Local Area SEND Post-Inspection Plan now published
Cheshire West and Chester Council and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside are pleased to share that Cheshire West and Chester's Local Area SEND Post-Inspection Action Plan has now been published following the joint Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection carried out in November 2025.
The action plan sets out how education, health and care partners across Cheshire West and Chester will work together to address the recommendations made by inspectors and continue improving services and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
We recognise that publication of the action plan has taken longer than originally anticipated. This delay was agreed by the Department for Education (DfE) to enable the local area partnership to prioritise the development of our wider SEND Reform Action Plan. This has allowed us to better align inspection-related improvements with broader SEND reform work, ensuring that changes are coordinated, sustainable and focused on achieving the greatest impact for children, young people and families.
The inspection identified several strengths across the local area, including strong partnership working, improvements in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), effective early help services, and positive support from health and youth services. Inspectors also highlighted areas where further improvement is needed, particularly around communication with families, access to services, timeliness of assessments and plans, sufficiency of provision, and preparation for adulthood.
The action plan focuses on four key priorities:
- Improving access to assessment, support and specialist services, including neurodevelopmental pathways, speech and language therapy, and mental health support.
- Improving the quality and timeliness of SEND support, assessments, EHCPs and annual reviews.
- Strengthening SEND and Alternative Provision sufficiency, including short breaks and local provision.
- Improving communication, engagement and information for families, carers and professionals.
The plan includes clear actions, targets and measures of success, with progress being monitored regularly through established SEND partnership governance arrangements.
Cheshire West and Chester Council and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside remain committed to working closely with children and young people, families, schools, health services, the Parent Carer Forum, and all partners to ensure that improvements make a meaningful difference to the lived experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.
Cheshire West and Chester Council and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside thank you for your continued support and engagement as they work together to improve SEND services across Cheshire West and Chester.
