Issues tracker

What families have told us

• At the start new school academic year families have fedback issues with home to school transport i.e. transport not turning up, families not knowing what is happening etc.
• Families have said transport feels at arms length to provision / school. Families want to receive information about home to school transport as soon as they are offered a place at a school.
• Families have said there is a lack of flexibility with transport if a child is on shorter or longer days, and is not available during transitions.
• Not always a designated driver, can be a different driver everyday.
• Doesn’t cater for split families, and only pick up from one address.
• Families are not aware of the process for cancelling transport etc.
• Need a user friendly transport application form.

The local authorities future plans 

• Developing a ‘what to expect from home to school transport’ for families for September 2026.
• Developing transport passports for young people and transport staff for September 2026.
• Hosting an online home to school transport information session for parents and carers in May 2025. 

What we have done

• New phone line for passenger transport, with an increased capacity to ensure families receive a response.
• Launched a user-friendly online transport application form.
• Developed FAQs that will be sent out alongside transport confirmation emails, and are available on the LLO website.
• Reviewed transport allocation letter in partnership with the Leeds Parent Carer Forum. 

What families have told us

• Families not understanding what support is available when a child transitions to adulthood across education, health and social care.
• Transition supported should be planned and actioned.
• Support, information and resources for all key stages of transition. (primary to secondary, secondary to post 16, post 16 to next steps).  

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

• It is a statutory requirement of SENDASS to provide transition information, advice and support to families. This is currently not being carried out by the team due to capacity. The SENDIASS Coordinator has put together a business case to request more capacity within the team.
• Further promotion and work with schools from our Learning Inclusion Service to promote transitions resources available, and identify gaps in support, training and resources available.
• Through workforce development working group identify ways that third sector providers can be supported to deliver transition processes more effectively.
• Develop and embed a transitions policy into Adult Health Services and to develop a comprehensive pack of information to be shared with young people approaching Transition.

Updates

It is a statutory requirement of SENDASS to provide transition information, advice and support to families. 

Information about the support the transitions team provide can be found on the Leeds Local Offer website. You can also find information about services who support transition to adulthood for young people who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the transitions team. 

The Transitions Team are attending information events, team meetings, support groups etc. to share information about their team, the eligibility criteria and also information about services for those who do not meet the criteria of the team.  

What families have told us

• The support for adoptive parents of children with SEND isn’t clear.
• Adopted young people have the same trauma etc. as children in care yet young people and families do not have the same access to support and services.

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

• A representative from One Adoption will be invited to join the Leeds Area SEND and AP Partnership Board.
• Leeds City Council are working with One Adoption to review their support offer to families. 

Updates

• The Leeds Parent Carer Form and adoptive parents will be meeting with a representative from the Learning and Inclusion service to explore the gaps in service and support for adoptive parents and what the One Adoption offer is for families. 

What families have told us

Families have fedback that they are having to ring the police on their own children due to violence and or mental health issues. 

When the police arrive they advise that it is not a police matter and a report will be submitted to social care. If this child is taken into custody, they are often realised with no further action.  

If a child is taken to A&E by the police, they are often discharged on the day as they are not  ‘severe’ enough to fully section under the mental health act, or there are no beds available. 

Within days or even hours families often have to call the police again; as the violence has escalated or the child has gone missing. 

These children are not in the youth justice system, so are not picked up by them but in a vicious circle of police being called reports to social care etc 

Families have fedback that they are in crisis, however when they approach services for support they are not meeting their thresholds for crisis intervention. 

What families have told us

Parent carer support groups have fedback that families are experiencing difficulties in recruiting PAs and accessing social care support for their child(ren). 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

issue to be explored by the Leeds Parent Carer Forum and Voice, Influence & Transparency Working Group.

What families have told us

Parent carer support groups have fedback that families have shared they feel there is a lack of respite / short breaks to give parent carers a break from their caring responsibilities. 

Families feel social isolation due to not having time away from their caring responsibilities. 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

issue to be explored by the Leeds Parent Carer Forum and Voice, Influence & Transparency Working Group.

