THURROCK Council's children's services continue to be blighted by failures to deliver life-changing health and care statements for local children on time.

Education, health and care plans (EHCPs) are provided by the council to help ensure a best route through education for young people who have medical or learning difficulties.

They are a vital tool in helping parents obtain the best place for their child to be educated – and help schools offer funded provision through the evidence the statements provide.

However, Thurrock has a long track record of failing to deliver the statements in a timely manner – often delaying or prohibiting children getting the best access to education.

Issues were last highlighted in July at a children's overview and scrutiny committee, but go back through several administrations.

Problems were also brought before the council in March when the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ofsted delivered a negative critique of the authority and the regional Integrated Care Board.

Over recent years the issue of delays in diagnosis and support statements has been a frequent discussion point for the council's corporate parenting committee.

Labour councillor Sue Shinnick raised her concerns at last week's full council meeting after members were told that 71 per cent of 282 EHCPs issued between January and September were late against the statutory 20-week deadline.

Nationally, just 46 per cent of EHCPs were issued within the required 20-week timeframe in 2025.

Cllr Milena Bingley, cabinet member for education, skills and children's services, blamed shortages of educational psychologists, school holiday closures and pressure on SEND services.

She told councillors: "This was due to a range of factors including late educational psychology reports due to national and local shortages, school holiday closures and SEND services staffing capacity."

As of September 23, 3,110 children and young people in Thurrock had an EHCP, which Cllr Bingley said was broadly in line with the national average.

Cllr Shinnick asked how much the administration expected to improve performance by March 2027.

Cllr Bingley said the council's SEND reform plan aimed to raise the proportion of plans issued on time to 50 per cent by March 2027.

"We will actively monitor this situation. But we don't treat our children as targets but as individuals for which we have duty of care," she said.

"It is this child-focused approach that our administration is strengthening and the reason why our children's social care and early health services were in the most recent OFSTED report rated as outstanding and widely held to be among the best in Essex."

Cllr Shinnick also asked whether the council would publish monthly figures showing how many completed assessments met the statutory deadline.

Cllr Bingley said she would need to ask officers before confirming whether it was possible.