Local SEND Reform Plans · 40 documents asked · 40 answered · 0 not stated · run 22 September 2026
Does this council's plan name a specific staffing risk to delivering its Experts at Hand offer - such as a shortage of educational psychologists, speech and language therapists or occupational therapists - and does it propose a specific mitigation such as a training pipeline, university partnership or 'grow your own' scheme, or does it not address the risk at all?
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Ask for a surveyMost councils name a specific staffing shortage risk to Experts at Hand, usually pointing to educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists, and most pair this with some kind of mitigation. The commonest mitigation is a "grow your own" scheme, often combined with university partnerships, assistant or trainee roles, and phased recruitment.
Several councils stand out for detail. Isle of Wight gives hard numbers, just 2 FTE speech and language therapists and 1.8 FTE educational psychologists, and ties this directly to a named grow-your-own strategy. Bristol also gives a figure, saying the ICB needs to recruit over 40 new staff. Barnsley and Stoke-on-Trent quantify risk on a scored risk register (Stoke rates its risk 25, reduced to 15 after mitigation). Hounslow and Wolverhampton name specific university partnerships, with Hounslow citing the University of West London and Wolverhampton describing joint role profiles with Higher Education partners.
Some councils name the risk but push the mitigation onto central government rather than proposing their own pipeline: Bury, Reading, Wigan and Staffordshire all ask national government for workforce or training support rather than setting out a local scheme. Nottingham and Durham acknowledge workforce pressure only in general terms and rely on governance or blended delivery models rather than training pipelines.
A few plans avoid naming a specific professional shortage at all. Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, Solihull, Staffordshire and Hackney describe workforce pressure only generically, without naming EPs, SALTs or OTs specifically, though some still offer grow-your-own style mitigations. Cornwall uniquely reframes the issue as a national policy design flaw rather than a shortage.
Leeds addresses workforce capacity through concrete recruitment actions but does not frame it as a named risk. South Tyneside names the risk and offers mitigations but no training pipeline or university link specifically.
Not stated: none — every council listed gave at least a partial answer touching on workforce risk or mitigation, even if incomplete.
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The question was put to each document on its own, using up to six of its most relevant pages. Page numbers in the table link to the document itself.
Model claude-sonnet-5. How a survey is made.
Every document's answer
Barnsley
Yes. The plan identifies "Workforce Capacity Constraints" as a critical, likely risk, citing insufficient capacity across roles including educational psychologists and therapists, which could impact delivery, timeliness and quality of services p65. It proposes mitigations including a whole-system workforce strategy, targeted recruitment, "'Grow your own' pathways and partnerships with training providers," workforce modelling, and reducing rollout pace if shortfalls occur p65, alongside a quantified workforce gap analysis and contingency arrangements p58.
Bath and North East Somerset
The plan acknowledges general "workforce capacity and turnover pressures across the partnership" and notes Year 1 guidance prioritises recruiting registered professionals (EP, OT, SALT) p15. However, it does not name a specific shortage risk for EPs, SALTs or OTs, nor propose a concrete mitigation like a training pipeline, university partnership, or "grow your own" scheme; instead it lists general workforce KPIs, retention reviews, and skill-mix planning p15.
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole
The plan does not explicitly name a shortage risk for educational psychologists, SALT or OT staff, but it does note that "workforce capability and confidence are mixed" and that sustained workforce development is needed p11. As mitigation, it proposes a "grow your own" model embedding diverse school- and setting-based inclusion leads p21, plus securing seconded education leaders and allocated EP, SALT and OT capacity across clusters p21, supported by national training programmes and recruitment initiatives requested from central government p78.
Brighton and Hove
Yes. The plan names workforce capacity constraints, specifically recruitment and retention challenges in Educational Psychologists, SaLT, OT and specialist teaching, as a "Red" risk to delivering Experts at Hand and wider SEND reform (page 29, page 31). Mitigations include a multi-agency workforce strategy, "targeted grow-our-own and training routes," phased recruitment, flexible deployment, and a joint LA–ICB workforce strategy focused on therapy support and workforce supply (page 27, page 31, page 29).
