Oxfordshire County Council has published an ‘action plan’ for improving care for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

In July 2023, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission inspected services for children and young people with SEND provided by Oxfordshire’s local area partnership and identified ‘widespread systemic failings’.

Under the new plan, the local area partnership will work to better consider the views of children and young people with SEND and their families.

Effective communications systems across the partnership will be developed and efforts will also be made to improve the timeliness and quality assurance of education, health and care plans.

The local area partnership includes Oxfordshire County Council, NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board and the parent carer forum (PCF), the official body for the voice of parent carers.

Cllr Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for SEND Improvement, said: ‘We recognise that we are only at the start of our improvement journey and that it will take time for real change to be felt by families. We are working hard as a partnership to ensure we have the right foundations in place to deliver real and lasting improved outcomes for children, young people and families.

‘Progress has been made but much more is to come. I look forward to continuing to forge strong relationships with partners and with families with SEND children to ensure we do this together. We are all determined to make a real difference.’