The Children, Families and Skills Scrutiny Committee of Lancashire County Council met on Thursday 14 May 2026 to discuss early years education and childcare, and the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Priority Action Plan. Key discussions included the sufficiency of childcare places, take-up rates for early years entitlements, and the progress made in improving SEND services, including a new SEND reform plan.

Early Years Education and Childcare

The committee received an update on the early years education and childcare provision across Lancashire. Abby Hardy, Head of Education Improvement, presented the current situation, highlighting the council's statutory duties to ensure sufficient childcare and improve outcomes for children under five.

Childcare Sufficiency: The latest childcare sufficiency audit indicated that there are sufficient 0-4 year old places across Lancashire as a whole. However, when analysed at a smaller School Planning Area (SPA) level, some areas, notably Preston Rural and Fylde in Singleton and Wheaton, have a deficit of places. To address this, Lancashire has been awarded £2.2 million in early years capital funding for 2024-25, which has supported the creation of 500 new places in priority areas. The ongoing School-Based Nursery Programme aims to further expand early years provision. Despite some localised deficits, the council reported very few inquiries from parents unable to find childcare, suggesting families may be travelling outside their immediate area for provision.

Take-up of Early Years Entitlements: Take-up rates for funded early learning places were presented, showing positive results. For two-year-olds, Lancashire's take-up rate of just under 77% is significantly higher than the national average (65%) and the North West average (69%). For three- and four-year-olds, take-up remains high at 97%, exceeding the national average of 93%. While overall take-up is strong, challenges remain in specific districts, including Preston, Pendle, and Hyndburn for two-year-old entitlements, and West Lancashire is also a growing concern. South Ribble, which has historically had high take-up, is being monitored closely. Targeted outreach, improved communications, and support for families to apply for places are key strategies to address these disparities.

Quality and Educational Standards: The quality of early years provision in Lancashire is generally in line with national averages for Ofsted gradings, with 97.2% of Private, Voluntary, and Independent (PVI) settings and 98.8% of childminders rated as 'good' or 'better'. However, the percentage of children achieving a 'Good Level of Development' (GLD) at the end of reception is lower than the national average (64% in Lancashire compared to 68.3% nationally). Data revealed significant disparities in GLD achievement among different groups, including boys (57.3% compared to girls at 71%), children eligible for free school meals (45.9%), and children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) (15.3%). There are also considerable variations between districts, with Fylde showing high GLD rates (75.6%) while Burnley and Pendle are lower (around 58%).

Next Steps: To address these challenges, the council plans to focus quality improvement efforts on settings in areas of high deprivation with lower educational outcomes. This will involve more targeted visits and a reduction in the general training offer to allow officers to concentrate on these priority areas. There will also be a reduction in the traded service offer to enable a focus on free access to support. A key priority is to increase practitioner knowledge of child development, with a focus on communication and language skills, and to share best practice. District conferences are planned for early years settings and reception teachers to support staff in addressing local priorities.

Concerns were raised by councillors regarding the proposed reduction in support, the wording around reducing support, and the impact on childminders. Officers clarified that staff numbers are not being reduced, but resources will be utilised more effectively in targeted areas. The committee requested further detailed reports on wages, costs, and funding in early years settings, and a more in-depth discussion on the proposed changes to the early years offer.

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Priority Action Plan Update

Paul Turner, Director of Education and Inclusion, presented an update on the SEND Priority Action Plan (PAP), highlighting significant progress made since the Department for Education (DfE) issued an improvement notice in June 2025.

Progress and Achievements: The council has seen accelerated progress and improved partnership working, receiving positive feedback from the DfE and NHS England. A governance review has led to more robust structures, including the establishment of a Performance Analysis Group, Joint Commissioning Group, and EHCP Improvement Group. Audit activity for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has increased significantly, and workforce capacity has been boosted with additional staff and a managed service for backlog reduction.

EHCP Timeliness and Quality: The number of EHCPs has increased, but crucially, the timeliness for assessments has improved, with 34% of assessments completed within 20 weeks by March 2026, a substantial rise from 7% in September 2025. The backlog of historic EHCPs has been reduced to fewer than 50, and the Educational Psychologist backlog has been cleared. Audit activity for EHCP quality has also increased, with 38% of audited EHCPs achieving a silver or gold grading in Quarter 3 2025/26. A digital EHCP assessment portal has been launched.

Recruitment: Significant investment has been made in staffing, with a planned increase in full-time equivalent (FTE) staff from 109 to 191.5 by September 2026. Recruitment is ongoing, and the council is confident in its ability to fill these roles, noting a good number of applications received. Agency staff are being used to cover immediate capacity needs.

SEND Reform Plan: A new SEND reform plan is being developed in response to national government proposals, aiming to fundamentally change the system over the next three years. Key aspects include a greater emphasis on placing children in mainstream schools, with EHCPs reserved for the most significant needs. The plan will be submitted to the DfE by 19 June 2026, and its acceptance could lead to the writing off of 90% of the high-needs block deficit. The committee expressed concerns about the timeline for reviewing this plan and requested to see the draft document.

Key Issues and Concerns:

• Messaging to Parents: Concerns were raised about parents being encouraged to apply for EHCP assessments now due to perceived changes in the system, leading to a potential surge in applications. Officers clarified that the current system remains in place until legislation changes, and parents should not worry about missing out.
• Support for Children without EHCPs: Questions were asked about how children with disabilities but without complex needs will be supported under the new system, and how their needs will be tracked through the education system.
• Quality of EHCPs: While quality is improving, there is still variability, and the committee will continue to monitor this.
• Local Government Reorganisation: The potential impact of local government reorganisation on SEND services was raised, with assurances that the reform plan considers this.
• Neurodevelopmental (ND) Pathway: Progress is being made in redesigning the ND pathway, moving towards a needs-based approach rather than diagnosis-first.

The committee requested further briefings on the proposed changes to early years education and childcare, including clarification on the term reducing support, and a detailed report on wages and costs in early years settings. They also requested a report on EHCP auditing processes and further information on holiday provision. The committee will continue to scrutinise the SEND reform plan and the quality of EHCPs.

Lancashire House Project Update

The committee received an update on the Lancashire House Project (LHP), a supported accommodation initiative for young people leaving care. Cohort 4, comprising 12 young people, is progressing well through independence preparation, with the first young person scheduled to move into their LHP home in March 2026. Property availability from Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) is improving, with one RSL confirming a significant increase in properties for 2026, offering young people greater choice. The council is working with district councils to improve housing pathways for care leavers, including a revised draft joint housing protocol. Lancashire was recognised by the National House Project for enabling young people to join the programme earlier.

Children, Families and Skills Scrutiny Work Programme 2025/26

The committee noted the work programme for 2025/26, which outlines planned scrutiny activities across children's social care, children's services, and education and skills. The committee expressed a desire for items to be brought to them earlier in the process to allow for more meaningful scrutiny and input.

The next meeting of the committee was scheduled for Wednesday, 24 June 2026.