Local Area SEND Partnership Board February 2026
Checking progress on previous actions
The Board reviewed actions from earlier meetings.
Most actions are on track. A small number were delayed to March so more work can take place—for example:
A Year 9 annual health check update.
A communications update from the Strategic Communications Group.
The Board agreed the action log was correct.
Our SEND Partnership - What We Talked About
Update on the SEND Improvement Plan
An update was given on the SEND Priority Action Plan. The plan is being reviewed at the six-month point. Progress has been made in
Education Health and Care Plan improvements: Backlogs are reducing. More training has taken place for SEND officers
SENDLO Updates: More staff are in place to keep information current.
Preparation for Adulthood: A new group and clear plans are now in place to help young people move towards adulthood.
Neurodevelopment (ND) Pathway: A new steering group is set up to improve support and reduce delays.
Members noted good progress.
Local Area SEND Partnership Maturity Assessment: Assessing how well the local SEND system is working
The “Maturity Assessment” is a national tool that checks how well the local SEND system is developing.
Most areas were graded “Developing”.
The area of co‑production (working with parents, carers, children and young people) was graded “Emerging”, meaning early progress but more work needed.
Members have until 9 March 2026 to send more evidence and feedback.
This assessment helps the local area secure government funding and prepare for future SEND reforms.
Impact Focus Session: EHCPs and EHCNA
This session looked at the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process and the Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) process.
Timelines of EHCPs
Key points:
Wirral has a higher number of children with SEND and with EHCPs compared to national levels.
The number of EHCPs has risen by about 2,000 since 2024.
The backlog of assessments waiting over 30 weeks has reduced from 738 to 180.
The number of EHCPs issued has nearly doubled, which affects the 20‑week deadline.
All primary and secondary phase transfers were completed on time for the first time in 11 years.
Schools said the new approach to phase transfers feels more like true partnership
Communication during the Education, Health, and Care Needs Assessment process
Families can give up to three school preferences if they wish.
Appeals are being settled faster, taking about 69 days on average.
A stronger focus on clear letters, better updates and simpler contact points has reduced complaints.
Checking the Quality of EHCPs
Earlier checks showed too many plans had missing or unclear information, especially in the social care section.
A new quality assurance system checks plans using ratings (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Significant Gap).
The share of plans rated as having “significant gaps” has reduced.
The aim for September 2026 is for 85% of new EHCPs to be rated Silver or better.
Work continues to improve how outcomes are written so they better support the child or young person.
What multi-agency audits told us about EHCPs
A multi‑agency group reviewed nine EHCPs with a “safeguarding lens”.
They found:
Strengths
Children’s voices were clear in many plans.
Needs were often identified early.
Schools were supporting children well in many cases.
Areas to improve
Some plans contained old or unclear information.
Health and social care information needs to be more consistent.
Annual reviews must be completed on time and lead to updated plan
Any other updates
The Board approved the SEND Dashboard for publication.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 26 March 2026.