Kent SEND Inspection Report: What the Latest Findings Mean
The latest Area SEND inspection of Kent has now been published by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), following an inspection carried out from 6–10 July 2026.
The inspection looked at how well education, health and social care services across Kent work together to support children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and the experiences and outcomes of children, young people and their families.
What did the inspection find?
The report recognises that there are areas of positive development across Kent. It found that many children and young people with SEND benefit from support that helps them make progress, participate in education and community life, and that there are growing examples of collaborative, needs-led support across education, health and social care.
Ofsted also identified a number of strengths within the local area partnership, including:
A shared ambition across education, health and social care to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
Increasingly collaborative working between services.
Improvements in newer Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, with families more closely involved in the assessment process.
A growing focus on providing support based on children’s identified needs, rather than requiring a formal diagnosis before support can begin.
Increased opportunities for children, young people and families to share their experiences and influence service development.
Effective multi-agency working in a number of areas.
Increased investment in workforce development, training and specialist advice.
However, the inspection also found that these positive developments are not yet experienced consistently across Kent.
The report highlights differences in the support available depending on where a child or young person lives, as well as delays in assessments, access to services and some Education, Health and Care plans. It also identifies the need for clearer communication and information-sharing between services, stronger involvement of families in decision-making, and more consistent support across education, health and social care.
Ofsted has set out a number of areas for improvement, including reducing geographical variation in services, improving the timeliness and oversight of EHC plans, strengthening communication and co-production with families, and ensuring that children and young people receive appropriate support as early as possible.
What happens next?
The report provides an important picture of where Kent's SEND services are currently and where further work is needed.
Ofsted and the CQC have asked the Kent local area partnership to update and publish its strategic plan in response to the recommendations in the report. The next full Area SEND inspection is expected to take place within approximately three years.
At 21 Together, we will continue to support children, young people and families across Kent and to contribute to conversations about improving SEND support and inclusion.
Read the full report
The full Kent Local Area Partnership Area SEND inspection report is available from Ofsted and provides further detail about the inspection findings, strengths and areas for improvement.