Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz has issued the following response to a joint inspection report published today (15th March) by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
While recognising some recent improvement also identified six areas of weakness within Newham’s Council’s services for children and young people with special needs and disabilities (SEND) following an inspection in December 2021.
Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz said: “All our children and young people with SEND deserve the best from the council and its partner agencies who need to rapidly accelerate their actions and focus to continually provide the good quality service I expect from them so that our youngsters can thrive.
“I have listened to many testimonials of parents and carers who have been frustrated and profoundly affected by the council’s inadequacies in this vital provision for our young people with SEND needs. It’s been deeply upsetting listening to the experiences of many families who like me just want the best for their children.
“Only last week, myself and my Cabinet approved the draft Children and Young People’s Plan for consultation, highlighting five outcomes we expect for all our youngsters in Newham. Being happy and enjoying improved health and wellbeing; alongside accessing, participating and receiving a great education are basic rights. I am very disappointed that despite prioritising investment in SEND services since 2018 with a clear political expectation that SEND must improve, our children and their families are still not getting the service they deserve and I am determined to fix that.”
The inspection team found many issues raised in the report were due to the Council’s historic failings to implement the SEND reforms when they were introduced in 2014.
Mayor Fiaz also said: “My priority has always been to make Newham the best place for children and young people to grow up, to be happy, healthy, thrive and able to reach their full potential. We’ve invested £1.3 million annually in SEND provision at the council since 2018, increased the Children Services budget by 33 per cent; and injected £36 million in an inclusive youth service provision since 2018, which has increased youth workers from three to 43.
“My role as Mayor is to champion people’s needs, so I will be demanding accelerated action from the council and other agencies to improve SEND services in Newham. We need a change in the real experience of SEND parents and children so that their needs are met, not just a box-ticking exercise.
“Parents and children don’t feel listened to which is the heart of the problem as they tell me the council and its partner agencies don’t effectively respond to them. I will be establishing a series of Truth and Reconciliation meetings which will allow parents and children to give voice to their experiences to those providing the SEND service and be part of shaping the SEND improvement journey as fixing it is the only option in the months ahead.”
The Joint Ofsted and Care Quality Commission Report can be read here.
The council will provide a written Statement of Action that is the formal response required to the report.