SEND Improvement Board Independent Chair's Update from Kathryn Boulton 7 July 2025
Introduction
Hello and welcome to my third Chair's Update, as Independent Chair of the Lancashire SEND Improvement Board. Thank you for your continued engagement and openness as we move forward with the improvements that are urgently needed. The wide ranging views and perspectives are helping shape the improvements we all want to see for children and families across Lancashire.
I welcomed all members to the board meeting which met in person on 7 July 2025. Some members attended for the first time, including County Councillors Simon Evans and Samara Barnes, and Pagan, a Young Advisor and member of the Youth Parliament.
I invited Pagan and Olly, our SEND Young Advisor, together with Clare Smith, Strategic Lead for Participation and Co-production to share an update on behalf of POWAR the SEND youth forum.
SEND youth forum feedback
Pagan introduced herself and shared her experience as an elected member of the Youth Parliament and how she is advocating for an improved education system for children with SEND. Clare shared what actions had been taken to engage with more children and young people with SEND since the last board meeting.
Clare has met with education providers and the parent carer forum to explore how to better capture children's and young people's voice. Partners at the Development Day were also asked how they could help support POWAR to grow, together with suggestions for how to make the SEND Survey more accessible and meaningful for children.
We heard that the POWAR Youth Forum is expanding to include more areas, including face to face sessions in the north and online sessions, starting in September. Plans also include how to widen opportunities for individuals to become Young Advisors and the support they may need to achieve this.
You said: Younger children also need to be heard and involved.
We will: work with early years providers to explore ways to capture what's important to younger children.
You said: all children need to have a platform where they can have their views heard.
We will: continue to work with partners including education providers and parent carer forum to ensure accessible options are available across the county.
Next on the agenda was an update from Michelle Pye and Miranda Hyman, co-chairs of the Lancashire Parent Carer Forum (LPCF).
LPCF feedback
Michelle and Miranda provided a written summary report with feedback from parent carers, together with more detailed reports for each area of focus. The forum continues to grow and expand, which is brilliant, although feedback from families highlighted frustration, that without clear plans and actions, faith cannot be restored in the system. Detailed feedback was shared on various issues including Break Time provision, health provision, the ARFID Pathway, social services and communication, which remains top of the agenda.
You said: families feel frustrated and unheard.
We will: listen to detailed feedback from the Parent Carer Forum and develop a clear protocol for how we respond to the suggestions made for improvement.
These reports will be shared with the SEND Operations Board, and key messages included in the parent carer forum report for SEND Improvement Board, along with the actions we’re taking in response.
It was acknowledged that trust needs to be rebuilt, with the parent carer community and there is strong commitment to do this across the partnership. It is recognised that this will take time and will need a consistent, respectful approach.
Priority Action Plan Highlight Report
Paul Turner, Director of Education, Culture and Skills presented the highlight report detailing the progress made against priority actions, which include increased educational psychology commissioning and staffing. Some concerns were raised about this increase affecting system capacity and impacting other areas of the system, such as the need for early intervention and planning for specialist placements, although actions are in place to address these concerns.
The importance of children and families getting the right support, at the right time, in the right place was acknowledged by board members, resulting in a long discussion as to how this will be achieved, through joint commissioning and a graduated response to support.
You said… a recovery plan is required which includes schools, to understand how support is provided to children and young people without the need to apply for a statutory process.
We will… identify what support schools need to provide ordinarily available provision and reasonable adjustments to meet needs earlier.
You said… a comprehensive training programme is needed across the partnership.
We will… identify training needs and analyse case studies tracking the gaps in support and through the development of the Quality Assurance Framework.
Performance and data
Dave Carr, Director of Policy, Commissioning and Children's Health and Lauren Jackson, Head of SEND and Complexities for the ICB presented an overview of performance and data. A comprehensive data dashboard is being developed for the partnership to improve analysis and how we measure impact, and the difference made rather than just performance.
EHCP requests continue to increase with delays in meeting the 20-week timeliness persisting despite more staff being recruited. Recovery plans are being developed to address the delays, but it was recognised that the increased staffing will take time to show a positive difference to families. The Board has asked for a robust recovery plan that shows clearly the timescale for improved timeliness.
You said… the partnership needs to work together to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND, and their families.
We will… develop a workshop to explore how we use data and measure impact effectively.
Governance update
Cerys Townend, Head of SEND and Inclusion shared a new structure showing the groups that are being set up to progress actions in the priority action plan. These include Data Analysis, EHCP Improvement, Communication and Engagement, ND Pathway groups, Workforce Development and Training, and Preparation for Adulthood and transitions. Representatives from partners including parent carer forum, have been invited to these groups.
You said … how important it was for these groups to drive forward change and improvement in the priority action plan.
We will… provide progress reports to the SEND Operations Group, which will feed into the SEND Improvement Board for monitoring and scrutiny.
Communication update
Cerys Townend, Head of SEND and Inclusion provided an overview of the report provided to board members. The Communication and Engagement Strategy is being revised to include shared principles and a programme for communication, including the SEND Roadshows in Family Hubs across the county, 'Let's Talk' sessions with families, and Development Day's with all partners, to drive forward the who, what, when, why and how we will communicate.
You said… families want to see real progress and better communication.
We will… focus on consistent messaging with open, transparent communication, and improve Local Offer accessibility.
Neurodevelopmental (ND) Pathway
Lauren Jackson, Head of SEND and Complexities for the ICB presented a summary of actions taken so far to progress the ND Pathway. This includes setting up four key workstreams plus a digital group. Short term funding has been secured but the ND Pathway is a three year transformation programme, so it will take time to see positive difference. It was recognised that to affect change a partnership approach to support is required pre and post diagnosis, and that the pathway includes wider partners, than just from health.
You said…support needs to come earlier and be more inclusive.
We will… focus on early support and reducing waiting times, to improve equity across the county.
Risk registers and governance
The risk register was reviewed by the Board as a standing item. It was acknowledged that more needs to be done to ensure that we have a risk register that is robust with clear actions that can be taken by decision makers to mitigate the risks.
Communication
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.
A full communications strategy will be developed, and a feedback mechanism for young person developed by our Strategic Lead for Participation and Co-production.
I hope this update is useful. We next meet as a board on 15 September 2025 in person.
If you are a parent carer and have any thoughts or comments, please share with the PCF by emailing chair@lancashireparentcarerforum.org
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.