AI is helping with city's social care backlog

ARTIFICIAL intelligence is helping to reduce a backlog of education, health and care plans for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Plymouth.

- By ALISON STEPHENSON

Plymouth City Council is currently trialling AI to support the drafting of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) which outline children’s needs and the specific care and support required to meet them.

Processing plans in a timely fashion has been a priority since an Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) visit in June 2023 found widespread failings in Plymouth's SEND services.

A report by the regulators said the needs of children in the city were not being identified at an early enough age and this was leading to higher numbers of children being permanently excluded at school.

During the last financial year there were nearly 90 requests per month for an EHCP assessment.

Plymouth City Council's cabinet heard this week that during August of this year, 69 final EHCPs were issued within the deadline which was an increase on the 40 a month average, representing “a substantial improvement” in pace.