Bristol
The plan names limited specialist capacity across the ICB region as a critical risk to the Experts at Hand offer, warning that additional demand across neighbouring local authorities will strain supply further, and notes the ICB will need to recruit over 40 new staff p39. Its mitigation is early engagement with the ICB and neighbouring authorities to model regional demand and supply, plus a phased, system-wide workforce mobilisation approach p39. No specific training pipeline, university partnership, or 'grow your own' scheme is mentioned.
Bromley
Yes. The plan names OT and SALT staffing shortages as risks, noting therapies "not yet fully embedded at universal/targeted level (esp. OT)" p75 and rating unmitigated recruitment risk as "Red/High Risk" amid national competition for roles p87. Mitigations include a SALT Advanced Practitioner role recruited across the SE London ICB area, OT project manager delivery via community healthcare provider, "grow your own" pathways, and nurturing college/university relationships plus "expanding training pipelines for shortage professions" (page 87, page 92).
Bury
Yes, the plan names EP capacity and specialist roles as key pressure points to address p24 and cites OTs, SALT therapists and Education Psychologists as "hard to recruit" due to scarcity for the Experts at Hand offer p53. However, it does not propose a specific local mitigation like a training pipeline or 'grow your own' scheme; instead it asks central government for national workforce sufficiency planning clarity p53.
Cambridgeshire
Yes. The plan identifies a "Workforce Supply Risk," noting Cambridgeshire's proximity to London and high housing costs "may affect recruitment/retention of specialist staff, especially EPs and therapists" p67. Mitigations include building workforce capacity via expansion of multidisciplinary support and improved access to educational psychology, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy through the Experts at Hand model, plus explicit "grow your own" models "eg for EPs and SALT using trainee and assistant roles" p67.
Cornwall
The plan does not name a specific staffing shortage (e.g. of EPs, SALTs or OTs) as a risk to Experts at Hand delivery, nor does it propose a training pipeline, university partnership or 'grow your own' scheme. Instead, it identifies a policy/design risk: national E@H guidance is "a prescriptive, clinical model" that "does not explicitly include key workforce roles such as Educational Psychologist (EP) assistants or wider skill-mix approaches," and it asks central government to allow flexible, locally designed models with assistant roles and blended workforce approaches p61.
Coventry
Yes. The plan identifies that Experts at Hand recruitment draws on "the same limited pool of professionals" as EHC needs assessments and Section F delivery, creating a scarce EP/SaLT/OT capacity risk p25. Mitigations proposed include capacity-building "through approaches that can be sustained (training/coaching, network support, outreach...)" p24, and a request for central government support for a "regional pipeline and recruitment support" for scarce specialist roles p28.
Cumberland
The plan names delayed access to EP, SaLT, OT and mental health advice as a risk, noting "workforce confidence in responding to neurodiversity, communication, sensory and SEMH needs is variable" p15. It does not propose a specific training pipeline, university partnership, or 'grow your own' scheme; instead it commits to a "system-wide SEND Workforce Strategy" including a staffing baseline, gap identification, and a "three-year recruitment and development plan" aligned to Experts at Hand p42.
Dorset
Yes. The plan names "workforce capacity and specialist availability" (EPs, SALT, OT, specialist teachers) as a critical, likely risk, noting competition since "other areas will also be recruiting into their Experts at Hand model at the same time" p68. Its mitigation includes a workforce sufficiency plan, phased rollout, prioritised recruitment, targeted training, and "a creative approach to workforce design including the development of assistant roles working alongside qualified practitioners" and rotational posts p68, consistent with workforce design changes described elsewhere p18.
Durham
The plan acknowledges national workforce pressures affecting specialist roles like therapies and educational psychology but does not name a specific staffing shortage risk in detail p9. Its mitigation is a "blended model" extending specialist reach via consultation, group-based delivery and digital offers, phased recruitment mixing skill levels, and recruiting at Band 4 and 6 to protect core specialist staff (page 10, page 20). No specific university partnership or "grow your own" scheme is mentioned.
