You said, we did
What parent carers told us in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) survey April to July 2026.
Finding the right support
You said: “We need clearer information and help to find the right support.”
Families told us they do not always know:
what support is available
who to contact
where to go next
how to get help at key points such as:
diagnosis requesting an education, health and care plan (EHCP)
transition
exclusion
non-attendance
health referrals
social care requests
We did / we are doing
We are improving how we share information with families so support is easier to find and understand.
This includes:
information at Lancashire SEND roadshows
Lancashire Family Hubs Network drop ins
strengthening signposting
focusing on clearer navigation at the points when families most need help
We are also continuing to improve the SEND local offer so that families can find information in one place. This includes:
services
support groups
short breaks
health support
education pathways
preparation for adulthood
This is part of our work to reduce the burden on families having to search for information themselves.
Communication
You said: “Communication is not always consistent.”
Families told us that communication between professionals, services, schools and parents can be difficult.
Some families described:
poor communication
delays in being contacted
unclear next steps
having to repeat their story to different services
We did / we are doing
Communication remains a priority across the SEND Partnership in our SEND Strategy. We are using feedback from families is to improve how we:
communicate with families
explain decisions
update families waiting for support
inform families when plans change
We are also using survey feedback to highlight where communication works well. Families told us that positive experiences often happen when they have a trusted professional who listens, understands their child and provides practical support. We want to build on this good practice so that more families have a consistent and positive experience.
Education, health and care plans
You said: “EHCP processes still need to improve.”
Families told us they remain concerned about:
EHCP timeliness
plan quality
communication
school placement issues
outcomes not being clear enough
whether provision in plans is being delivered consistently
We did / we are doing
We continue to prioritise improvement in:
EHCP timeliness
quality
family communication
SMART outcomes
placement planning
assurance that provision is being implemented
This remains a key area of improvement because families have told us that confidence in the SEND system is closely linked to whether statutory processes are clear, timely and properly followed.
Access to education
You said: “Children and young people need the right education and support to attend.”
Families raised concerns about children and young people who are not successfully accessing education.
This included children who are:
out of school
on part-time timetables
waiting for specialist provision
excluded from school
in settings that families did not feel were suitable
We did / we are doing
We are treating this as a priority area for the SEND partnership. This issue affects education, wellbeing, family stress and confidence in the SEND system.
See the Lancashire SEND sufficiency needs assessment and capital plan.
We are strengthening oversight of children:
not accessing education
attending part time
awaiting specialist placement
where there are concerns about whether the EHCP provision is being delivered
Earlier help for families
You said: “Families need support before things reach crisis point.”
Families told us that support can feel like it arrives too late. Some families said help was not available until crisis point and asked for:
earlier intervention
family support workers
respite routes
mental health support
alternative provision
named contacts
We did / we are doing
We are focusing on earlier help for families so that support is available before issues escalate. Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) has commissioned a new service, Neu Way Support for this purpose.
We are also:
strengthening routes to family support
improving information about available help
helping families know where to go when needs increase, before crisis
We are using survey feedback to identify where earlier help is most needed, including:
diagnosis
school transition
EHCP processes
social care requests
non-attendance
preparation for adulthood
Health support and waiting times
You said: “Health support and waiting times are still a concern.”
Families raised concerns about:
long waits
cancelled appointments
limited occupational therapy support
limited speech and language involvement
avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) support
dental access
autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) support
mental health thresholds
We did / we are doing
We are using this feedback with health partners to focus on:
access to support
waiting-well information
post-diagnosis support - including Neu Way Support
Families told us they need practical help while waiting for assessment or after receiving a diagnosis, including:
workshops
information packs
peer support
advice for schools
We are also highlighting where families have had positive health experiences, including support from:
paediatricians
school nurses
learning disability practitioners
clinical psychology
dentists who adapt care
These examples help show what good support looks like when services are responsive and child centred.
Activities, friendships and inclusion
You said: “Children and young people need more opportunities to make friends and take part.”
Families told us that some children and young people:
have little or no social life
cannot access mainstream clubs
are excluded from holiday clubs
do not know what accessible activities are available locally
We did / we are doing
We are using this feedback to better understand gaps in local activities by district, age group and type of need.
Families told us that inclusive opportunities are especially important for:
early years children
teenagers
children with autism,
children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs
children with complex needs
children who cannot access mainstream clubs
We are also recognising and sharing positive examples where families told us children and young people are being supported to take part, including:
independent travel training
Family Hub activities
local play projects
Preparation for adulthood
You said: “Preparation for adulthood needs to be clearer and start earlier.”
Families told us they remain uncertain about:
school transition
post-16 and post-19 options
college suitability
transport
funding responsibilities
employment support
practical life-skills pathways
We did / we are doing
We are strengthening preparation for adulthood information and planning preparing for adulthood, from the earliest years. This includes clearer information about:
transport
funding and life skills
Families also told us that independent travel training and practical confidence-building support can make a positive difference. We want to build on these examples so that more young people and families feel confident about next steps into adulthood.
Understanding children and young people
You said: “Good support happens when people know and understand our child.”
Families were clear that positive experiences often come from trusted relationships with:
individual practitioners
schools
early years settings
specialist providers
community organisations
Families highlighted support from:
special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs)
teaching assistants
nursery staff
Portage
qualified teachers of children and young people with visual impairment (QTVI)
Early Help
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS)
Family Hubs
school nurses
paediatricians
voluntary organisations
We did / we are doing
We are sharing and learning from the positive practice families have described. This includes examples where professionals:
communicate well
understand the child
make reasonable adjustments
provide practical help
build trusting relationships with families
We know that families want this good practice to be more consistent across the whole SEND system. That is why we are using survey feedback to improve:
communication
EHCP quality
education access
health support,
social care
inclusion
preparation for adulthood
Specialist dentistry
You said: ‘Access to specialist dentistry is difficult in East Lancashire’
We did/are doing
A specialist dentistry service is available for children and young people under 16 who have additional social, medical or dental needs that prevent them from receiving dental care in a general practice. Referrals to the service can be made from a routine dentist or by your GP.
For more information please see the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust Dental Services website.
Social care, short breaks and respite
You said: “Social care, short breaks and respite need to be clearer.”
Families told us they need clearer information about:
social care
children with disabilities thresholds
assessment routes
respite
Break Time
direct payments
family support
We did / we are doing
We are improving how we share information with families about:
social care support for children with disabilities
Break Time short break activities
This includes making Break Time Plus routes to assessment, eligibility, short breaks and respite options easier to understand.
Families also told us that some community and short break provision is making a positive difference, including:
Break Time
Play Inclusion Project
Family Hubs
parent support groups
community activities
We want to build on these examples and make sure families know what is available locally.