What families have told us

• The waiting lists continue to be extremely long, and families are not getting the support they need.
• The delay in diagnosis can affect self esteems and prevent children from learning. 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

• As the health issues are a challenge to the health system and will not be fully resolved easily, the Leeds Parent Carer Forum and the Designated Clinical Officer will review regularly and provide updates.
• CAMHS full service review. 

Update 

The Leeds Parent Carer Forum and Health colleagues meet on a monthly basis to feedback parental voice and views. As part of these sessions we have themed updates where services from across Health are highlighted and discussed. 

Medication reviews for those who are stable on their ADHD medication (i.e. good symptom management, no changes to treatment required) will now move to yearly reviews. This is a change from every 6 months to yearly as per NICE guidelines Recommendations | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management | Guidance | NICE  (point 1.10.1): A healthcare professional with training and expertise in managing ADHD should review ADHD medication at least once a year and discuss with the person with ADHD (and their families and carers as appropriate) whether medication should be continued. It also says in 1.8 regarding maintenance and monitoring, that those under 10 need physical health reviews every 3 months and those 11 and older every 6 months, which we will providing in the Physical Health Monitoring Clinic. Families can also decide to do this monitoring at home or a local provider such as a pharmacy if required.

During the face-to-face physical health monitoring appointment, any concerns can be shared to the CYPMHS assistant about the medication, and this will be discussed with a prescriber regarding next steps. This may include bringing the appointment forward if this is clinically indicated. For those who complete the monitoring at home they can submit text with the readings for review as per the face to face option.

Please note this is common practice for ADHD medication management.  Please see above for NICE guidelines detail. Most ADHD medications are Amber Drugs within Leeds, which means that GPs can provide repeat prescriptions but will not make alterations to the treatment plan. The GP may help with the physical health monitoring but not medication changes; all changes need to be provided by the specialist – which is Leeds CYPMHS.

Update about Oakdale
The process for individuals who have been assessed through Oakdale and live in Calderdale who want to access ADHD medication has been successful. Therefore Oakdale have now extended the offer of medication to Leeds and the rest of West Yorkshire for Young People who were assessed by Oakdale.  Next steps following this will be to look at whether the medication offer can be extended to patients who have been diagnosed by other providers.

The ICB is working with getting a list of providers like Mantle, Oakdale and Evolve that will agree to local standards so there is more consistency.   The list of providers who will be offering the service with these standards for assessment or medication or both should be available from late spring.

They are also producing a leaflet with frequently asked questions to go out to families and GPs about Right to Choose to inform people so they can make the right choice for their Young Person. This information is now available to view here - Patient Choice (Right to Choose) : West Yorkshire Health & Care Partnership

What families have told us

• Scope sleep service is no longer available to families. What support is available for families? 
• Children not being prescribed melatonin, and no increase in dosage for those already prescribed. 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

• As the health issues are a challenge to the health system and will not be fully resolved easily, the Leeds Parent Carer Forum and the Designated Clinical Officer will review regularly and provide updates.
• Development of pathways across services to deliver offers for behaviour, eating, drinking, nutrition, continence and sleep.

What families have told us

Taking bloods is traumatic and this impacts on the child, and wider family, and could lead to poor health outcomes if bloods cannot be collected or are delayed. 

Families have shared issues in accessing the service and bloods being taken in a supportive clinic. 

The local authorities and health's future plans

Health colleagues recognise the issues. Pathway to be established on support available to collect bloods and what the offer looks like.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals already offer SEND sessions where play specialists can be made available. 

Further information to be scoped and shared shortly.  

What families have told us

Families feel services do not have the knowledge to support them with eating difficulties and there is no clear pathway for support / signposting to resources to support. This impacts on the child and their wider family and can limit social interactions and schooling.

The local authorities and health's future plans

The Leeds Parent Carer Forum and Health delivered an ARFID support workshop for parents and carers at the 2025 Leeds Local Offer Live event. 

