The new Area SEND Framework came into force in January 2023, representing a radical change in the approach to the inspection of SEND Area Partnerships, with a greater emphasis on the impacts and outcomes for children and young people. In September 2023, NWADCS published a Thematic Overview of Area SEND Inspections analysing key issues emerging from the first 14 inspection reports. 

In April 2024, a further 15 Area SEND inspection reports had been published. The six-month review of Area SEND reports offer analysis of key issues emerging from reports published since September 2023, including common challenges across reports to date.

Practice resources around Alternative Provision including:

• Alternative Provision - A guide for local area partners
• Practice resource: Key areas of interest from Ofsted's thematic visits looking at Alternative Provision
• Guidance on preparing for Area SEND inspections
• Templates and document examples

View Alternative Provision resources here. 

The SEND FPS has been in place and available to the North West authorities since 2020 with lots for Alternative Provision added in 2023. 

Resources to support authorities, schools and providers include:

• Information on the Regional Purchasing Systems
• SEND FPS FAQs
• Commissioning Alternative Provision (Local Authorities)
• Commissioning Alternative Provision (Schools)

In addition to the collection of measured gathered from all 24 Local Authorities to the RIIA dataset, regional Local Authorities provide data to a small set of SEND measures.

The measures focus on:​

• The number of initial requests for EHC assessment and assessment decision​
• The number of EHC assessments, decisions to not issue plan, and timescale for issuing plans​
• The number of new EHCPs in period​
• The total number of open EHCPs, and a breakdown of Primary Need Category​
• The number of open EHCPs which have Personal Budgets​
• Number of Annual Reviews held within 12 months​
• The total number of plans ceased/discontinued (all ages) (all reasons)