Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) are benefiting from a strong multi-agency approach and improved support, according to the latest Ofsted and CQC inspection.
The inspection of BCP SEND Local Area Partnership, which brings together leaders from education, health, and care services, praised progress made since 2021, when significant concerns were raised.
While experiences remain inconsistent, leaders are working together with “ambition” and “determination” to improve outcomes for children and young people and their families.
Children and young people with SEND are receiving growing opportunities to have their voices heard through youth forums and co-production initiatives.
Typically, the local area also ensures education, health and care (EHC) plans are delivered on time, along with the assessments needed to support them.
Health services are increasingly responsive, offering flexible referral pathways and proactive mental health support. Workforce stability is improving, meaning families are more likely to receive consistent, needs-led support.
Leaders recognise that while progress has been made, more work is needed. Provision for rising social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs must be strengthened to ensure consistent support for every child and young person, and communication with families must also be clearer and timelier.
Waiting times for neurodevelopmental assessments need to be reduced, and more needs to be done to ensure families are well informed about available local support.
Cllr Richard Burton, Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People, said:
“This report is an important milestone. It is encouraging to see recognition of the progress made since our last inspection, and we have a clear understanding of what is working well and what needs to improve. We are optimistic about the future and will continue to work closely with partners, schools, and families to ensure that every child and young person in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole can thrive.”
Louise Middleton from Parent Carers Together forum said:
“BCP Council and NHS Dorset have certainly strengthened partnership and co-production since the last inspection, and I would say they have embedded trust, empathy, and respect into SEND services.
“It’s really promising to see some families receive earlier identification, faster support, and a stronger voice through initiatives like codesigned charters. We are certainly being asked for our feedback to help improve services a lot more consistently, which is great to see.
“Challenges remain with diagnostic delays, school consistency, and building trust, but we are very encouraged by the progress made and the commitment from leaders.
“With this continued effort I look forward to seeing more reliable, timely support in the future.”
Mark Harris, Deputy Director of Place (BCP) for NHS Dorset ICB said:
“We are pleased that our strengthened partnership arrangements have been recognised in this report. It is positive to see the progress made since the last inspection.
“We also know there is more to do to ensure all our children, young people, and their families receive consistent, high‑quality and timely support and care. We remain fully committed to our improvement journey and to working closely with our partners to provide the best possible opportunities for children and young people to flourish and grow.”
The inspection comes after BCP Council has lobbied Government over the SEND deficit which it warns is forcing councils to make “impossible financial decisions” with “devastating consequences”.
Councillor Millie Earl, Leader of BCP Council, said:
“This inspection rightly acknowledges the progress we’ve made and the commitment of everyone working to improve the lives of children and young people with SEND. But it also highlights that we must address historic weaknesses that have led to increased needs and pressure on the SEND system. That makes our call for urgent national reform even more critical. With the right funding, we could go further and faster to deliver the inclusive, high-quality support every child deserves. We will continue to lobby Government for a sustainable solution while protecting frontline services for families.”
Families can find support and updates on BCP council’s website: SEND Local Offer. Partners and schools are invited to join co-production forums to help shape future SEND services.
The inspection report is available to view on OFSTED’s website here.
Image shows (left to right): Cllr Richard Burton, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Education and Skills, Aidan Dunn, BCP Council Chief Executive, Louise Middleton, Parents Carers Together Forum, Mark Harris, Director of Place (BCP) for NHS Dorset ICB, Cathi Hadley, BCP Council Corporate Director for Children’s Services, Cllr Millie Earl, Leader of BCP Council and Lisa Linscott, BCP Council Director of Education & Skills.
