This week Worcestershire Parent Carer Forum brought together representatives of 15 local SEND charities and mental health professionals from across Worcestershire including: Hereford & Worcestershire Dyslexia Association, Worcestershire Parent Carers, Key2Confidence, Autism West Midlands, Own Time & Space, Arcos, Dr Rose Psychology, Halcyon CIC, SEND National Crisis WOrcestershire, ASPIE, Validate Learning and Bonterre CIC.
They met with Jade Brooks, Director of Operations & Delivery at NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire and Daniela Carson, Assistant Director of All-Age Disability at Worcestershire County Council. Gathering to discuss mental health challenges facing children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Worcestershire, the key findings highlighted significant systemic issues:
👶Inadequate Early Intervention – Professionals unanimously stressed the lack of timely, appropriate mental health support for neurodivergent children, with many families experiencing repeated service rejections.
📉Service Limitations – Current mental health services, particularly CAMHS, were criticized for:
- Rigid, inflexible approaches
- Inappropriate therapeutic methods
- Limited understanding of neurodivergent needs
- Insufficient communication between services
🏫Educational Challenges – Participants emphasized schools’ struggles to:
- Recognize subtle mental health indicators
- Support children who mask their difficulties
- Provide holistic, individualized support
NHS leaders Jade and Daniela acknowledged these systemic shortcomings, recognizing the need for:
✅Personalized, needs-led approaches
✅Better partnership working, including drawing on the local SEND and mental health expertise that the roundtable featured
✅More flexible mental health interventions
✅Comprehensive support beyond traditional diagnostic models
The roundtable concluded with a commitment to reconvene and include professionals from across the NHS mental health service & WCC SEND Services. WPCF will keep you updated.