The Leeds Parent Carer Forum have surveyed parents at the Leeds Local Offer Live event (March 2025) around ARFID support, a future online survey will be developed to further explore and gather the views of parents and carers. 

Information about ARFID support / link to eating and drinking support on the MindMate ND information hub will be added to the Leeds Local Offer website.  

The Leeds Parent Carer Forum will be holding an ARFID support coffee morning for families on the 24th September 2025, 10am till 12pm at Leeds Mencap. 

What families have told us

• Parents and carer are increasingly having to give up work to support their child at home as they cannot attend school due to school not being able to meet their needs. How do families challenge this? 
• LA not supporting EOTAS packages and naming them in EHCPs. 
• There is no support for families wanting to undertake the EOTAS package. 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

• The Educational Psychologist Team set up a working group with representatives from across services to consider service perspective and understanding. The working group will be looking at two areas: resources for schools and parental support / guidance. 
• The Educational Psychologist Team have consulted with the Leeds Parent Carer Forum, to look at attendance barriers and what support can be developed for parents. 
• Resources have been developed by the Educational Psychologist Team for school staff (and professionals) provide support with attendance. 
• The Educational Psychologist Team have a central training offer to school staff and wider professionals on ESNA and how to understand and support the needs of C&YP and their families.
• Work and consultation with families to find creative solutions to ensuring schools, settings and appropriate provisions are in place. 
• The Voice, Influence and Change Team to explore how the voices of elective home educated and those in education other than at school are gathered. 

What families have told us

• Children and young people are unable to go to school for a range of reasons, this may be due to anxiety.
• More children and young people are being given part time timetables.
• There is increased reports and concerns in relation to ESNA. 
• Parents and carers report having to give up work to support their child at home. 
• Not all children and young people have EHCP’s. 
• Parents and carers have fedback a lack of understanding and/or support from school.
• Families do not feel they are receiving support around exclusions. 
• There has been a rise in families of children and young people who attend mainstream schools contacting the SILC Cluster.

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

Whilst our Area Inclusion Partnership (AIP) and Alternative Provision (AP) model is a strength within Leeds there are plans to review our approach to devolving funds to partnerships of school leaders in AIPs, responding to the national focus on the use of AP and enabling them to co-design an offer of inclusion support and alternative provision that reflects their local area’s context and needs. We are aware there are too many children within AIP settings that require more long-term support and AIP provision is not always been seen and used as an intervention. In addition, we have plans to develop a guidance document for schools and commissioners outlining the LAs guiding principles for alternative provision and emphasising the school responsibilities in relation to alternative provision. E.g., exit planning; expectations on use of provision maps, integration with Fair Access Panel; how to record in their school registers to improve data available in School Census and implications for CYP with EHC Plans.

Continued identification of where new specialist provisions can be established in within existing settings and continued expansions where able with our established SILC provisions.

• A focus on attendance from our SEND teams when supporting schools and settings with individual case work.
• Continued support from attendance team to improve attendance in schools and settings.
• Review our approach to develop devolving funds to partnership of school leaders in AIP‘s enabling them to design an offer of inclusion support and alternative provision that reflects their local areas context and needs.
• Guidance document for all schools/commissioners outlining the LA guiding principles for arranging AP and setting out schools responsibilities in relation to AP.
• Health to be involved in the planning and development of Specialist places.
• The council will be investing in special and resource provision within mainstream settings. 
• Leeds City Council are developing an alternative provision strategy which will be co-produced with partners. 

What families have told us

• Application process not clear for families, and professionals not understanding the process. 
• Long waiting times for assessment. 
• Poor case worker communication. 
• Case work officers lack of awareness of law and practice. 
• Outcomes not consistent within EHCPs. 
• Health and Care should be as equal as Education in EHCP’s. 
• Children and young people are not involved in their plans and have a lack of understanding about them. 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

Following an increase in demands on service and workforce challenges resulting in a drop in statutory performance, Leeds City Council commissioned a review of its current EHC assessment, plan and annual review processes to identify key opportunities for change. The review so far has highlighted areas for improvement in relation to the Council’s communications, processes, support provided and consistency in approaches.

