South Tyneside Special Educational Needs & Disability Strategy 2023-26
Published January, 2023 An accessible strategy document from southtyneside.gov.uk
Introduction
This strategy sets out our goals for 2023 – 2026 for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) 0 - 25 years old and their families. It has been developed by South Tyneside Council, in partnership with families, partners across education, health and care services and South Tyneside Parent Carer Forum.
We have made many improvements in our SEND offer, but we know that there is more to do. We are committed to working in partnership with families and stakeholders to achieve this.
To write our strategy, we have held ‘What Does Good Look like?’ events. We listened to feedback from children and families about their experience and priorities. This strategy reflects what is important to them.
The strategy has been produced in partnership and agreed by the Local Area SEND Partnership and Health & Wellbeing Board. SEND partners will develop improvement plans which set out what they will do through to 2023/24, and how this will meet our shared goals. The Local Area SEND Partnership will oversee governance, accountability and challenge, and regular updates on progress will be available on the SEND Local Offer.
This strategy is linked to the overarching Council vision alongside the following local strategies and plans:
- Best Start in Life Strategy
- Joint SEND Commissioning Strategy
- All Age Autism Strategy
- Carer’s Strategy
- Living Better Lives Strategy
Highlights of what is going well
- Parents and carers have told us that there has been an improvement in the quality and timeliness of Education Health & Care Plans and Annual Reviews
- Our brand new SEND Local Offer provides families with information in an accessible format across all topics within SEND
- The South Tyneside Pledge promotes the skills, abilities and unique skills that young people with SEND bring to the workforce
- A broad and rich mental health support offer available that leads to positive outcomes for children and young people
- We have increased communication through various formats including our new termly newsletter, SEND An Update
- We have expanded our short breaks offer, introducing outreach opportunities, a grant pilot and a refurbished overnight facility
- Create more opportunities for children and young people to have their voice heard, making sure they are central to the design, development and evaluation of services
- Ensure families are equipped to remain resilient, manage setbacks and look forwards towards a positive future for their child
- Improve sustainability across the local area by ensuring best value in service delivery producing positive outcomes for children and young people
- Increase the number of children and young people that are being educated in their local mainstream setting, by improving our inclusive practice
- Empower children and young people with SEND, promoting their unique strengths and talents, supporting them to prepare for the future so that they can live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives
SEND in South Tyneside
147,800 Total population
31,322 children aged 0-18
Age Breakdown
0 - 4 26.0%
5 - 9 26.4%
10 - 15 32.6%
16 - 18 15.0%
6,672 Have SEND, higher than our geographical or statistical neighbours.
That is 1 in 5 (71% Male, 29% Female)
The most common primary needs of all children and young people with SEND are:
Speech, Language & Communication
Social Emotional Mental Health
Moderate Learning Difficulty
SEND needs of children aged 0-18 yrs are met through
SEN Support: 72%
EHCP: 18%
1628 EHCPs There has been a 23% increase since 2019.
Age Breakdown
0 - 4 3.2%
5 - 10 26.2%
11 - 17 51.5%
18 - 25 19.3%
Education Setting
Mainstream or ARB 38.3%
Special School (incl PRU) 44.2%
Educated out of borough 17.0%
Electively Home Educated 0.5%
The most common primary needs of those with an EHCP are
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Social Emotional Mental Health
The proportion of children and young people with SEND is TWICE as high in deprived households
Between 2015 - 2020 there was:
80% increase in autistic pupils
42% increase in SEMH needs.
20.9% Children with an EHCP open to Social Care
238 Children and young people open to Children with Disabilities Team Of whom, 112 only have an annual assessment
Nearly 1/3 of young people aged 16-25 years with SEND have an Education Health & Care Plan
Vision & Goals
We want South Tyneside to be a place where difference and diversity are celebrated, and where children and families value being included in all aspects of community life.
Our vision is that every child in South Tyneside enjoys a full, healthy life with access to all the support they need to reach their potential.
Families get the information and advice they need to support their children and young people and can find local services and support.
Schools and services work in partnership with children, young people and families to make sure that we are child centred and local.
Our goals
Get involved
The experience and expertise of children and families is heard and respected, shaping how services and education settings work
Education
Every child is included in their school and community, and with education support tailored to their unique learning needs, all our children learn, grow and achieve.
Health and Wellbeing
Children and young people get the bespoke health support they need to reach their potential and enjoy an active, positive life.
Support & Care
Families will get the support they need to grow their knowledge, and care to build strong connections.
Preparing for Adulthood
Every young person grows into their own independence, achieves their goals, and lives a full healthy life in their community.
Information and Advice
Families and young people get good information and advice at every step of their journey and can make informed choices, they can connect with others to enjoy and learn.
