Children with special educational needs and disabilities in Tameside are waiting too long to get the support they need, a government watchdog has said. 

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said Tameside council regularly takes longer than the statutory timescales to issue Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).  

In one mother’s case, it took the town hall 10-and-a-half months over the time limit to let her know what they were doing with one of her children’s EHCPs.

According to the watchdog, the mother’s other child’s case saw the council delay in completing the annual review process and sent details of its intentions to amend the plan nine months late.

The Ombudsman also criticised the way the council recorded details about the children’s annual review meetings, and found fault with certain aspects of the way it handled the mother’s complaints.

In that case the town hall has agreed to apologise to the mother and issue a final EHCP for the child who does not have an up-to-date plan. The local authority also agreed to pay the mother a combined £2,100 for the uncertainty, distress and inconvenience the family has faced.

The children’s service department within Tameside Council, which oversees EHCPS, was rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted in 2023 and is currently in special measures.

Last year, a scathing independent report from the children’s commissioner led to the resignations of the council leader and the chief executive. The council are currently implementing a plan to improve the service.

What the Ombudsman said

Ombudsman, Ms Amerdeep Somal, said: “During my investigation, I found more than 57 per cent of children with EHC Plans experienced delays of eight months or longer having their plans reviewed. In 2024, when we made our enquiries, it had only completed reviews in little more than 21 per cent of cases, despite the time being nearly 65 per cent of the way through the year.

“All these delays represent children and young people who are potentially not having their needs met, because the most up-to-date information about the precise support they require has not been finalised.

“I have asked the council to produce an action plan to show how it will address the significant backlog of EHC Plan reviews it now holds, make this publicly available and ensure a relevant body – made up of local councillors – oversees its progress.

“I am pleased the council has accepted my recommendations and hope by making its improvement plan accountable to local members it will ensure standards are raised for the benefit of children and young people across the area.”

Tameside Council response

In response to the criticism, a Tameside Council spokesperson said: “We sincerely apologise to families affected by the delays in the annual review and the issuance of final Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). We understand the significant impact these delays have on families and the challenges they present.

“In Tameside, we have an unprecedented number of EHCPs, 3678, which is double the national average. This has placed a considerable strain on our resources. “However, we have a clear action plan to improve this situation and address the significant backlog of EHCP reviews we must process. 

“While we have already made progress, we acknowledge that this is a complex matter with a considerable journey ahead of us and accept the recommendations made in the report. As a council, we have a clear vision for prioritising Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). 

“We are committed to addressing shortcomings, not just by making improvements but by stabilising the system and driving it forward to ensure we meet the current and future needs of children and young people in Tameside with SEND through services co-produced alongside CYP and their families.

“Furthermore, our SEND sufficiency review provides a clear roadmap for improving the quality, accessibility, and sufficiency of local SEND provision. We have made significant inroads, such as the new Hawthorns School opening and several SEND resource bases planned within all key stages of our mainstream schools for September.  

“The SEND team and wider council services are working diligently to improve outcomes for our children and families in Tameside.”