81 children in Hertfordshire stuck on special schools waiting list for over a year

That’s significantly lower than the 187 pupils who had been waiting for a specialist place for 12 months or more in September 2023.

But executive director of children’s services Jo Fisher told a meeting of the county council’s education, SEND and inclusion cabinet panel that it was “too long”.

And she said officers were doing everything within their capacity to make sure these children were getting a school place “as fast as possible”.

The data was included in a wide-ranging performance report that was presented to the cabinet panel on Friday.

Also highlighted in the report was the increase in the capacity of specialist provision in the county – with the addition of 764 places in specialist schools in Hertfordshire and 255 in ‘specialist resource provision’ since 2018.

And it was reported that this increase in capacity – “paired with officers dedicated focus to finding suitable provision for children and young people who have been waiting” – has reduced the numbers waiting in excess of 12 months.

Nevertheless Conservative Councillor Paula Hiscocks told officers that the number of children who have been waiting in excess of 12 months “really concerns” her.

And she asked whether they were receiving other forms of help while they were waiting for specialist provision.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Tina Bhartwas also pointed to the impact the long-waits had on families asking for greater clarity on the extent of the longest waiting times.

“I have certainly had cases in my division of young people who have ‘aged out’ of some of the support while waiting,” she said.

“And I’m aware of the knock-on effect on the families of the children who are still waiting – and other children in those households.

“So how long have these children been waiting and how realistic is it that their needs will be met?”

In response, strategic led for intelligence and insight David Butler said the “significant majority” of the 81 children recorded in the report had been waiting between one and two years

And he added: “I can’t give you the precise number.

“But just to give you that assurance, that although a long time, for almost all of those children it is one to two years – and not beyond that.”

During the meeting, head of improvement and transformation Samantha Rostom acknowledged that it could be “really challenging” for families.

But she confirmed that they did get support during their wait – often provided in a mainstream setting with “a wraparound offer of support ” so that they “can access education until we can get them into the setting that is much more optimal”.

“However it must be said that we recognise that’s often not good enough from a parent’s perspective,” she said.

“It’s still really really difficult because it just felt like they are still sort of waiting for that, you know, ideal place.

“And unfortunately given where we are in such a challenged system, we are having to utilise the structures and the support that we have available to do that and do it to the best of our ability. But it is still a real challenge.”

Commenting on those waiting in excess of 12 months, Jo Fisher said: “I know from a parent and child experience that is not good enough.

“We are in a really difficult situation where we are trying to do our best in a really difficult national local context.

“We are creating as many new places as we can […] – satellites, specialist resource provisions, building new special schools.

“However we know that the reality is that at this moment in time we do have too many children who are waiting for that specialist provision and where we’re having to put in place that wraparound support.

“And we are really working hard to make sure those parents know that we are doing our best – that we haven’t forgotten their child and that we are doing everything within our capacity to do our very best to make sure their children gets a school place as fast as possible.”