Our aim is to implement changes and improvements, to help the Council achieve its vision, that children and young people in Leeds with SEND, have the best possible start to life and equal opportunities to learn.

The Children and Families Department will keep you updated throughout the process and this webpage will serve as an information hub about the changes.

https://www.leedslocaloffer.org.uk/education/send-and-inclusion-transformation 

• A review of end-to-end funding and assessment processes to decide how inclusion funding is issued in the future, in order to ensure legal compliance and move away from the existing dual process for assessment of need. With a single process for assessment of need agreed. Implementation of a new operating model and a transition of people and teams into new functions is predicted and will release capacity through improvements to technology and process, to enable a focus on value-adding effort.
• Investment in Educational Psychologists capacity.
• Additional capacity in SENSAP team.
• Embedding of Moderation process and scrutiny of EHCPs to ensure quality.
• Additional capacity within health to ensure timeliness and quality health advice for statutory assessments.
• SEND transformation programme to ensure timeliness around statutory assessments and annual reviews.
• Work to support join up between PEPs and EHCPs.
• Move towards a needs led approach rather than diagnosis.
• Bringing together EHCP and funding processes through SEND.
• SEND lead and SEND Coordinator employed by health to improve timeliness and quality of health advice for statutory assessments.
• Multiagency audits and identification of where processes can be improved across services for earlier identification of need.
• Further development of processes for electively home educated young people with an EHCP.
• Monthly multi-agency audit of cases, findings will be fed into the work of the SEND and AP Partnership Board. 
• Regular interdisciplinary team meetings have been organised with SENSAP and Social Care services.  

What families have told us

• There is no preparation for adulthood for children who are highly anxious. 
• Lack of post 16 provision. 
• Careers advice given in schools but families not aware of the options available for their child.  

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

• Ensuring there is an emphasis on PFA throughout all the identified workstreams.
• Further promotion from One SEND teams of our locally developed PFA resource and certificate.
• Continued collation of voices of YP and their families through the SEND Employment forum.
• Build on the work implemented by the Employment and Skills team – continue to run SEND Next Choices Events and gain feedback from CYP from SEND Employment Forum.
• Working with Lighthouse Future Trust and Post 16 Settings to increase the offer.
• Virtual School/Care Leavers Service EET Panel and EET Surgeries to provide a problem-solving forum to explore Education, Employment and Training opportunities for all care experienced young people but in particular those with SEND.
• 14-19 Strategic Partnership SEND action plan delivered upon which seeks to address the challenges faced by SEND young people linked to their post 16 EET progression.

What families have told us

• Families have told us that they feel school staff require further SEND training to ensure they understand how to meet the needs of their children.
• School staff require more awareness of masking and need to reduce parent blame.
• Families would like professionals to show more empathy and understanding to families.  
• Families would like to be involved in training and feel all training should include should lived experience.
• Lack of neurodivergent expertise within leadership.
• Families feel professionals they come into contact with require more in-depth knowledge of SEND services available in Leeds.
• Families feel they receive different messages about service depending on who they speak to i.e. GPs, schools etc.
• Training for all services not just SEND i.e. housing. 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

Educational professionals in Leeds settings (early years, primary, secondary and post 16) can access information, advice and support from a number of Local Authority SEND teams.

Information for all educational professionals on what is available to them is here. 

SENDIASS to be the first point of contact for young people, parents, carers and professionals about education, health and care processes and support available.

Since Sept 2023 to August 2024 there have been: 177 centrally run training courses (online or face to face) reaching a total of 3437 people. 69 different eLearning courses which have been viewed by 5457 people. There is always a focus on engaging and working on partnership through our CPD offer to ensure that the needs of our SEND CYP are met.