What our families tell us is important
- Equality in decision making about their child
- Support for parents/carers from the earliest point
- Excellent communication, that is open and transparent
- Provision that meets the unique learning needs of our children
- Increase in awareness, knowledge and skills for everyone
- Professional ownership to prevent families being passed from pillar to post
- Early identification, timely assessment, planning and intervention
- A wider range of education, training and employment for young people
- More opportunities to develop social and life skills
How we will achieve our vision
To achieve this ambition, we must work together effectively. We will adhere to the following principles to do so.
- Actively listen and value lived experience
- Have honest and transparent conversations, asking what could be better
- Trust and respect everyone, value differences and embrace positive change
- Be accountable to ourselves and those around us
Get involved
The experience and expertise of children and families is heard and respected, shaping how services and education settings work
In South Tyneside we are dedicated to strengthening our work in partnership with children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and their families to develop the services they use, build on best practice, and make improvements where needed.
We believe that achieving good outcomes from working in partnership is recognising the value in all aspects of participation and engagement and being open and transparent about how we are doing this.
| We will continue to improve by | Families will tell us that |
|---|---|
| Empowering children, young people and families to make decisions about their lives, placing them at the centre of what we do through a person-centred approach to planning. | They are involved in the decision-making process which focuses on achieving the goals and ambitions of the child or young person. |
| Ensuring that the experience and voice of children, young people with SEND and their families is at the centre of decision making and the design and evaluation of services. | They are partners in the design and development of services. They feel listened to, that their views and opinions are welcomed and valued. |
| Clearly defining involvement opportunities at each stage of the design, commissioning and evaluating of services. | They can be involved in a variety of methods, that are suitable for them. |
| Continue to work in partnership with South Tyneside Parent Carer Forum and other parent/carer led organisations. | Parent/carer led organisations are well represented, ensuring that the collective voice of our families is at the centre of decision making. |
| Making sure that our workforce has the necessary skills to work in partnership with families at an individual, operational and strategic level. | All professionals promote and abide by our principles and practice of working in partnership. |
| Introducing better communication methods and reporting to ensure that we respond in a timely and effective manner. | Communication between professionals and families is good, and this has a positive impact on their family. |
Education
Every child is included in their school and community, and with education support tailored to their unique learning needs, all our children will learn, grow and achieve.
We want all children and young people with SEND to achieve the best possible outcomes, through the right support at the right time.
To make sure this happens, all our education settings must be able to provide high quality and inclusive environments.
We will offer a broad range of high quality SEND provision across the local area and continue our journey towards fair and consistent provision regardless of locality or type of school.
| We will continue to improve by | Families will tell us that |
|---|---|
| Increasing the specialist provision in mainstream settings to enable children and young people to remain part of their communities, whilst getting the support that they need. | They are partners in the design and development of services. They feel listened to, that their views and opinions are welcomed and valued. |
| Regularly evaluating the needs of children and young people to ensure we have appropriate provision that meets their individual learning needs. | They are respected partners in the decision-making process which focuses on achieving the goals and ambitions of the child. |
| Setting standards for inclusive practice and ordinarily available teaching and support in education settings to ensure consistency and fair experience for every child. | They have clear expectations of provision available and settings abide by these. All settings are inclusive and there is equality of provision across South Tyneside. |
| Expand the SEND training offer to the wider workforce to make SEND everyone’s responsibility. | Practice within our settings is of a high quality, there are reliable suitable adjustments being made and all staff are knowledgeable and skilled. |
| Ensure that we provide a high quality and timely response for children and families through assessment, plans and rev. | That the Needs Assessment and Annual Review process is positive. |
| Link our schools through outreach and high quality resource and training opportunity. | Additional support is available quickly, staff have access to high quality support which enables them to provide the right provision at the right time. |
Health & Wellbeing
Children and young people get the bespoke health support they need to reach their potential and enjoy an active, positive life
The health and wellbeing of our children and young people is vital to their development.
We know that for many people with SEND, health outcomes can be poorer, and they can experience social isolation which impacts overall wellbeing.
Through our joint commissioning arrangements, we already have several outstanding services that support children and young people with their health and wellbeing.
| We will continue to improve by | Families will tell us that |
|---|---|
| Furthering our understanding of the health and wellbeing needs of children and young people with SEND and their families to enable the effective joint commissioning of services. | There is open access to appropriate health services, with minimal waiting time between referral, assessment and intervention/treatment. |
| Providing a person-centred approach to all health assessments, interventions/treatments, being clear on how these will be delivered and the potential outcomes. | There is clear communication and co-ordination between health services. Medication, treatment/intervention and support is appropriate for and engages children and young people with SEND. |
| Ensuring there is timely identification and assessment of those with neurodevelopmental differences and services that empower them with knowledge and tools to understand themselves. | Children and young people are identified and assessed at the right time. They have a strong sense of their own identity and can get the support they need when they need it. |
| Actively engaging children and young people with SEND and their families in the design, development and evaluation of health and wellbeing services. | We are working together, to design and develop services that can meet the needs of all who use them. |
| Expanding our culture and leisure opportunities for children and young people with SEND and their families so that accessible venues and activities are available for all within their community. | There is a variety of universal leisure activities that are inclusive as well as SEND-specific and exclusive opportunities for those that need them so that families can spend time together. |
| Working with our youth services and local clubs/activities as they develop their inclusive practice. | Their children can be involved in local clubs/activities that welcome diversity and celebrate the different strengths that this brings. |
Support & Care
Families will get the support they need to grow their knowledge, and care to build strong connections.