East Sussex
Yes. The plan identifies a "Critical" and "Likely" risk that recruitment to Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech and Language Therapists will be "significantly constrained," citing strong competition from neighbouring authorities and an existing national supply gap in Educational Psychology (page 27, page 28). Mitigation includes growing a local workforce pipeline, targeting recruitment of Assistant Educational Psychologists and Assistant Therapists, and supporting them toward accredited Doctorate training—a "grow-your-own" scheme p27. This links to a recruitment campaign with universities and the ICB p20.
Hackney
The plan names a general risk that permanent recruitment of the "Experts at Hand" workforce requires the LA and ICB to underwrite significant long-term costs against funding that remains subject to constraints, causing a shortfall in specialist recruitment capacity p66. However, it does not name a specific profession shortage (e.g. educational psychologists, SLTs, OTs). Its mitigation is a "Core-Plus" staffing model prioritising core programme management recruitment while seeking additional funding p66 — not a training pipeline, university partnership, or grow-your-own scheme.
Harrow
Yes. The plan names "insufficient workforce capacity across education, health and specialist services" as a high-impact, high-likelihood risk to delivering OAIP and EAH p73. Mitigations include phased EAH mobilisation, targeted recruitment and retention activity, Advanced Practitioner Speech and Language Therapy roles, a workforce development programme, and joint workforce planning across partners p73. Elsewhere it also cites "career development pathways, apprenticeships and grow-your-own approaches" and university partnerships as workforce strategies p66.
Hertfordshire
Yes. The plan explicitly names "Risk 2: Inability to recruit sufficient specialist staff" citing national shortages of EPs, SaLTs, OTs and specialist teaching staff p41. Mitigations include existing recruitment & retention strategies for Educational Psychologists and Therapists, recruiting alternatively qualified and support/assistant roles, designing the workforce around functions rather than narrow professional roles, sequencing recruitment to avoid dependence on hard-to-fill roles, and monitoring workforce impacts (pages 41-42).
Hounslow
Yes. The plan names workforce capacity and specialist expertise—citing insufficient SaLT, OT and EP capacity—as a critical risk to reform delivery, including Experts at Hand p36. It mitigates this through a University of West London partnership creating training, placement and development pathways in Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and clinical services, building a "sustainable pipeline of SEND professionals" p11, alongside joint recruitment campaigns with Health colleagues and workforce pathway outputs p21.
Isle of Wight
Yes. The plan names limited specialist workforce capacity as a risk, citing just "2 FTE speech and language therapists" and "1.8 FTE educational psychologists" against rising demand p21. It mitigates this through a "Grow Your Own" strategy establishing local career pathways into EP, SALT, OT and SEMH professions via apprenticeships, assistant roles and postgraduate routes, reducing reliance on agency staffing p21, alongside prioritising assistant-led delivery where recruitment is constrained p21.
Kingston upon Thames
Yes. The plan explicitly names "Inability to recruit or retain the specialised workforce (e.g. Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists)" as a critical, likely risk to delivering the "Experts at Hand" offer p51. Mitigations include a "grow your own" workforce training model, developing links with universities and training providers, targeted recruitment campaigns with incentives for hard-to-fill posts, and a skills-mix model using assistant SaLTs and OTs under supervision (page 51, page 52).
Leeds
The plan does not explicitly name a staffing shortage risk (e.g., EP, SLT, or OT shortages) as a distinct risk to Experts at Hand delivery. Instead, it addresses workforce capacity through planned mitigations: a SEND Learning Hub for training and development p25, recruitment of Advanced Practitioner Occupational Therapists and additional Speech & Language Therapy Assistants seconded from schools p52, and workforce planning to build capacity while maintaining statutory service levels p25. No specific "grow your own" or university partnership scheme is named.
Norfolk
Yes. The plan explicitly names national shortages of key professionals (educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists) as a risk to fully resourcing the Experts at Hand offer p65. Its mitigation is not a training pipeline or university partnership but a "graduated resource profile" using "a wide range of expertise" with complementary skillsets, close monitoring of recruitment, and agility to adopt "alternative delivery models" if posts cannot be filled (page 65, page 11).