Our One SEND Service officers work in early years settings and schools across the city, with dedicated expert staff working in early years.  Early years referrals arrive via health notifications (HEN) or through direct requests form early years providers.  To date in the academic year 23/24 there has been 1609 requests for support received, 522 of these requests have been for early Years input and support. The SENIT team meet regularly with health colleagues to review both formal HEN notifications and any other children that have become known to services through direct contact. This provides a useful early opportunity to review individual children’s needs and have wider discussions about progress and emerging areas of need. Case management systems have been improved across our One SEND Service so now all requests to the service are met within 4-6 weeks and 2-3 weeks for Portage.   

Future plans:

• Developing Inclusive Mainstream Provision information, so families and schools understand the duties of schools around SEND.
• The Leeds Local Offer to be promoted widely to all professionals across Education, Health and Care.
• Through workforce development workstream ensure those across the partnership are aware of the Graduated Approach.
• Plans with health to co-produce a training framework with the Parent Carer Forum and Learning Inclusion Service, aiming for alignment with the planned release of a national SEND training framework by NHSE.
• Themes from SEND audits around partnership working and planning addressed through working groups.
• High support and challenge to our third sector Early Years settings to ensure inclusive practice.
• Continued support and offer from SEND Teams and learning Inclusion to support inclusive practice in schools.
• Continue to embed practice around being a trauma informed city  - joint funding for  initiatives designed to improve the wellbeing of children, young people and families in Leeds.
• Ordinarily Available Toolkit developed so all schools, settings and other services across the partnership are clear on what inclusive SEND provision looks like.

The practice and workforce development working group, which is a subgroup of the Leeds Area SEND and AP Partnership Board, will: 

• map existing learning, training, CPD opportunities across the partnership and ensure workforce are aware of these.
• identify any gaps in CPD and to develop learning and developments to meet these gaps that reflect on evidence -based practice.
• Develop a strong communication model that fosters engagement across all partners, promoting collaborative efforts and the sharing of best practices to share knowledge, strengthen partnership working and enhance joint working practices 

The neurodiversity working group, which is a subgroup of the Leeds Area SEND and AP Partnership Board, will: 

• ensure our workforce is secure in understanding of ND (with or without a diagnosis) to enable them to accurately understand and meet the needs of CYP in partnership with parents/carers and settings and know where to go for further support and information.
• ensure our workforce can access high quality and relevant continuing professional development to enable and provide inclusive practice for all CYP.

April 2024: The Leeds Parent Carer Forum and Voice, Influence and Change Team will further explore with families their experiences and which schools their children attend. 

What families have told us

Some families have told us:

• A setting can be neurodiverse - having different neurotypes - as long as it isn’t, say a setting just for Autistic child or young person. Then it would be a setting for Autistic children and young people. 
• A person can be neurodivergent - having a neurotype which differs from the majority. 
• A person cannot be neurodiverse. 
• Most mainstream schools are neurodiverse with a proportion of neurodivergent children and young people. 
• Most mainstream schools are neurodiverse with a proportion of neurodivergent children and young people.

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

• The one SEND team inclusivity working group are completing a focused piece of work around language and terminology. 

Updates

• The Leeds Parent Carer Forum have developed a terminology / jargon buster. 

The practice and workforce development working group, which is a subgroup of the Leeds Area SEND and AP Partnership Board, will: 

• Review the Leeds Practice Model to develop a unified working model for the SEND workforce, ensuring consistency of understanding and a shared language across the entire system 

What families have told us

• Advocacy for families attending meetings with schools and SEND services.
• Support for families to navigate SEND services and not just signpost.
• Sharing information about SEND school support with families.
• Information about youth groups and activities available. 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

• A new Leeds Local Offer website was launched in April 2024 based on feedback from families www.leedslocaloffer.org.uk
• The Leeds Local Offer information booklet has been updated (October 2024) and can be downloaded here.
• The Learning and Inclusion one SEND service are developing an ordinarily available toolkit to outline to schools and families what they can expect from schools and what to do if this is not happening. SENDIASS and the Leeds Parent Carer Forum will be involved in the developments. The toolkit will be made available on the Leeds Local Offer website.
• Continuation of SEND Navigator Pilot.
• Officers challenged and supported through supervision processes in respect of communication with families.
• Early communication group and offer of additional support whilst families wait for SALT assessments.
• Continued engagement with children, young people and their families to ensure voices are heard and used to inform plans and service offer.
• Additional capacity at the front door in terms of Early Help provision.
• The SENDIASS service will have an increased capacity in early 2025.  
• Communication with families is a priority within the SEND and Inclusion Transformation plan. 

