Independent Chair's Update from Kathryn Boulton 7 May 2026

Introduction

Hello and welcome to my Chair's Update, as Independent Chair of the Lancashire SEND Improvement Board.

The Board reviewed an overview of SEND system performance, bringing together statutory data, Priority Action Plan (PAP) progress, EHCP quality assurance and lived experience feedback. The Board reinforced that lived experience must remain the primary test of impact and success and emphasised that families must experience clarity, consistency and honesty at every stage of their journey, not just reassurance at system level.

Members acknowledged continued improvement in governance, performance oversight and statutory compliance, with 83% of PAP milestones either completed or on track. However, it was emphasised that recovery is in process and compliance is not yet consistently translating into improved day‑to‑day experiences for children, young people and families.

EHCP timeliness and quality assurance

The Board noted progress in EHCP timeliness and reduction in delays despite rising demand. The board recognised an increase in audit coverage through Invision 360. The boards challenge is for this to be sustained. However, overall EHCP quality remains below national benchmarks. Members requested clearer system‑wide linkage between audit findings, training and practice improvement.

Improvements in EHCP timeliness, audit coverage and milestone delivery provide important foundations for system recovery. However, the Board was clear that improvement must now be judged first and foremost by the lived experience of children, young people and their families.

Evidence presented to the Board consistently shows that, while process and compliance metrics are improving, these gains are not yet translating evenly into better day‑to‑day experiences. Families continue to report delays, inconsistency, and the burden of acting as system coordinators at times of greatest stress and uncertainty.

Education continues to be the most significant pressure point, with families reporting reduced timetables, difficulties accessing appropriate support without diagnosis, challenges in inclusive practice, and emotional distress linked to school attendance. Children and young people repeatedly identify emotional wellbeing and mental health as prerequisites for learning, stability and participation. The Board acknowledged that improvements in governance, performance reporting and recovery activity are not yet sufficiently visible or felt at the frontline.

The Board also considered children not in school as a key area of priority, particularly children who had been suspended and excluded from school, together with those children unable to attend school through illness or other reasons. While capacity is increasing and new processes (including a digital Section 19 parental request route) are being introduced, demand for support continues to outpace improvement. Transitions, reduced timetables and children missing education were highlighted as areas requiring system‑wide action.

Lived experience feedback remains consistent across survey data, Parent Carer Forum intelligence, complaints, audits and participation activity. For too many families, delays in assessment, diagnosis, support and placement remain defining features of their experience.

Neurodevelopmental (ND) pathway pressures

Updates on the ND Pathway recognised progress in developing assessment tools and an emerging accreditation framework. However, uncertainty around pathways, timelines and communication continues to create anxiety for families and professionals. The Board accepted commissioning constraints but challenged the system to ensure consistent and clear messaging, confirming that pathways remain open and referrals are being accepted.

Members were clear that the SEND system is now at a pivotal stage. Continued focus on recovery and compliance alone will not be sufficient. Improvement activity must shift toward consistency, inclusion and early, needs‑led support, with a stronger emphasis on translating plans into reliable delivery. Inclusive mainstream practice, reduced reliance on diagnosis‑led thresholds and smoother transitions are essential if families are to feel tangible change in daily life.

Communication, participation and co-production

Communication was reinforced as one of the most significant contributors to parental dissatisfaction. Despite progress in clarifying governance and agreeing protocols, persistent barriers to publishing information and inconsistent operational communication risk undermining confidence and trust.

The Board reinforced the importance of co‑production, welcoming strengthened engagement through the Parent Carer Forum and children and young people’s participation, including POWAR. These voices are now more effectively informing Board challenge and assurance, but further work is required to ensure feedback loops are closed and that families can clearly see how their experiences shape decisions and improvement priorities.

Summary

In the coming months, the Board will continue to hold the system to account for both progress and impact. The measure of success will not just include the number of milestones completed, but whether children and families experience greater confidence, reduced anxiety, timely support and consistent help that meets needs early.

The Board will maintain a clear line of sight between performance data, quality findings and lived experience, and will continue to challenge where improvement at system level is not yet improving life at family level.

Communication

The next meeting of the Board will take place on 1 June 2026.

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.

Please refer to Lancashire SEND priority action plan and One Year On Report  for an update on progress made against the Priority Action Plan since the SEND Inspection in 2024.

A full communications strategy and delivery plan has been published on the Local Offer Lancashire SEND Partnership Communication and Engagement Strategy 2025–2028, which focuses on the principles of participation and co-production through The Lundy model and Four Cornerstones Model of co-production. 

Feedback mechanisms include the SEND survey for parent carers and children and young people. Additional feedback mechanisms for children and young people are being developed by our Strategic Lead for Participation and Co-production.

To give feedback about a SEND service please complete one of the forms for compliments, comments or complaints, where we will do all we can to sort the problem out quickly, to investigate it fairly and to explain fully the result of the process.

If you disagree with a decision about your EHC needs assessment or plan, you can appeal to the SEND Tribunal.

If you are a parent carer and have any thoughts or comments, please contact the parent carer forum  Lancashire Parent Carer Forum by emailing secretarylpcf@lancashireparentcarerforum.org.uk.

If you have a child / young person interested in POWAR participation group  please contact Suliman Hussain at Suliman.hussain@lancashire.gov.uk.