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Delivering our SEND Strategy 2026-29

To make sure we achieve each of our ambitions in our SEND Strategy, we have developed a robust action plan that helps us monitor progress and measure the difference we are making.  It also helps us identify areas that need more attention so we can continue to improve.

This page provides regular updates on the progress we're making against each of our ambitions.

Ambition 1: Listen, engage, collaborate, evolve

We will continuously listen to children, young people, families, staff and education settings and take time to understand their experiences. They should always be engaged in our continuous improvement work. This is so we can continue to learn about what works and what doesn’t.

What progress have we made? 
 

We have continued to put the voices of families, children and young people at the centre of our work. More than 468 children and young people have been involved through Voices of Hertfordshire, and over 300 parent carers recently helped shape our SEND Provision Plan. Parent and carer satisfaction with the EHCP process has also improved.  

We know there is still more to do, particularly around building trust and reducing the number of families who feel they need to appeal decisions. 

Ambition 2: Early identification and support

Children and young people can have needs which emerge at any time. Our services will aim to provide timely assessments which identify children and young people’s needs at the earliest possible point to enable early support. Guidance and support without a diagnosis will be readily available and promoted.

What progress have we made? 
 

This year we launched Focused Intervention Funding designed to support children and young people to make progress in a mainstream setting, without the need for a EHCP. We have continued to develop support through the Neurodiversity Support Hub, mental health support teams in schools, Specialist Development Centres and our Best Start Family Hubs. The Rucksack Autism Parent Programme has expanded countywide, enabling more families to access support earlier and build confidence in meeting their child’s needs. 

We are also working to improve neurodiversity pathways and ensure support is available whether or not a child has received a formal diagnosis.  

Despite these improvements, waiting times for some health services remain too long, particularly in parts of the county for paediatric audiology services. Reducing these waits remains a priority for health partners.  

Ambition 3: Local provision for children and young people

We will provide children and young people with access to high quality education, health and social care provisions that are local to them and work together to consider their needs and outcomes. All of our provision will operate flexibly to meet varying and changing needs. 

What progress have we made? 

Families consistently tell us that they want children and young people to access the right support as close to home as possible. 

There has been significant progress in increasing local provision. Since January, new specialist places have opened across the county and hundreds more are planned over the coming years. Outreach support for mainstream schools has also expanded, helping more children receive specialist support within their local setting.   

Performance in statutory SEND services has also improved. Almost 96% of new EHCPs are now being completed within 20 weeks, a substantial improvement on previous years.  

However, demand for specialist provision continues to grow. Too many children are still waiting to access their recommended specialist placement and are being educated in alternative arrangements while capacity is developed. Addressing this remains one of our most important priorities through the SEND Provision Plan. 

Ambition 4: Aspirational for all

We want children and young people with SEND to be included and feel like they belong in their community and where they learn. All partners must champion inclusion and do more to engage and influence wider system partners, community and public on this, creating a more inclusive society.

What progress have we made? 

Attendance for children and young people with SEND has improved slightly over the last year, and we’ve seen a reduction in the number of children missing education (CME) reflecting the targeted work to secure places and reintegrate into school.  

At the same time, we recognise that children and young people with SEND continue to be overrepresented in reduced timetables, exclusions and children missing education data. This remains one of the biggest challenges facing the partnership and is a major focus of both the SEND Strategy and our wider SEND Reform Plan.  

Ambition 5: Preparing for the future

For children, young people and families, transition at any age or life stage is vitally important and can be stressful. We will support children and young people to be ready for the next step in life. 

What progress have we made? 

There are encouraging signs that more young people with SEND are remaining engaged in education, employment and training. Work led by Services for Young People has strengthened support for young people at key transition points, improved destination tracking and expanded programmes designed to prevent young people becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training). [  

Planning for future post-16 provision is also underway, with colleges exploring opportunities to increase SEND places over the coming years.  

We know transitions can still be challenging for many families, particularly where services change at different ages. This remains an area where we want to continue learning from experiences and improving support.

Ambition 6: Strong foundations

Delivering meaningful improvement requires the right foundations, including a skilled workforce, strong partnerships and effective systems.

What progress have we made? 

Over the past year, we have invested significantly in expanding our SEND workforce. More than 50 new statutory SEND staff have been recruited and workforce stability has improved considerably compared to previous years.  

We have also strengthened our multi-agency Quality Assurance arrangements and are continuing to improve how we use digital technology to support families and staff.  

Like SEND services across the country, we continue to face challenges around recruitment, increasing demand and financial pressures. However, partners remain committed to working together to build a more sustainable and responsive SEND system.