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The landscape for SEND - and indeed all educational settings - continues to be challenging. However, the continued focus to work in partnership with all services, parent carers and young people has enabled us to concentrate on doing all we can to ensure that we support the best outcomes. I would like to thank the whole SEND team for their incredible resilience and energy, which is a constant inspiration. Thank you.
Joint agencies have been working hard to develop our Joint SEND Strategic Action Plan. We are finalising an update report on how we have progressed with Phase One of our wider plan to make SEND Everybody’s Business. The report will be made available at the end of November. I am confident that you will agree that, in spite of the incredible challenges we have faced over the past 20 months, we have made fantastic progress. I look forward to sharing the update with you.
In the meantime, please keep focussed on staying safe – take advantage of vaccinations for both flu and COVID-19, wash your hands more regularly, use a face covering where you feel comfortable doing to, and maintain social distancing where appropriate.
Toni Bailey
Assistant Director SEND / Inclusion
Peterborough and Cambridgeshire
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Countywide Autism Strategy Launched
A new strategy is being launched across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to help children, young people and adults with autism.
The five-year (2021-2026) All-Age Autism Strategy supports Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s aim to be an autism friendly place where children and adults with autism can live full and rewarding lives, within a society that accepts and understands them.
The strategy was developed by Peterborough City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group in partnership with local organisations, service user groups and parent carer forums, drawing on the knowledge and understanding of those with experience of autism.
Peterborough SEN and Inclusion Services brochure - 21-22
Anti Bullying Week 15-19 November 2021 #onekindword
The Anti Bullying Alliance want to share your real life stories of the moment that one kind choice, one kind action, one kind word changed your life for the better in relation to bullying. It can be an example of kindness shown to you - or a time you saw kindness make a difference to someone experiencing or perpetrating bullying behaviour.
You can type your story or share a video of you sharing your story - no longer than 1 minute in length. Please also note that they are only accepting submissions from people aged 16+. Find out more here.
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What is an Information, Advice and Support Service?
Information, Advice and Support Services provide free, impartial and confidential information, advice and support to disabled children and young people, and those with SEN from birth to 25, and their parents. They are statutory services which means there has to be a service in every local authority.
The Council for Disabled Children have created a simple video explaining the role of an advice service. You can watch the video here.
In Peterborough this service is provided by the SEND Partnership Service. You can find out more on the Local Offer.
Updated guidance on actions for schools
- alternatives to bubbles /groupings
- Face coverings
- Tracing close contacts and isolation
- Attendance Remote education
Opportunity for parents and carers interested in research
The National Children’s Bureau is currently recruiting for a Families Research Advisory Group, consisting of parents and carers, to meet several times a year to advise researchers on projects relating to children, young people and families. The group provides parents and carers opportunities to give views about key topics and develop their knowledge of research. It supports researchers to develop information for families about research studies, understand what their findings mean and ensure research is communicated in ways that are easy for families to understand. Find out more here.
SEND Tribunals: extended appeals
On 20 July 2021, DfE SEND division confirmed that they would be continuing the extended powers given to the SEND Tribunal to hear appeals and make non-binding recommendations about health and social care aspects of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, provided those appeals also include education elements. These extended powers were being tested under a National Trial, which ended on 31 August 2021.
The guidance has now been updated to remove references to the National Trial and explain that the extended powers will continue, providing details on how appeals which include health and social care aspects (now known as extended appeals) work.
This guidance is intended for all local authorities, health commissioning bodies and parents and young people in England.
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Ambitious About Autism: young people create diagnosis resources
A group of autistic young people have shared their experiences of receiving an autism diagnosis, to help others going through the process feel 'less alone’. Members of Ambitious about Autism’s Youth Network have created a series of new videos and blogs in which they talk about what it felt like to be diagnosed - some as children, teenagers or as young adults. The group decided to embark on the project to tackle the lack of peer-led advice and support available for young people going through the autism diagnosis process.
Find out more here.
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Post 16 SEND Curriculum Offer
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GP report reveals gaps in early mental health support for young people
More than a quarter of young people struggling with their mental health don’t ask for help because they “don’t want to inconvenience anyone”, according to new figures from YoungMinds and The Children’s Society.
Find out more here.
Locked Out: Digital Disadvantage of Disabled Children, Young People and Families during the COVID-19 Pandemic
This report, produced by KIDS and the Disabled Childrens Partnership, explores how disabled children and their families experienced life through a digital lens during the pandemic.
You can read the report here.
National Disability Strategy published
Informed by the experience of disabled people, the Government have published a national Disability Strategy. You can read it here.
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Peterborough Statutory Assessment and Monitoring Service (SAMS) Multi-agency Statutory Training Lv 1&2 2021/22
The SAMs Transitions Officers are continuing to run a jointly delivered multi-agency training programme for a range of stakeholders and delivery partners this Academic year.
Aim of the Statutory Training
The overall aim is for delivery partners to 'understand their responsibilities concerning EHCPs (particularly annual reviews) and annual review processes and timelines to conform to statutory expectations'. The focus of these will be to provide very clear and transparent direction on Statutory guidelines and processes which we must all be adhering to, including information on EHC Needs Assessments, consultations, Annual Reviews, and all associated paperwork.
Training calendar
You can find the full schedule of all training sessions online. To stay up to date with all training bookmark the Peterborough Resources for SEND Professionals - Training webpage.
How to book
You can book a place online using the booking form or contact sohail.hayat@peterborough.gov.uk for any queries.
NEW DOCUMENTS - STATUTORY EHCP PROCESS (Peterborough Statutory Assessment and Monitoring Service)
You may be aware that the documents relating to the statutory EHCP process have been updated. This is in response to feedback from parent/carers, education providers and other key stakeholders as well as the LA quality assurance framework. In partnership with Family Voice, Health and Social Care the LA has reviewed and co-produced new documentation relating to the EHC processes. Please discard any documentation you have received previously and replace it with documents listed below, these are available on the Local Offer.
- Guidance on completion of the new EHCNA request form
- New Request for EHCNA
- New Section L
- New Section M
- New EHC template (this is for information only; this is the new format which will be used by the Local Authority for new plans)
These new documents are to be used with immediate effect. However, please note, if you are in the process of submitting anything on the previous paperwork, please do go ahead and still submit as it will be accepted in the short term.
Family Voice Update
Family Voice are a local registered charity who are actively seeking to improve services in all areas of the lives of children and young people with disabilities or additional needs. They support parents and carers of children and young people aged 0—25 years with a disability or additional needs.
Family Voice encourage parent carers to participate in their online surveys and to attend their open days and information sharing sessions. Find out more here.
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