SEND Improvement Board Independent Chair's Update from Kathryn Boulton 6 July 2026
Introduction
Hello and welcome to my Chair's Update, as Independent Chair of the Lancashire SEND Improvement Board. I would like to thank all partners for their continued commitment to improving services for children and young people with SEND and their families. The Board was particularly pleased to hear about the success of the recent POWAR Takeover Day, where children and young people shared their experiences and ideas. We agreed that we will demonstrate how this feedback has influenced decisions and future improvements.
SEND reform plan
The Board received an update on Lancashire's SEND Reform Plan, which has now been submitted to the Department for Education and has progressed to the next stage of review. Members recognised the significant amount of work that has gone into developing the plan and welcomed the fact that implementation activity has already started. Workforce capacity remains a challenge, particularly across educational psychology, therapy services and specialist provision, and the Board agreed that these risks will continue to be closely monitored.
Priority action plan
There was positive news regarding overall improvement activity, with around 88% of Priority Action Plan milestones now reported as complete or on track. Members heard about improvements in governance, performance reporting and oversight arrangements. The Board agreed that future reports should continue to highlight the impact these improvements are making for children, young people and families, as it is recognised that the changes are not yet making the difference we would want.
EHCP improvements
The Board reviewed progress against the EHCP Improvement Plan. While members welcomed improvements in performance, there was strong discussion about the experience of families whose requests for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment are declined. The Board agreed that families need clear communication, supportive conversations and practical advice about next steps. Members also discussed the importance of ensuring that schools are confident in delivering Ordinarily Available Provision so that children can receive support at the earliest opportunity.
Neurodevelopmental (ND) pathway improvements
An update on the Neurodevelopmental (ND) Pathway highlighted ongoing work to reduce waiting times and improve support for families. Members welcomed the expansion of assessment capacity and the launch of the new Lancashire-wide Neu Way Support Hub, which provides advice and support for families whether or not a child has received a diagnosis. The Board recognised this as an important step in ensuring families can access support while waiting for assessment whilst acknowledging that wait times remain longer than we would want.
Communication and working with families
The Board also welcomed the launch of the redesigned Local Offer which should improve access and clarity of information that is available. We reflected positively on the recent engagement activity with families, including the Parent Carer Forum Conference and POWAR Takeover Day. Members agreed that continuing to strengthen relationships with families is crucial and that direct engagement helps to build trust, confidence and a better understanding of family experiences.
Preparation for adulthood
The Board reviewed progress in Preparation for Adulthood, discussing work to strengthen transition arrangements and support for young people moving into adult life. Members agreed that preparation for adulthood would benefit from stronger strategic oversight, clearer communication and greater awareness of the support already available on the Local Offer. The Board agreed that the PfA Strategic Group would continue monitoring transition reform activity closely and improve visibility and communication of current Preparation for Adulthood resources and support.
Risks and continued focus
Members also reviewed the partnership risk register and agreed that digital and system development risks should continue to be closely monitored.
Looking ahead
Future meetings will focus on SEND Reform delivery, EHCP quality and performance, transition pathways and the continued use of data and benchmarking to understand the impact of improvement activity.
Communication
The next meeting of the Board will take place on 17 September 2026.
The Independent Chair's update will be written after each board meeting and published on the SEND Improvement Board webpage within 1-2 weeks, before being shared on social media. Formal minutes of the meeting will be written and published after they have been approved at the next board meeting.
Please refer to SEND priority action plan and One Year On Report for an update on progress made against the Priority Action Plan since the SEND Inspection in 2024.
A full communications strategy and delivery plan has been published on the Local Offer Communication and Engagement Strategy, which focuses on the principles of participation and co-production through The Lundy model and Four Cornerstones Model of co-production.
Feedback mechanisms include the SEND survey for parent carers and children and young people. Additional feedback mechanisms for children and young people are being developed by our Strategic Lead for Participation and Co-production.
To Give feedback about a SEND service please complete one of the forms for compliments, comments or complaints, where we will do all we can to sort the problem out quickly, to investigate it fairly and to explain fully the result of the process. If you are unhappy with the plan, contact your EHCP officer in the first instance. If you cannot find a resolution, you can also contact impartial services, for advice or support to help you resolve any disagreements EHC plan disagreements and complaints.
If you are a parent carer and have any thoughts or comments, please contact the parent carer forum Lancashire Parent Carer Forum by emailing secretarylpcf@lancashireparentcarerforum.org.uk.
If you have a child / young person interested in POWAR participation group please contact Suliman Hussain at suliman.hussain@lancashire.gov.uk.
If you are a partner, please do feedback through your organisation. Also don’t forget to sign up to our SEND Newsletter if you’re not already receiving it.