Abstract

Across England, administrative data is routinely reported by NHS, education and social care services. Multiple policy reviews have advocated for the sharing of data between local agencies to provide richer information to improve policy, service delivery and outcomes.

The aim of this rapid research, carried out between March and July 2023, was to gather evidence from six local areas that link health, education and social care administrative data on children and young people with SEND, or who are working towards this. The research aimed to explore what difference this made, barriers to data linkage and enabling factors.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted online, recorded and analysed thematically. The interviews were anonymous and non-attributable, so findings are reported without naming the local areas, except for in the case studies they shared.
This policy brief also draws on evidence gathered through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to local authorities (LAs) and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England, between February and April 2023. This is reported in policy briefs 1* and 2* from this project.

The conclusion includes recommendations to policy makers, drawing together suggestions from the local areas involved in this research, solutions discussed at a national policy workshop in May 2023 and recommendations emerging from the FOI analysis.