While national datasets provide a broad overview of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provision, they often fail to capture the nuanced, daily realities of the families navigating these systems. In Bath and North East Somerset, reliance on high-level statistics created a significant data gap, masking the specific hurdles faced by parents and carers.
Without granular insight, it is difficult to determine whether existing education, health, and social care services are truly meeting local demand or if certain groups are being left behind.
The Bath and North East Somerset Parent Carer Forum (B&NES PCF) recognised that to advocate effectively for their community, they required a robust evidence base that moved beyond anecdotes. They needed to understand the “what” of service delivery, along with the “how” and “where,” identifying exactly which demographic groups were experiencing the greatest barriers to support.
To bridge this information gap, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the 2025 B&NES PCF annual survey, blending quantitative data with the qualitative stories of forum members.
We started by establishing a clear profile of the respondent group, breaking down data by postcode, specific disabilities, and education settings. By benchmarking these findings against open data on SEND characteristics across the region, we were able to determine the survey’s representativeness and highlight communities who might be underrepresented in the forum’s current evidence base.
We then analysed qualitative responses around service perception, examining how experiences in education, health, and social care varied depending on a child’s specific needs or their level of support, such as having an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
By aligning the qualitative data with the spatial and demographic profiles, we were able to identify hotspots where satisfaction was lower or where services were struggling to keep pace with demand.
Beyond service delivery, we focused heavily on the wellbeing of the carers themselves. By looking at changes over time in levels of anxiety, happiness, and social isolation, we pinpointed the types of support that make the most tangible difference to family stability.
We brought everything together into a clear, accessible report alongside recommendations that serves as a powerful tool for both local leaders and grassroots stakeholders to influence policy.
Bring quantitative responses and qualitative feedback together to identify the most important patterns, differences and themes
Present complex survey results in a clear, accessible report that helps families, partners and decision-makers understand what the evidence means
Back up discussions around policy and resource allocation with the evidence from your surveys, combined with our place-based data
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