Havering's Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Reform Plan has been approved, marking a significant milestone for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Havering Council has welcomed the Department for Education’s (DfE) approval of its Local SEND Reform Plan, making an important step forward in strengthening support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families.
The Plan, developed collaboratively by the Council, NHS partners, schools, education settings, families and wider stakeholders, with feedback from the DfE sets out a clear programme of improvement designed to deliver better outcomes for children and young people across Havering.
Councillor Kevin Gill, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:
"I am delighted that Havering's SEND Reform Plan has been approved. This is a significant achievement and reflects the hard work, commitment and collaboration of colleagues across the Council, NHS partners, schools, families and the wider SEND community.
“The approval of the Plan provides recognition of the progress we have made and the strength of our shared vision to improve the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND."
The approved Plan establishes a framework for continued improvement and partnership working, with a strong focus on ensuring families receive the right support at the right time and that children and young people can thrive in their local communities.
Councillor Kevin Gill continued:
"While we are rightly celebrating this achievement, we are equally clear that approval of the Plan is not the end of the journey. There remain important areas where we must continue to improve services and further strengthen our partnership between the Council and our partners to deliver our ambition.
“We know that families want to see timely assessments, high-quality support, clear communication and services that work seamlessly together. These remain priorities for us, and we are committed to delivering the improvements set out in the Plan."
Over the coming months, the Council and NHS partners will focus on key priorities including:
- Improving the timeliness and quality of Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) processes.
- Strengthening joint working between education, health and social care services.
- Increasing access to the right support and provision closer to home.
- Improving the experiences of children, young people and families through better communication and co-production.
- Ensuring services remain financially sustainable whilst meeting rising levels of need.
- Delivering measurable improvements in outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
Councillor Kevin Gill added that the Council will continue to provide regular updates on progress against the SEND Reform Plan and will work closely with children, young people and families to ensure services continue to improve.