and their families are included in decision-making about the individual support plans and types of support that they receive. There are many positives about the partnership’s SEND arrangements and the experiences and outcomes for children for young people with SEND.

Inspectors state the local area partnership is committed to improving the education, health and social care services across Darlington which benefit children and young people with SEND.  However, inspectors found the partnership’s arrangements for some children and young people can lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes.

Some of the areas of strength the report highlighted include:

  • The partnership is ambitious for children and young people with SEND. Leaders work closely together to improve local provision.
  • Children and young people are involved effectively in co-producing the Darlington SEND strategy
  • The timeliness and quality of children and young people’s education, health and care plans are improving
  • Children, young people and their families receive a comprehensive range of effective support while they are waiting for access to services
  • The partnership has implemented well-thought-out strategies to support the mental health and emotional well-being needs of children and young people across Darlington
  • Children and young people who are in care, and have SEND, are successfully prepared for adulthood.
  • Disabled children receiving support from children’s social care experience smooth transitions to adult social care.

 

However, the report also highlighted areas where the partnership must improve, including:

  • Leaders need to continue to develop how they use data to inform strategic planning
  • Children and young people wait too long for some therapy services and a for diagnosis for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
  • There is a lack of a defined process to assess and support children and young people with a learning disability
  • Improve the quality of information sharing with schools and services

 

The partnership already recognises and is responding to these challenges. The partnership had developed a new SEND Strategy to be adopted this year and completed a full public consultation on the strategy in December 2024. The partnership will use the findings of the report to align with and inform the SEND Strategy implementation plan.

Councillor Nick Wallis, Cabinet Member: Children & Young People, said: “We are committed to working in partnership across Darlington to support children and young people with SEND and their families so that they are able to fulfil their ambitions and thrive. This latest report demonstrates how our local education, health and care services have continued to improve and this is thanks to the hardworking and committed staff working across the partnership and the local children and families who we listen to and work with to develop services and plans.”

Levi Buckley, chief delivery officer for NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “We're pleased the inspectors saw the strengths and improvements in the work of the local area, and this is a testament to the hardworking teams across the area and the families we work with.

"Our partnership is aware of the particular challenges for neurodevelopmental pathways, and it is reassuring that the report recognises that those children and young people on a neurodevelopmental diagnostic pathway are being identified and their needs met at an early stage while they are awaiting a diagnosis. We know there is further work needed to develop the diagnostic service offer.

"Every day our health, education and care teams work hard to make a difference in the lives of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Our young people, each with their own strengths and needs – along with their families, are at the heart of everything we do."

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