Risk Register – progress report

The Board looked at a new risk register.

A risk means something that could go wrong and affect children and families if it is not managed.

Key points:

• Risks now link clearly to the SEND strategy

• Clear responsibility for managing risks

• Risks will only come to the Board if they need urgent action

The Board agreed the new approach.

SEND reform

National government changes to SEND were discussed.

What is changing

The aim is one inclusive system, not two separate ones.

• Most children with SEND should be supported in local mainstream settings

• Specialist support is for children with more complex needs

• Support should start earlier

• Families should feel listened to

New plans and support

• Individual Support Plans (ISPs) – plans for children with identified SEND

• EHCPs will still exist but will be clearer and more consistent

• More support in schools from experts such as:

• educational psychologists

• speech and language therapists

What this means locally

Wirral must write a Local SEND Reform Plan by 19 June 2026. This plan is linked to funding for SEND services. Parents and carers will be involved in shaping this work.

Subgroup updates

Performance and Impact

The Board reviewed service performance data.

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)

• Some improvement in processing EHCPs

• Average wait is still long at around 40 weeks

• Backlogs are reducing, which should help over time

Health services

• Speech and language therapy waiting times are much shorter

• Neurodevelopmental assessments (such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) have very long waiting lists

• Mental health support for children and young people is improving

Parents raised concerns about:

• Appointments being offered at very short notice

• Children being re-referred multiple times

Actions were agreed to look into this.

Strategic Delivery Group

Progress against the main SEND priorities was reviewed.

• Some areas are improving

• Some areas are delayed and need more work

Key concerns include:

• Not enough specialist school places

• Pressure on early years and post-16 provision

The Board agreed to set up a SEND Sufficiency Task and Finish Group. This group will plan how to increase the right support and places.

Priority Plan Group

Priority Plan Report

• Fewer children are waiting a very long time for an EHCP

• This shows the system is becoming more stable

• Quality of EHCPs still varies and needs improving

EHCP Recovery Plan Update

• Good progress has been made

• The plan is not ready to stop yet

• More focused work is needed

A new action plan will be brought to the next meeting.

Profiling tool

Schools are using the “This is Me” tool to better understand children’s needs.

Some schools find it hard to use due to time and training capacity. Work will continue to improve this with school staff.

Strategic Communications Report

The Board agreed a new SEND communications approach. This includes:

• Clear, plain English information

• Updates on the Local Offer website (SENDLO)

• Feedback that shows “you said, we did”

Families should find it easier to understand services, find help and have their voices heard.

Any other business

The Board agreed updates to school and education representatives for the next year, including primary, secondary, special schools and post-16 education.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 19th May 2026