North Northamptonshire
Yes. The plan names "insufficient workforce capacity to deliver early intervention (e.g. EP, SALT, OT)" as a HIGH-likelihood risk to scaling the Experts at Hand model p48. Mitigations include a phased "test and learn" rollout, a "targeted recruitment and retention strategy," flexible delivery models, and joint workforce planning across partners p48. It also calls for national support to "expand training pipelines" and improve retention for EP and therapy services p57.
Nottingham
The plan names the risk in general terms: "national workforce pressures in therapies, mental health and paediatrics may affect pace and capacity" of Experts at Hand p74. Its mitigation is not a training pipeline or 'grow your own' scheme, but governance-based: "shared SEND governance with senior ICB leaders, joint workforce planning, co-commissioning and flexible delivery phasing" p74. No specific EP, SLT or OT training pipeline or university partnership is mentioned.
Oxfordshire
Yes. The plan names "Specialist workforce sufficiency" as a Critical/Likely (Red) risk to delivery, explicitly tied to specialist roles feeding the EAH offer p25. Mitigations include targeted recruitment campaigns, "working with universities to target graduates," clear workforce development plans with entry requirements and apprentice/trainee roles, and combining non-qualified staff with clinically qualified staff to "grow our own" p25. It also calls for national workforce planning to address pipeline issues for Educational Psychologists and Speech and Language Therapists p30.
Reading
Yes. The plan identifies workforce pressures in Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and neurodevelopmental pathways as a risk to delivering Experts at Hand p47. Its local mitigation is strengthened joint commissioning with the ICB, alignment to NHS recovery plans, integrated MDT models, and shifting to needs-led rather than diagnosis-led pathways p47. It also asks central government for help addressing national shortages in EP, SaLT and OT roles, including "training pipeline expansion" p58, rather than proposing its own local pipeline.
Richmond upon Thames
Yes. The plan names "Inability to recruit or retain the specialised workforce (e.g. Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists)" as a critical, likely risk that would mean the council is "unable to fully deliver the SEAH offer" p46. Its mitigation includes a robust recruitment and retention strategy, using assistants alongside therapists, regional collaboration for shared specialist pools, and clear workforce training pathways using a "grow your own" model p46.
Rochdale
Yes. The plan explicitly names "Workforce constraints—particularly in Educational Psychology and Speech and Language Therapy" as a risk exacerbating delays and restricting preventative support p63. Its mitigation for recruitment/retention challenges in specialist therapy roles includes a "strong recruitment communications plan," secondments, step-up arrangements, redesigning Educational Advice to free up local EPs for Experts at Hand, and outsourcing plan writers, plus Ed Psych Locums commissioned corporately p26.
Shropshire
Yes. The plan identifies workforce shortages affecting Experts at Hand, noting local mainstream and specialist capacity is "still underdeveloped" p8 and that NHS/ICB reforms are "a critical dependency for Experts at Hand, waiting times and the timeliness and quality of statutory health advice" p32. Mitigations include recruiting to Educational Psychology, EHCP, Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy roles p4, recruiting a SaLT Advanced Practitioner with the ICB for strategic therapy leadership and workforce growth p24, and a joint LA-ICB workforce plan covering therapy, psychology and specialist practitioner capacity p32.
Slough
Yes. The plan names "Insufficient specialist workforce capacity to mobilise Experts at Hand, including educational psychology, SaLT, OT, specialist teachers and advisory capacity" as a critical, likely risk p56. Its mitigation is a "phased recruitment and commissioning plan using permanent recruitment, shared posts, partner contribution, commissioned capacity, assistant roles and interim/agency cover" p56, plus identifying workforce gaps and exploring alternative delivery models like group advice, coaching, and third sector support p44. It also requests central government help with recruitment in these professions p65.
Solihull
The plan does not name a specific staffing shortage risk for Experts at Hand. It only states the offer will begin "following successful recruitment to these specialist roles" in September 2026 p4, implying recruitment is needed, but no shortage of EPs, SaLT or OTs is explicitly identified, and no specific mitigation like a training pipeline or university partnership is proposed—only general workforce development training p2.
