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| Bristol's special needs education plan failure 'shocking' | Bristol's special needs education plan failure 'shocking' |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| A failure to provide prompt education plans for children with special needs or disabilities has been described as "shocking and appalling". | A failure to provide prompt education plans for children with special needs or disabilities has been described as "shocking and appalling". |
| Legally, a child needing a SEND plan should be issued one within 20 weeks but Bristol City Council failed to do this during the second quarter of 2019. | Legally, a child needing a SEND plan should be issued one within 20 weeks but Bristol City Council failed to do this during the second quarter of 2019. |
| Figures indicate that the deadline was missed in 98% of cases. | Figures indicate that the deadline was missed in 98% of cases. |
| The council blamed a lack of resources and staffing issues, but campaigners have branded it a "crisis". | The council blamed a lack of resources and staffing issues, but campaigners have branded it a "crisis". |
| Sally Kent, from Bristol Independent SEND Group, said "vulnerable families and children" were being left with "no access to services" in what she called a "national crisis". | |
| "Families are on anti-depressants because it's not just the children, but also the families that are going through hell, with no access to services," she said. | "Families are on anti-depressants because it's not just the children, but also the families that are going through hell, with no access to services," she said. |
| "The council are treading water whilst children are suffering." | "The council are treading water whilst children are suffering." |
| The group wrote an open letter to the council and mayor Marvin Rees in October calling for improvements. | |
| In a progress review, the council said it was looking to take money from the early years school budget to plug the gap for SEND services. | |
| The review also explains the failings are due to a lack of resources and staffing shortages. | The review also explains the failings are due to a lack of resources and staffing shortages. |
| Alison Hurley, the council's director of skills, said: "We have invested £1.4m in SEND and recently advertised 24 new posts for specialised staff. | |
| "I recognise that this is of little comfort for the families waiting for a review or decision who need to see the results of this investment. | |
| "I share their ambition of improving the system and am confident that this extra money will have a positive impact but it will take time to take effect." | |
| Fiona Castle, 43, tried to access services a year ago for her eight-year-old son Sam who has autism. | |
| But she said the "process is still ongoing" and has so far cost her "over £2,000" in private assessments. | |
| "I've had a nervous breakdown fighting the system for my son to get help and it's heartbreaking, because nowhere seems as bad as Bristol," she said. | "I've had a nervous breakdown fighting the system for my son to get help and it's heartbreaking, because nowhere seems as bad as Bristol," she said. |
| Ofsted and the CQC are conducting a review on the council's SEND service and the findings will be released after the general election. | Ofsted and the CQC are conducting a review on the council's SEND service and the findings will be released after the general election. |