Just one in 20 care plans for disabled children in Nottinghamshire processed in time

The plans allow families to access tailored assistance for children and young people with disabilities and special educational needs.

Disability charity Sense said delays in creating these plans means thousands of youngsters are at risk of "falling through the cracks".

By law, councils have 20 weeks from the date of a request being made to craft a plan.

However, Department for Education data shows just 5 per cent of education, health and care plans in Nottinghamshire last year were created within 20 weeks, down significantly from 44 per cent in 2021.

An action plan is already in place after watchdogs Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission identified “widespread failings” within Nottinghamshire’s special needs services.

The failings of the county’s services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities – run by Nottinghamshire Council and the NHS Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board – were uncovered in an unannounced visit by education watchdog Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission health watchdog earlier this year.

Coun Tracey Taylor, council cabinet member for children and families,said: “We’re well under way with taking the actions we need to, starting with the setting up of the improvement board.”

A council report said: “Leaders recognise there are improvements that urgently need to be made and have therefore begun to develop a strengthened approach to achieving this.”

Sarah White, Sense head of policy, said: “EHC plans are vital for disabled children to access support which enables them to thrive. Without them, education, health and care services are limited in what support they can provide and children won’t get the best start in life.

“It is disappointing nearly half of families are not receiving this plan within the legal time limit. This leaves thousands of disabled children at risk of falling through the cracks, with potentially catastrophic knock-on effects on their education and health, which could have lifelong consequences.”

Across England, the rate of plans issued within the 20-week limit fell to 51 per cent last year, down from 60 per cent in 2021 and the lowest level since 2015.

Louise Gittins, Local Government Association children and young people board chairman, said the figures are a reminder of the strain the special educational needs and disability system is under.

She said the Government responded to calls to set out an improvement plan this year for the system, but said it does not go far enough to address cost and demand issues councils are struggling with.

A Department for Education spokesman said the improvement plan committed to a wide range of actions to make sure education, health and care plans are available in a timely way for those who need them.

He said: “We are now working hard to quickly deliver this reform, tackling the issues within the system exacerbated through the pandemic, to make sure that children get the extra support they need earlier and more consistently across the country.”