Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspect how local areas work together to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
These inspections look at how effectively education, health and care services work together to identify needs, provide support and improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND aged 0 to 25. The inspectors focus on the experiences and outcomes of children, young people and their families, and on how well local partners work together to improve services.
The inspection covers the whole Local Area Partnership, including the local authority, health services and other partners responsible for planning, commissioning and delivering SEND services.
Devon’s last Joint Local Area SEND Inspection under the previous framework took place in 2018.
- You can read the outcome letter from the 2018 inspection on the Ofsted site (PDF)
- A monitoring visit took place in 2022. You can read the outcome of that visit on the Ofsted site (PDF).
The current Area SEND Inspection Framework
In 2023, Ofsted and the CQC introduced a new Area SEND Inspection Framework. The framework was reviewed following feedback gathered through Ofsted’s Big Listen and updated in June 2025.
The framework includes:
- full area SEND inspections
- monitoring inspections (where required)
- annual engagement meetings
- area SEND thematic visits
The inspection findings and outcomes will be published.
Inspection findings are published and may include recommendations to help local area partnerships further improve services and support for children and young people with SEND.
- When will Devon’s next Local Area SEND Inspection take place?
Local area partnerships are not told in advance when an inspection will happen. We are anticipating we will be inspected in the autumn term 2026.
The inspection starts when Ofsted and the CQC formally notify the Local Area Partnership. This notification is usually made on a Monday morning. The inspection process then takes place over the following three weeks.
As soon as we receive notification, we will:
- inform parents and carers
- inform schools, colleges and settings
- inform professionals and partner organisations
- publish information about the inspection on this page
- What will inspectors be looking at?
Inspectors will consider how well local services work together to support children and young people with SEND.
They will look at:
- children’s and young people’s experiences of support and services
- the outcomes children and young people achieve
- whether support is provided at the right time
- how effectively education, health and care services work together
- how well children, young people and families are listened to and involved in decisions
- how well children and young people are prepared for adulthood
- whether children and young people feel included in their communities.
Inspectors also consider whether local partners are meeting their legal responsibilities and taking action to improve services where needed.
The new inspection handbook explains in more detail how this will be considered during inspections.
- How will children, young people, parents and carers be involved?
Children, young people, parents and carers play an important role in the inspection process.
Week one
During the first week, inspectors gather information from the Local Area Partnership and invite feedback from children, young people and families.
Ofsted and the CQC will provide surveys for:
- children and young people with SEND
- parents and carers
The surveys ask about people’s experiences of SEND services and support in Devon.
We will share details of how to access the surveys as soon as the inspection is announced. Information will also be made available in accessible formats where needed.
Week two
Inspectors review the information they have received and plan their inspection activities.
They may arrange discussions with stakeholder groups and representatives from across education, health, social care and the voluntary sector.
Tracking meetings
Inspectors select a small number of children and young people to help them understand individual experiences in more detail.
These are known as “tracking meetings”.
If your child or young person is selected, a professional will contact you to explain the process and ask whether you would like to take part.
This gives inspectors an opportunity to hear directly about your experiences and the support your child or young person receives.
Week three
Inspectors visit Devon and meet with a range of people, including:
- children and young people with SEND
- parents and carers
- education, health and care professionals
- leaders from partner organisations
- representatives from the Parent Carer Forum
These discussions help inspectors understand what is working well and where improvements may still be needed.
- What happens after the inspection?
Following the inspection, Ofsted and the CQC will publish a report. The report will identify one of three outcomes.
Outcome one
The local area partnership’s SEND arrangements typically lead to positive experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership is taking action where improvements are needed.
What happens next:
- annual engagement meetings
- A further full inspection, usually within five years
Outcome two
The local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership must work jointly to make improvements.
What happens next:
- annual engagement meetings
- a further full inspection, usually within three years
Outcome three
There are widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently.
What happens next:
- annual engagement meetings
- submission of priority action plan
- monitoring inspection usually within 18 months
- a further full inspection, usually within three years
- Further information
Information for young people about the SEND Inspections
- Area SEND inspections: information for children and young people
- Easy Read guide to area SEND inspections
Information for parents and carers
- Area SEND inspections: information for parents and carers
- Easy Read guide for parents and carers (PDF, 1.73 MB)
- Information for families about SEND inspections
- A British Sign Language (BSL) signed video about inspections is available here.
SEND national guidance