Latest news with #JacquiOld
BBC News
17-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
More than 900 children not in school
More than 900 children are not currently receiving "a suitable education", a county council's figures have of December 2024, there were 914 children missing from education - a figure not including those officially home-schooled or pupils in the Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen council areas.A county council cabinet meeting heard some of those not on the school roll have only recently arrived in the county – with a number even being new to the country – but an exact breakdown was not County Council said the majority of the youngsters were within the admissions system and active attempts were being made to find them a school place. The Local Democracy Reporting Services writes that a report by the authority's executive director of education and children's services, Jacqui Old, stated targeted support was being provided in "hotspot areas" where there were a significant numbers of families who are new to the UK – namely, Preston, Burnley and Pendle."[It] is now well established and providing invaluable assistance to parents with school applications, appeals and signposting to other services," wrote Ms added work was continuing to increase capacity in schools in parts of Lancashire where demand "may be causing a delay in admissions for children missing education".The county council's target is to have fewer than 700 children in that category – and cabinet member for education and skills Jayne Rear said the authority was "not an outlier" with its current challenges when compared to others. She also stressed that the proportion of children not getting an education in the county amounted to 0.1% of the school-age Labour's deputy opposition group leader Jennifer Mein said the scale of the problem was "really worrying"."In the current climate, where there [are] concerns about safeguarding and Prevent [the government's anti-terror programme]…it makes it even more important that we can account for all of the children in this county," councillor Mein members were told 30 additional places had been negotiated for in-year admissions in three secondary schools in the Preston area – at Ashton High School, Fulwood Academy and Longridge High. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Families 'distressed' by special needs failures
Families are becoming "increasingly distressed" due to "widespread failings" in special educational needs (SEND) provision in Lancashire, a report has said. Inspectors found too many children were waiting an "unacceptable" time period to have their needs assessed and met. The five-day joint inspection by education watchdog Ofsted and healthcare regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC), concluded that "young people and their families are impacted negatively by the long waits that they experience". The Lancashire SEND Partnership said it was "bitterly disappointed" by the report but said it understood the criticisms made and had already begun making changes. Jacqui Old from Lancashire SEND Partnership Board, who is executive director for education and children's Services at Lancashire County Council, said: "We acknowledge and understand the inspectors' findings and we know that, through our commitment to providing the right support at the right time for children and young people with SEND, we can make vital improvements." The inspection report described how assessment and diagnosis of children believed to have neurodiversity related conditions like autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) "was not working well". "This results in long delays and families becoming increasingly distressed," it said. "Children and young people's circumstances often worsen while they wait." In frustration, the inspectors found, parents were paying for private assessments which had been recommending medication that local NHS paediatricians were then unable to sanction. Health professionals were then finding themselves drawn into appeals and tribunals which created further delays. The inspection found that producing education, health and care (EHC) plans for children and young people with SEND took an "excessive amount of time". "Difficulties with many aspects of the EHC plan process mean that plans are often of a poor quality," the report said. Inspectors noted the experiences of teenagers receiving support who were about to transition to working with adult services was "variable". The report did note that overall educational outcomes for SEND children were improving and the partnership was praised for a "well-established framework to identify and support children who may have SEND from birth". Professor Sarah O'Brien, chair of Lancashire SEND Partnership and chief nursing officer for Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: "Unacceptable waiting times for children and young people with SEND is a national challenge and one that we recognise in Lancashire and South Cumbria." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. Council receives almost 1,200 SEND complaints
BBC News
12-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Lancashire families 'distressed' by special needs failings
Families are becoming "increasingly distressed" due to "widespread failings" in special educational needs (SEND) provision in Lancashire, a report has said. Inspectors found too many children were waiting an "unacceptable" time period to have their needs assessed and met. The five-day joint inspection by education watchdog Ofsted and healthcare regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC), concluded that "young people and their families are impacted negatively by the long waits that they experience".The Lancashire SEND Partnership said it was "bitterly disappointed" by the report but said it understood the criticisms made and had already begun making changes. Jacqui Old from Lancashire SEND Partnership Board, who is executive director for education and children's Services at Lancashire County Council, said: "We acknowledge and understand the inspectors' findings and we know that, through our commitment to providing the right support at the right time for children and young people with SEND, we can make vital improvements."The inspection report described how assessment and diagnosis of children believed to have neurodiversity related conditions like autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) "was not working well". "This results in long delays and families becoming increasingly distressed," it said. "Children and young people's circumstances often worsen while they wait." In frustration, the inspectors found, parents were paying for private assessments which had been recommending medication that local NHS paediatricians were then unable to sanction. Health professionals were then finding themselves drawn into appeals and tribunals which created further delays. The inspection found that producing education, health and care (EHC) plans for children and young people with SEND took an "excessive amount of time". "Difficulties with many aspects of the EHC plan process mean that plans are often of a poor quality," the report said. Inspectors noted the experiences of teenagers receiving support who were about to transition to working with adult services was "variable". The report did note that overall educational outcomes for SEND children were improving and the partnership was praised for a "well-established framework to identify and support children who may have SEND from birth". Professor Sarah O'Brien, chair of Lancashire SEND Partnership and chief nursing officer for Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: "Unacceptable waiting times for children and young people with SEND is a national challenge and one that we recognise in Lancashire and South Cumbria." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
