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SEND Local Area Partnership Inspection 2023
Published
Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) announced Gloucestershire’s Local Area SEND Inspection on Monday 27th November to last three weeks until Friday 15th December.
Inspectors from Ofsted and CQC undertook an in-depth look at Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, alongside the county’s education settings from 0-25. During the period, approximately 1400 people responded to the Inspection survey provided by Ofsted and CQC; an extensive amount of data was explored alongside interviews and meetings with parents, children and young people, managers and practitioners from education support, health and care services. The experience over the three weeks was very focused and intense, and huge thank you to all who contributed and/or participated in any way.
Helen Bond, Gloucestershire Parent Forum Director - "It was reassuring that the views of parent carers were given such a high priority. Leading up to and during the inspection, the Parent Carer Forum participated in several meetings with local area partners. Alongside those meetings the Forum Directors and other senior members of the Parent Carer Forum met with the lead Ofsted and CQC Inspectors to share the areas of challenge that you, or members, have shared with us. In the first of those meetings, we ensured Inspectors were aware of the Forum’s role as a strategic partner which includes enabling communication with other parent representative groups so that parents had every opportunity to share their views. Throughout the process, we felt that the views of parent carers were heard and that what we shared with Inspectors influenced the direction of inspection."
We anticipate a draft report of the Inspection later this month with a final report published mid to late-February. A special edition of Families in Partnership will be published to help circulate the final report and outline our next steps. As ever, updates will be shared via the newsletter to ensure you are kept up to date with progress.
Detailed information about the Inspection framework is available here.
The SEND and Inclusion Local Area Partnership (SILAP) would like to wish you and your family a happy 2024!
Kirsten Harrison, Director of Education, Gloucestershire County Council (Co-chair SILAP)
Helen Ford, Deputy Director, Integrated Commissioning, NHS Gloucestershire ICB (Co-chair SILAP)
Helen Bond, Director of Gloucestershire Parent Carer Forum (SILAP - Strategic Partner)