Parents and carers in Bootle, Merseyside, are being asked to share their experiences of support for children with special educational needs and disabilities as part of a major official inspection. The review by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) began on 24 February 2026 to evaluate how well local health, social care, and education services are working for families.
Local residents have until 3 March 2026 to complete an online survey to help inspectors understand the quality of support provided to children who need extra help. The feedback will be used in a report that could lead to changes in school places and travel support for families across the borough. This evaluation is the first full review under a new system that focuses more on the direct experiences of young people and their parents.
This inspection comes as Sefton Council looks to address a shortage of local specialist school places. Council leaders are currently proposing a new school at the former Litherland Moss site which would have room for more than 160 pupils. Currently, the high demand for these spots means some children are being forced to travel to schools outside of the local area.
On 5 March 2026, the council will also consider the final part of a travel support programme designed to modernise how children get to school using new route-planning technology. These improvements follow a previous official notice issued in July 2019 which required the council to make significant changes to its support services for families with additional needs.
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