'Not acceptable': Leeds Council under fire over delays to special needs support for children
Families left waiting as just seven per cent of SEND plans meet legal deadline in Leeds
Leeds City Council is facing scrutiny over long delays in drawing up education plans for children with special needs.
Families have been left frustrated after just 7.4 per cent of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) were issued within a 20-week deadline.
The plans are drawn up to ensure pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) get the support they need.
Performance figures were revealed in a report which showed rising demand for care plans in the Leeds City Council area.
Councillor Helen Hayden, Labour’s executive member for children and families, said: “We are seeing good progress in a number of key areas.
“We do also have significant challenges, particularly in relation to SEND and EHCPs.”
A scrutiny meeting was told 7,847 children and young people had an EHCP at the end of March, a 24.1 per cent increase on last year.
Some 476 EHCPs were completed in the first three months of this year, 169 more than the same period in 2025.
But just 7.4 per cent of EHCPs issued between January-March were delivered within the 20-week statutory timescale.
Labour councillor Andrew Scopes, who represents Beeston and Holbeck, said: “The 7.4 per cent is a real problem.
“It’s not like we need a little bit of improvement. This should be 100 per cent.”
Coun Scopes said families were upset at the delays after previous assurances that the system would be improved. He said: “Is the plan to get on top of this credible?”
Coun Hayden said the council was working with schools to support children waiting for EHCPs. She told the meeting: “It’s a deep frustration and not acceptable.”
Coun Hayden said the council first sought to tackle the backlog by dealing with those who had been waiting the longest first.
But two separate teams were now dealing with the backlog of cases and new referrals for care plans.
Coun Hayden said: “Now we have brought in more provision through a twin-track approach.”
A report to the meeting said the council was expecting the results of an Ofsted and CQC inspection of SEND provision.
It said: “Priorities continue to focus on the timeliness and quality of EHCP statutory assessments, plans and reviews and neurodiversity assessments and support.”
Agency staff were being used to cover delays in recruiting permanent staff to the service.
The report said: “Recruitment is currently underway regarding the revised staffing structure, with selection processes being undertaken.”