Parents, carers, and professionals supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Wirral are being left “frustrated and helpless,” according to a recent inspection.
A joint report by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that both Wirral Council and the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board are continuing to fall short in providing adequate support for young people with SEND.
Despite some improvements since a previous critical inspection in 2021, the January 2025 review – published recently – found that urgent action is still needed. A government notice had already been issued in 2024 due to a lack of meaningful progress.
The latest inspection revealed deep-rooted problems, including persistent delays, lengthy waiting lists, and failures to identify and meet children’s needs in a timely manner.
“Children and young people bear the consequences of weak systems for education, health, and care (EHC) plans,” inspectors noted. They also highlighted that many EHC plans are outdated, failing to reflect reviews carried out in education settings, which means they often no longer meet the children’s actual needs.
In response, Wirral Council said it had invested additional resources into its SEND services, with the Department for Education recognising recent improvements as significant. However, the council admitted that many families are yet to experience the positive impact of those changes.
Paul Stuart, leader of Wirral Council and member of the Local Area SEND Partnership Board, acknowledged the ongoing challenges:
“We have made progress in recent months, which has been recognised… but we recognise that these improvements are not yet consistently being felt by families themselves.”
He added that while there is still much to do, the council remains committed to delivering better outcomes for all children and young people in the area.
Simon Banks, place director (Wirral) for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said a recovery plan had been approved to help reduce assessment wait times.
