07/09/2026
🌟Solihull Area SEND Inspection – What the Inspectors Found🌟
An inspection took place in Solihull from 22 June to 10 July 2026.
The inspectors looked at how well children and young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) are supported.
They also listened to young people, families and parent carers about their experiences.
What did the inspectors find?
The inspectors found that some things are working well, but not everyone is getting the support they need at the right time.
Some children and young people are having to wait too long for help.
There are also problems with:
getting health and social care support
communication with families
some Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans
moving from children's services to adult services
getting ready for adult life
What is working well? đź‘Ť
The inspectors found some good things happening in Solihull.
For example:
Families and young people are being listened to and can help shape services.
Many EHC plans and yearly reviews are completed on time.
Family Hubs and early help can provide good support.
Different services sometimes work well together.
Some young people who use alternative education are getting good support.
There are examples of good support from education, health and social care.
Some young people are getting good help to move into education, work or training.
What needs to get better? 🔧
The inspectors found some important problems that need to be fixed.
⏳ Waiting for help
Some children and young people are waiting a long time for:
speech and language therapy
occupational therapy
assessments for conditions such as autism or ADHD
Mental health support
Some young people are finding it difficult to get the mental health support they need.
This can be especially difficult when a young person is moving towards adult services.
đź“„ EHC plans
Not all EHC plans are good enough.
Some plans do not clearly explain:
what health support a young person needs
what social care support they need
their communication needs
how they will be supported to prepare for adult life
đź“ž Communication
Families and young people are not always given clear information about:
how long they will have to wait
what support is available
when they will get help
🔄 Moving to adult services
Moving from children's services to adult services can be confusing.
Different services do not always work together well enough.
Young people need better support during this change.
đź‘Ą Social care
There can be delays and confusion about getting children's disability social care support.
🌱 Preparing for adult life
Young people do not always get the support they need to prepare for the future.
This includes preparing for:
education
work
money and independence
relationships and community life
health
where they will live
What does this mean for young people?
The inspection shows that young people and families have been right to speak up about these problems.
People have shared their experiences, and the inspectors listened.
Now, Solihull needs to take action to make things better.
Young people should be:
listened to
given clear information
able to get the right support
involved in decisions about their lives
supported to become as independent as possible
supported to prepare for adulthood
Your voice matters 🗣️
Young people, families and parent carers shared their experiences with the inspectors.
Thank you to everyone who spoke up and shared what life is really like.
Your experiences matter.
The next step is for Solihull to make an improvement plan.
We will continue to ask for children and young people's voices to be at the centre of decisions about SEND services.
đź“Ł Your voice matters.
