IMPROVEMENTS to services for children and young people in Worcestershire who have special educational needs or disabilities must be built upon.

That is according to inspectors from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission.

A joint inspection to judge how effectively the County Council and the NHS Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups that serve Tenbury and the Teme Valley have implemented the special educational needs and disability reforms.

Inspectors looked at the local information that is provided across the county on services to support children and young people and their parents and carers.

It looked at joint commissioning between health services and the Council and the graduated response which is the way schools support children in mainstream education.

Inspectors also looked at assessments and planning for children and young people with special educational needs and disability.

A strategy for Worcestershire has recently been implemented and a Peer Review was commissioned by the County Council last year.

But despite the concerted drive shown by leaders in the two organisations being described as a ‘breath of fresh air’ by inspectors, they found that children and young people in the county who need these special services are not provided with the quality of support and service to which they are entitled.

An Action Plan will be drawn up and sent to Ofsted in order to provide further improvements.