Yesterday Worcestershire Parent Carer Forum attended the ‘Senior Officials’ meeting chaired by Naomi Sharp from the West Midlands Vulnerable Children’s Unit, Department for Education. Also present were senior representatives from NHS England, Worcestershire County Council, Worcestershire Children First, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and H&W Integrated Care System.
We felt that the Department for Education accurately articulated the gravity of SEND services in Worcestershire and the serious impact that the “widespread and systemic failings” are having on meeting the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
We were also encouraged to hear that the new Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, Janet Daby, is taking “far greater interest in SEND” than her predecessor and wants “progress at pace” in Worcestershire.
WPCF will continue to work co-operatively and coproduce with the Worcestershire Local Area Partnership board and facilitate constructive but challenging dialogues; amplifying the collective voice, opinion and experiences of all Worcestershire parent carers supporting children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs and disabilities.
We will continue to keep you up to date on WPCF’s involvement.
