Herts County Council’s Lib Dems pledge they are listening on SEND

Hertfordshire County Council will listen to parents, carers, young people and schools to support students with special needs.

That was the pledge from Liberal Democrat Cllr Mark Watkin, the authority’s new executive member for education, SEND (special educational needs and disabilities).

As he chaired his first meeting, he said: “When accepting the role, I purposefully included SEND and Inclusion in the title of my portfolio to indicate my intention to focus on these areas as a key issue under new this political administration.”

Back in 2023, an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission found there had been” systemic failings” in the provision of SEND services in Hertfordshire.

They found that too many children with SEND in the county were waiting too long for their needs to be met and for provisions to be put in place.

Since then, officials from the county council – and NHS services – have been working on an action plan to address the inspectors’ concerns.

“We know that the issue of SEND is both critical and complex—not just here, but across the country,” said Cllr Watkin. “Families are facing real and growing challenges.

“In Hertfordshire alone, we’ve seen a 27% rise in requests for EHC Needs assessments in the past year, a 32% increase in those waiting for specialist provision, and a continued 24% year-on-year rise in requests for neurodiversity assessments.

“These numbers reflect the difficulties our families and schools are facing and a system under immense pressure.”

Cllr Watkin acknowledged the “dedication and hard work” that had already gone into improving SEND services.

He said the challenge facing the council was to make every family and every school feel the benefit of the improvements that have been made.

Cllr Watkin has already signalled plans for a SEND summit later in the year to bring together children and young people, families, schools, and system leaders to “share experiences, identify opportunities, and shape the future.”

At the meeting on Friday (June 6), he emphasised that they would “really listen” to those voices – and ensure their concerns were responded to.

“Together, we will work with you to understand the challenges and co-create solutions that are both ambitious and achievable within the national context we face,” he said.

“Together, with empathy, partnership, and determination, we can build a system that truly works for every child and every family in Hertfordshire.”