Concerned parents have again demanded improvements in the council’s SEND services and have called for a “seat at the table” when it comes to deciding how it is run.
Angry and frustrated parents and carers with children who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) used a cabinet meeting at County Hall to repeat demands for improvements in a service that has left them battling for months – and even years – and spending tens of thousands of pounds in the process to secure the right support.
Campaigners from the SEND National Crisis Worcestershire group said they were compelled to speak out again following an “insulting” response from Worcestershire County Council over the concerns they raised with the authority about the service in February.
The group has also called for a permanent spot when it comes to delivering the service in order to bring about “real change.”
Elena Round, whose 18-year-old son Billy has complex needs, told councillors at the meeting on Thursday (March 24) they needed to ‘see what life was like in the real world for families’ before “patting themselves on the back.”
Karen Noakes said improvements made elsewhere in children’s services had come at the expense of children with SEND and families “deserved better.”
Cllr Marcus Hart, cabinet member for education, said he would not be ‘patting himself on the back’ but would “welcome positive and negative feedback.”
He said the council needed to be ‘cognisant of any dissatisfaction’ with children’s services but was “confident” the council’s ‘accelerated’ improvement plan would solve any problems.
Care watchdog Ofsted re-inspected SEND services – which are run by Worcestershire Children First on behalf of the county council – in November last year and found that while there had been some improvements, inspectors said that “significant weaknesses” remained in four important areas.
A spokesperson for SEND National Crisis Worcestershire, which represents more than 500 families, said a culture of “delaying tactics, unlawful practices and treating parents and carers as adversaries” remained at Worcestershire Children First and collaboration was usually given “lip service at best.”
The group said it was “ready and willing” to work with Worcestershire Children First but was not being given a ‘seat at the table.’
“We represent real voices of Worcestershire parent and carers and we demand to be heard,” the spokesperson said.
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