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Cambridgeshire County Council leader apologises over SEND delays

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www.bbc.co.uk

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Image of Lucy looking at the camera, with her head and shoulders visible, in the background are some houses.

Understand

Cambridgeshire County Council leader apologises for SEND assessment delays and backlog

Overview

Lucy Nethsingha, the leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, has apologised to families for a backlog of 1,800 children waiting for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Only 9% of EHCPs in Cambridgeshire are issued within the statutory 20-week deadline, compared to a national average of 46%. Nethsingha cited high staff turnover, a national shortage of educational psychologists, and an enormous increase in applications as contributing factors.

Key points

  • Cambridgeshire County Council leader Lucy Nethsingha apologised for a backlog of 1,800 children waiting for SEND assessments.
  • Only 9% of EHCPs in Cambridgeshire are issued within the statutory 20-week deadline, well below the national average of around 46%.
  • Mainstream schools missed out on over £7.3m in funding last year because EHCP funding is not backdated when plans are issued late.
  • Nethsingha highlighted a national shortage of educational psychologists and high staff turnover as key bottlenecks.
  • The council has hired more staff and is investing additionally to tackle the delays.
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