SEND local area inspections

On 9 November 2026 Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) notified Lancashire's local area SEND partnership that it will be subject to a Joint Area SEND Monitoring Inspection over the next three weeks.

The inspection follows the full SEND inspection carried out in December 2024. Monitoring inspections are a normal part of the inspection process and give inspectors the opportunity to review the progress made against the areas identified for improvement.

During the inspection, inspectors will speak to children and young people with SEND, parents and carers, and staff working across education, health and care services. They may also visit services and settings to hear about people's experiences and see how support is being delivered.

The inspection will look at how well organisations across Lancashire are working together to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND. This includes how needs are identified, whether families can access the right support, and how services work together to meet children's needs.

Since the last inspection, partners across Lancashire have been working together to deliver improvements through the SEND Priority Action Plan. We know there is more to do, but we remain committed to improving services and helping children and young people with SEND get the right support at the right time.

The views and experiences of children, young people, parents and carers are an important part of the inspection. Inspectors will want to hear what is working well and where further improvements are needed.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to helping improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND across Lancashire.

For any questions about the inspection, please contact the Inspection Team at cypinspections@lancashire.gov.uk.

In December 2024 Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted an inspection of the Lancashire SEND Partnership support in Lancashire for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

As part of the Lancashire SEND Partnership, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Lancashire County Council, are jointly responsible for the planning and commissioning of services for children and young people with SEND in Lancashire.

The Ofsted Inspection report was published on 12 February 2025 on the Ofsted reports website.

Priority action plan

The local area partnership priority action plan for the delivery and development of SEND services is now available on the SEND Partnership webpage.

The plan takes into account the feedback we have received from stakeholders and inspectors.

It was approved by the ICB Board and Cabinet on 25 March 2025 and approved by Ofsted on 1 April 2025.

New SEND Improvement Board

The SEND Partnership Board will be replaced by the SEND Improvement Board, providing strategic oversight with an Independent Chair. The SEND Operations Group will report to this new board, and workstreams for each priority area will be established.