The mental health and wellbeing working group, which is a subgroup of the Leeds SEND and AP Partnership Board, aims to: 

• Improve access to support and outcomes for CYP with SEND accessing mental health services
• Ensure voice and influence of children and young people with SEND in Mental Health and Wellbeing services planning

What families have told us

• Families where English is a second language struggle to access SEND services and information. 
• Families cannot always read written information and require it in a different format. 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

• SENDIASS, the Leeds Parent Carer Forum and the Leeds Local Offer are exploring ways to ensure information is accessible to all families. 

What families have told us

Parent carer support groups have fedback that families feel:

• there is a lack of mental health support for the whole families.
• there isn't enough support for siblings and partners. 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

issue to be explored by the Leeds Parent Carer Forum and Voice, Influence & Transparency Working Group.

What families have told us

Parent carer support groups have fedback that families are in need for more support around:

• rusts and wills
• applying for PIP
• DLA claims taking 5 to 6 months to process
• impact on families financially due to caring responsibilities 

The local authorities and health’s future plans 

issue to be explored by the Leeds Parent Carer Forum and Voice, Influence & Transparency Working Group.

What families have told us

• Parents been advised by professionals that Hydrotherapy cannot be documented as a support option as there no services available in Leeds.

Update 

Information has been added to the Leeds Local Offer website for families. 

Many children will benefit from exercise in water, and this can take place in any type of swimming pool at any time of the week and is not linked to a specific health need, or specific training requirements. Physiotherapists may, if appropriate for the child / young person's needs, recommend alternative ways of accessing meaningful PE that may include water- based exercise as an individual or within a group. This does not mean it has to be in a hydrotherapy pool to get the benefit, but could be in a local swimming pool.

Hydrotherapy refers specifically to a programme of activities, developed by a physiotherapist, being followed in a water environment, often a hydrotherapy pool. A physiotherapist will teach family / carers and / or educational staff to deliver these activities. Physiotherapy will recommend hydrotherapy if a child / young person’s therapy needs cannot be met effectively on dry land. 

Aquatic physiotherapy is provided by a therapist in a hydrotherapy pool as an intervention to meet a specific therapy goal. Leeds children’s physiotherapy deliver aquatic physiotherapy in blocks where referrals meet the following criteria, based on clinical evidence:

1. Post-operative therapy where the same movement and rehab opportunities cannot be achieved on land

2. Deterioration in skills / function, not manageable through a land-based programme

3.  Where pain/ muscle spasm makes land-based intervention ineffective

For all of the above aquatic physiotherapy criteria, a suitable goal must have been agreed between family and therapist that justifies the use of aquatic physiotherapy, and there must be evidence that all relevant "standard, or land-based" interventions are in place during the child's usual week. These may include where appropriate, but are not limited to, daily stretching, movement and positioning programmes and use of postural management equipment.

How do families independently access hydrotherapy pools if required / advised by physiotherapists?

Leeds City Council have two hydrotherapy pools (Armley and Holt Park).

These pools can be accessed by families, and booked directly with Armley Leisure Centre and Holt Park Leisure Centre. 

Anyone wanting to book and use the hydrotherapy pools will need to complete a screening form prior to accessing the pool. These can be requested by contacting the Leisure Centre reception. 

If on the form contra-indications are highlighted then a second form will need to be completed by your GP or referring physio prior to being able to access the pool. 

Contra-indications included: 

• Pregnancy
• Having heart or circulatory problems
• Suffering from dizziness or blackouts
• Having skin, bladder or eye Infections

Contact details: 

• Armley Leisure Centre: 0113 3760398
• Holt Park Leisure Centre: 0113 3760398