Local Area SEND Inspection 2025
In January 2025, the Care Quality Commission and Ofsted visited Wirral to inspect services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The inspection team focused on the Local Area SEND Partnership, which includes education, health, and social care services. This is know as a Local Area SEND Inspection, and full details of what it involves are contained in the Local Area SEND Inspection Framework https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-area-send-inspection-framework. You can download the inspection report here. Whilst many strengths were reported, the inspection team identified three priority areas for immediate improvement.
In June 2025, Wirral Council was issued an updated SEND Improvement Notice today. This Notice explains the changes in priority for Wirral's Local Area SEND Partnership following the inspection in January.
The initial Notice in May 2024 identified ten areas for improvement. The latest inspection found that enough progress had been made in eight of those areas and they no longer need priority action. The inspection team did pick up on ‘preparation for adulthood’ as a new, third priority action area.
Wirral’s Partnership has submitted its Priority Action plan to Ofsted, CQC and the Department for Education. The plan focuses on the three areas for priority action in the Improvement Notice. It sets out how the partnership will work together to:
make sure that Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans consistently identify and meet the needs of children and young people. Ensure they are completed in line with statutory guidance.
develop a new way of working for preparation for adulthood. Making sure that services across education, health and care are joined up. Helping to support young people with SEND as they transition into adulthood.
reduce waiting times for specialist speech and language and neurodevelopmental assessments. Make sure that children and young people, and their families, consistently receive effective communication and support while waiting.
The Partnership will publish the Priority Action Plan this month. The new SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy will also be shared. These key documents will outline the steps to improvement. Elizabeth Hartley, Director for Children, Families and Education, will publish a statement for young people, parents and carers. You can download and read the Improvement notice by clicking on the box below.