Somerset
Yes. The plan names a "national shortage of educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists" as a risk that "may constrain the pace at which the EAH offer can be built" p45. Mitigations proposed include a "mixed-profession and skill mix recruitment model," MAT/school involvement in employing cluster workers, exploring regional ICB collaboration, requesting national workforce supply support from DfE, and using an advanced SLT practitioner role to help develop the future therapy workforce (page 45; page 59).
South Gloucestershire
Yes. The plan explicitly names "Workforce shortages (EPs, SALT, SEND teachers)" as a risk that "restrict scaling even where space exists" p125. It proposes a specific mitigation: a "Workforce pipeline strategy (Grow local workforce (training, grow-your-own models) Joint commissioning with health (e.g. SALT, OT))" p125. It also plans to "Strengthen special school outreach, EPs" and expand resource bases as short-term capacity measures p125.
South Tyneside
The plan names workforce capacity as a risk, dependent on "recruitment of SALT/OT and EP workforce," with delivery phased "dependent on... recruitment" p36, and recognises "key risks relating to workforce capacity" in the partnership risk framework p44. Mitigations proposed include recruitment/secondments of EPs, EP Assistants, SALT/OT Therapists and Therapy Assistants, a published therapy training offer, a competency framework for Therapy Assistants, and phased implementation with use of external expertise where required (pages 36, 44). No specific university partnership or 'grow your own' scheme is named.
Staffordshire
The plan names a general risk that "there are not enough expert specialists regionally or Nationally available to fulfil the Experts at Hand requirements" p89, rated Critical/Likely/Red, but does not specify particular professions like educational psychologists or SLTs. Its mitigation is not a training pipeline or grow-your-own scheme but to "redefine the scope of what constitutes an 'Expert at Hand'" and await DfE guidance p89, alongside continued recruitment efforts to fixed-term posts p89.
Stoke-on-Trent
Yes. The plan names "insufficient specialist workforce capacity to deliver the Experts at Hand offer at scale" as a top risk, rated 25 (impact 5, likelihood 5) p31. Mitigations include phased implementation using alternatively qualified roles including trainees and assistants supported by senior staff, alignment with national workforce programmes, a fortnightly EAHO Steering Group tracking recruitment, and considering joint pan-ICB roles with Staffordshire, reducing residual RAG to 15 p31. It also asks central government for workforce support specifically for Educational Psychologists and Speech and Language Therapists p40.
Wigan
The plan names "demand and capacity pressures" in Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy, and neurodevelopmental assessment capacity as constraining timely access to advice and intervention (page 20, page 21). However, rather than proposing a local mitigation like a training pipeline or 'grow your own' scheme, Wigan instead asks central government for "workforce development and recruitment support" to address these shortages, including "national recruitment pipelines" and "training capacity" p62.
Wirral
Yes. The plan names workforce capacity constraints in "educational psychology, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy" as a key risk to Experts at Hand delivery p50, and lists this explicitly on the risk register as dependent on "a skilled, multidisciplinary workforce" with risk of "insufficient recruitment, retention challenges, and/or national workforce shortages" p4. Mitigations proposed include developing "grow your own" pathways such as trainee EP schemes and therapy apprenticeships, and strengthening links with universities, colleges and local training providers p67.
Wolverhampton
Yes. The plan names capacity pressures "particularly in Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy and wider health pathways" affecting EAH timeliness p4. Mitigations include creating OT and SaLT Advanced Practitioner roles with role profiles developed jointly with Higher Education partners and SLT Designated Clinical Officers, plus agreed system-wide professional governance and phased recruitment aligned to funding (page 15, page 20). It also calls on national government to develop recruitment/training pipelines for EPs and SaLTs p30.
Worcestershire
The plan names a workforce risk tied to "the availability of suitably qualified, trained and experienced staff" which "may slow the realisation of some aspects of support" p32, and separately flags "difficulties with recruitment and retention" for specialist posts under Experts at Hand p21. Mitigations include mapping skills gaps and using "previously tested development strategies eg grow our own EP's," alongside utilising varied training methods and prioritising training needs over three years p32.
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