We recognise that having a child with SEND can add additional pressures to families.
We want families to be able to access support from the earliest point so that they can thrive. For some families this may be short term and very light touch, for others, it might be more in depth and longer term.
Therefore, we need to have an offer that is diverse, that caters for the spectrum of needs and challenges that families can face.
| We will continue to improve by | Families will tell us that |
|---|---|
| Developing meaningfully joined-up services and approaches that support families and work together from the earliest point | They only tell their story once and where appropriate there is someone that can support with the co-ordination of multiple services. Families will have more choice and control of the support that they receive. |
| Further increasing the expertise, competence and confidence of the workforce to support in the early identification of need | They feel supported from the earliest point, and that the needs of their family have been accurately assessed |
| Designing and developing in partnership a new and diverse Short Breaks Offer | Our Short Breaks Offer caters for the broad needs of children and young people, enabling them to have positive experiences. Parents/carers can take a break from their caring role knowing their child is supported. |
| Developing a Family Help offer that empowers parents/carers, giving them the knowledge and skills to support their child as they grow and develop | Our Family Help offer is seamless and includes a broad range of education, health and care support. They can access additional support and training locally, at times and methods that is convenient for them and they feel confident in their abilities to meet the needs of their family. |
Preparing for Adulthood
Every young person grows into their own independence, achieves their goals, and lives a fully healthy life in their community.
In South Tyneside we encourage preparing for adulthood from the earliest point, making sure that children and young people gain as much independence as possible as they develop and grow.
We want young people to be ambitious about their future. These may range from academic inspiration to individual personal goals.
To support young people to achieve their goals we must have the infrastructure, systems, and processes in place to support them, so that they are confident as they enter adulthood.
| We will continue to improve by | Families will tell us that |
|---|---|
| Working with partners to develop a comprehensive and diverse range of pathways that lead to excellent further education or training opportunities and sustainable, paid employment. | There is a broad and diverse offer for our young people, with appropriate support that ensures they can reach their full potential and achieve their goals. |
| Further developing our partnerships across education, health and care services to create better mechanisms and improve experiences for young people as they move into adult services. | Young people are supported to navigate through transitional periods, there is a co-ordinated and seamless move into adult services and continue to thrive. |
| Working in partnership with young people and families to develop a strengths-based outcomes framework. | The framework has been produced in partnership and ensures their child develops skills for life, prepares them for adulthood and to live healthy, happy lives. |
| Embedding our 0-25 approach to promote person-centred planning when providing help and support, leading to better outcomes for young people. | Decisions are made with them, not for them. They are involved from the earliest point so that planning for the future is ambitious and realistic. |
Information & Advice
Families and young people get good information and advice at every step of their journey and can make informed choices, they can connect with others to enjoy and learn.
The SEND system is complex, and for almost all families, this is difficult to navigate, having accurate information and reliable advice is imperative.
Whilst technology advances, it is easier than ever to access information online, through social media, websites and forums. Listening to families we recognise that there is also a lot of misinformation.
We must be proactive in providing up-to-date and accurate information to families to ensure that they are able to make informed choices.
| We will continue to improve by | Families will tell us that |
|---|---|
| Ensuring information and advice is available to families in the methods that they need to ensure that they can be involved from the earliest point possible in the decision-making process. | Our SEND Local Offer is a high-quality source of information and advice that is easily accessible and versatile in its delivery. Advocacy services support families to have their voice heard. |
| Communicating with families, ensuring they remain up to date on progress, developments and changes. | Services are open and honest with them, even when things are not going to plan, and provide clear explanations for why. |
| Widening our training offer to families, so that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions. | There is a wide training offer for parents and carers and young people that increases their skills, knowledge and confidence. |
| Building a network of peer support groups, to enable families to support one another and utilises their untied voices to work in partnership with services. | They can get information and advice from those with lived experience and they feel supported along their journey. |
| Working with our SENDIASS service to ensure they are effectively resourced, enabling them to provide independent information and advice. | They are able to access the service when they need to, that they are given accurate information and advice that they feel is independent to services. |
Governance & Review
The strategy is overseen by the Local Area SEND Partnership. This is a multi-agency membership that includes senior leaders, head teachers and parent/carer representatives.
The Local Area SEND Partnership is chaired by South Tyneside Council’s Director of Children’s Services, Steve Reddy.
The Implementation plans are executed and monitored by the workstream leads, with additional task and finish groups.
Our governance structure is as follows:
