Nottinghamshire Local Area SEND Partnership's improvement journey

Following the January 2023 Nottinghamshire Local Area SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) inspection [PDF], significant improvement activity has been taking place by all leaders and partners to address the priority actions set out in the Priority Action Plan (PAP) and area for improvement. 

The Nottinghamshire Partnership Improvement Board was established to oversee SEND improvement activity, independently chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan.

Priority Action One of the PAP

This area relates to the assessment of needs, timely issuing of Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans and the holistic oversight of these through annual reviews.

Improvements included:

  • 4.5% of EHC plans were issued in timescale at the point of inspection, in 2025 this increased to 49.3% year-to-date.
  • The number of children and young people waiting for Educational Psychology assessments EHC needs assessments reduced from 359 in December 2023 to 224 by December 2024.
  • There is a significant increase in the number of Educational Psychology assessments completed each month, 113 assessments were completed in December 2024 compared to 72 assessments per month in the academic year 2022/23.
  • A full operational review of our people, processes and systems within the Integrated Children Disabilities Service (ICDS) with changes nearly ready to implement, benefitting our education settings, parents, carers, children and young people.
  • The county council has invested £3 million to improve its own SEND services and is part way through a capital programme of £46.5 million since 2021 to increase the number of special school placements by almost 500.
  • New SEND Educational Pathway Officers are holding structured conversations to better support decision making at stage of the EHC needs assessment process.
  • Families are further supported as these officers offer a 'next steps' meeting following a 'no to assess' decision to signpost to appropriate support and ensure needs are met.
  • Long-term expansion of our Educational Psychology Service establishment with a commitment to recruit nine additional Full Time Equivalent Educational Psychologists and three additional Trainee Educational Psychologists by 2027.
  • SEND Journey Map developed to help families and professionals understand pathways to advice and support.

Priority Action Two of the Priority Action Plan

This area for improvement relates to addressing the delays and gaps in access to some health services, particularly speech and language therapy, the neurodevelopmental pathway and equipment services.

Improvements included:

  • Reduced waiting times for children and young people for specialist neurodevelopmental assessments and Speech, Language and Communication Needs support.
  • Neurodevelopmental assessment waiting times reduced from 68 weeks (December 2023) to 55 weeks (February 2025), with more work planned to reduce wait times, improve pathways and patient experience.
  • Over £1 million invested by the Integrated Care Board in 2024 to 2025 to improve the neurodevelopmental pathway.
  • Better support while waiting which families report improved communication and support during waiting periods.
  • New Joint Commissioning Strategy covering the city and county councils, and the local Integrated Care Board with the aim to tackle delays and gaps in access to health services for children and young people with SEND.
  • All health and social care professionals required to complete Oliver McGowan training to improve autism awareness.
  • New Speech and Language Therapy Advice Line available for parents and carers of children (zero to 19 years), and young people (16 to 19) needing guidance on communication development.
  • Early Years drop-in sessions being held in Family Hubs for children under four, allowing families to access support without an appointment and ensure they are referred to the most appropriate pathway first time.
  • Revised Concerning Behaviour Pathways based on family feedback, with updated infographics for clarity.
  • Enhanced Multi-Agency Reviews where children and young people are jointly reviewed with professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists, CAMHS, and Community Paediatricians when further recommendations are needed.
  • Complex Communication Clinics are available where diagnosis remains unclear, or second opinions are required.

Other areas for improvement

Leadership and governance

  • Stronger partnership governance and relationships have been established, which have created conditions for improvement and are becoming embedded as standard practice.
  • The Nottinghamshire Parent Carer Forum is embedded within our governance as a strategic partner.

Co-production

  • The voices of children and young people, as well as their families, are now included in and influencing the partnership and service performance initiatives.
  • For example, our Outcome-Based SEND Strategy has been developed in collaboration with children and young people, along with their parents and carers.
  • Co-produced neurodevelopmental website, 'Minds of All Kinds' including support information based upon the lived experiences of young people.

Data

  • A shared data dashboard has been implemented, allowing for improved monitoring of outcomes.
  • This data will help leaders to identify where gaps exist with the next steps to systemise reports for performance monitoring.

Quality assurance

  • Work underway to revise the multi-agency and co-produced EHCP quality assurance framework.
  • Regular multi-agency EHCP audits are being held involving city and county councils, and the local Integrated Care Board as well as other providers.

Children's Social Care

  • Our Principal Social Worker is a member of our quality assurances steering group and Partnership Assurance Information Group. 
  • Children's Social Care has identified lead SEND Practice Consultations.
  • SEND Social Worker is holding SEND surgeries for Children's Social Care.

As a SEND partnership we recognise that there is still much to do and not every child or young person with SEND have experienced the improvements to date.

The partnership is committed to continuing this important journey

View this information as a PDF.