SEND care plan assessment times cut - council

The amount of time Doncaster Council takes to complete education, health and care plans for children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) has been cut, latest figures have shown.

The assessments for SEND children are designed to outline the tailored care support youngsters need and are supposed to be completed within 20 weeks from the time they are received.

Staff at Doncaster Council issued 75% of the plans within that time in the second quarter of 2025-26, up from 40% in the previous quarter, figures have revealed.

The improvement was despite increasing pressure on local authorities across the country when it came to such assessments, a spokesperson for the authority said.

According to the authority, it received 110 requests for assessments in the second quarter of the year and completed 83 in the 20-week timeframe.

In quarter one, 80 requests were received and 32 were completed within 20 weeks.

A council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Doncaster, like many other local authorities, is facing rapidly rising demand for SEND support including education, health and care plans, which have increased by almost a third over the last three years.

"We know how important it is for our young people to receive the right support as quickly as possible, and we are proud that despite the growing pressures, Doncaster is performing better than the national average in completing education, health and care plan assessments and reviews within the 20-week timeframe."

Speaking at a meeting of Doncaster Council's cabinet, Sue Farmer, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said the improvement reflected "progress, ambition and confidence in our future".

"These achievements reflect our commitment to nurturing a child and family-friendly borough and ensuring every child has the best start in life," she said.

The improvements come against a rise in SEND spending across the country.

Doncaster Council has projected a £19.1m deficit against the Dedicated Schools Grant in the current financial year.

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