SEND Improvement Programme

Ofsted/CQC Area SEND Inspection 2025

Inspection Outcome

In June 2025, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out a three-week inspection to evaluate how effectively the Birmingham Local Area Partnership supports children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The inspection assessed how well education, health, and care services work together.

The next full area SEND inspection will be within approximately three years.

What the Inspectors Found

What’s going well

The inspection highlights several encouraging improvements across Birmingham’s SEND system. There is now:

  • Stronger strategic leadership and clearer partnership working, underpinned by a shared vision for change.
  • Early identification of needs has improved, supported by consistent delivery of the Healthy Child Programme.
  • Partnerships with schools are stronger, particularly around alternative provision, and Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans are becoming more co-produced and reflective of children’s needs.
  • Access to health services has improved, with reduced wait times for therapies such as speech and language, occupational therapy, and mental health support.
  • The partnership is also listening more closely to families, with the Parent Carer Forum helping to shape services.
  • Additionally, support for children and young people with complex needs, especially during transitions, has been strengthened through better planning and multi-agency collaboration.

The report acknowledged that social workers and social care practitioners are skilled, knowledgeable, and build trusting relationships with children and young people with SEND and are making a positive difference. They are preparing young people for their next steps well including those who have complex health needs, moving smoothly into adult health services.

What we’re doing next

We fully accept the findings and are committed to delivering the improvements needed, working together as a partnership, with children, young people, families, schools, health services and the voluntary sector to deliver the change Birmingham’s children and young people deserve.

The full report can be viewed using the link below.

View the full report

The Birmingham Local Area SEND Partnership is made up of Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Children’s Trust, and NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB). Together, they are responsible for the planning and delivery of services for children and young people with SEND in Birmingham. The SEND team work closely with Birmingham Parent Carer Forum (PCF) to ensure the voices of parents/carers, children, and young people are part of the work that is co-produced.