A Solihull political group has called for changes to the borough's SEND services following a recent inspection which found the local area partnership must make improvements.

A joint inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), published this week, assessed support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provided by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) and NHS Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB).

While inspectors highlighted a number of strengths, including partnership working, early identification of SEND needs and the involvement of families in shaping services, they identified areas for improvement.

These included the quality of some Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, waiting times for health assessments and support for young people transitioning into adulthood.

In response to the findings, Reform UK Solihull has called on the council to implement all recommendations set out in the report and review its existing SEND Reform Plan.

Councillor Samantha Gethen, leader of the Reform UK group on SMBC, said: "This report confirms what parents across our borough have been telling us for a long time - they do not feel listened to, and their children are paying the price.

"Families are having to fight, and win, at tribunal simply to get support their children are legally entitled to.

"That should shame this Conservative administration, not be treated as business as usual."

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She added: "We have raised EHC plan quality, mental health support and waiting times with this council on repeated occasions.

"Cllr Karen Grinsell now has no excuse.

"She must accept every recommendation in this report in full, urgently review her SEND Reform Plan, and give councillors of all parties the full opportunity to properly scrutinise what is happening to some of our most vulnerable children."

Responding when the inspection findings were published, Cllr Karen Grinsell, leader of SMBC and cabinet portfolio holder for children and education, said: "I am pleased that inspectors could see first and foremost that families are routinely at the heart of our decisions.

"We acknowledge that there are improvements to be made and we will continue to work closely as a partnership to address these."

She added that the partnership was awaiting government approval for its SEND Reform Plan and would continue working with partners and communities to improve services for children and young people.