Protesters gather at Exeter’s County Hall to push for special educational needs improvements

Protesters gathered this week at Exeter’s County Hall to push for improvements to Devon’s under-pressure special educational needs service.

The Devon SEND Parents and Carers for Change group held its second protest in two years over what it calls a “dire provision” for young people with special educational needs or disabilities.
The group’s two-hour event saw campaigners outline their demands, while parents and carers revealed their challenges with securing support for their children, and other supporters, including some councillors, also addressed the gathering.
An inspection by education regulator Ofsted in 2022 found the county had “not made sufficient progress in addressing any of the significant weaknesses.”
It added that despite a new strategy launched in 2020, it “fundamentally fails to address the significant weaknesses that were apparent at the previous inspection and are still evident now.”
Councillor Lois Samuel (Conservative, Okehampton Rural), the cabinet member responsible for the service since last summer, said improvements are being made.
“The scale of the challenge locally and nationally is significant, and the improvement journey that we’re on in Devon will take time, working in close partnership with the NHS, schools, and importantly with parents and carers,” she said.
“Our priority right now is to make sure that pupils who need additional support are identified at the earliest opportunity and receive the right support at the right time and in the right place.
“Where possible, we would like to make sure that children and young people are supported to attend their local schools and be part of their local community as much as possible.”
Ofsted’s 2022 report noted that the number of children and young people waiting for an autism spectrum disorder assessment had fallen, but that those seeking this service “still wait too long”.
It said at the time: “There are almost 2,000 children and young people on the waiting list and almost half of these have been waiting for over a year.
“These numbers do not capture the whole picture of need. Parents describe battles to get onto the waiting list and there is a separate service for children under five years old.”
Devon County Council said appointed a new director of SEND improvement, Kellie Knott, at the same time Cllr Samuel took her post, and that together the pair are overseeing a range of improvements.
A council spokesperson said: “Educational Psychologists (EPs) are now working in 100 schools to identify children with special educational needs and disabilities and to help schools support pupils as early as possible.
“EPs are also developing support pathways for children experiencing difficulty attending school.
“Over the next few months the council will be introducing a new framework and guidance around a standard level of support which should be available from schools across Devon for pupils with SEND.”
It added the number of children waiting for an education, health and care needs assessment (EHCNA) had “reduced significantly” in recent months.
It is also seeking more financial support from the Government, and is engaging with Essex County Council as an improvement partner, learning from that authority about better ways of working.