|
Today the Partnership delivering the SEND offer in Devon have published more details about its ambitious plan to transform the whole system. The publication includes details of the seven strands of work included in the transformation programme, its governance, and what the outcomes will be for children and young people with SEND in Devon. It also shows how the work to address the four areas of weakness is incorporated into the wider transformation.
EHC Hub user survey – thank you!
Thank you to the hundreds of parent carers who responded to Devon County Council’s User Research Team’s survey in October.
The information collected is helping DCC to understand different people's experiences and what might help to improve these experiences. The user researchers are holding interviews and workshops to follow-up over the next weeks. They'll find opportunities for everyone that expressed an interest in taking part to contribute to the work.
Devon Information Advice and Support (DiAS) training survey results
During September and October DiAS ran a short survey for parent carers, asking them what kind of SEND training they would like. Over 120 parent carers took part. For parent carers, the main purpose of going to training is to help them find a way around the SEND system, to improve their knowledge and to help them develop their skills.
The topics parent carers would most like to have information or training sessions about are:
- Mental health issues, including anxiety, absence and school avoidance.
- Support for specific conditions or special educational needs - such as ADHD, autism, trauma or dyslexia.
- EHC plans and reviews.
You can find out more about the results on DiAS’s website.
Guidance about emotionally based school non-attendance launched
Devon County Council have published new guidance for schools and families on taking a relational approach to emotionally based school non-attendance (EBSNA). This occurs when stress exceeds support and anxiety builds up to the point that a child or young person cannot go to school. Read the guidance on the SEND Local Offer site.
New speech, language and communications training offers for teachers in Devon
There are new courses about speech, language and communications needs available to teachers across Devon schools this term. These courses aim to increase teachers’ understanding and awareness of speech, language and communications needs (SLCN) and their impact on learning for primary and secondary age children.
Get more details and links to the courses and webinars on our education and families website.
National supply shortage of medicines for ADHD
The Government have informed Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) that there is a national supply shortage of the medication prescribed to help manage ADHD symptoms.
CFHD know how important these medicines are and understand that this may cause young people or parent carers to feel anxious. They have provided information which they hope will provide some reassurance and give patients advice about what to do and who to contact if they need any support.
Read Children and Family Health Devon’s patient information letter (PDF).
Proposals to establish resource bases in Devon schools
A resource base supports learners whose needs can be met in a mainstream education setting but who require a specialist environment and support within the school. Increasing resource base provision is part of a county-wide strategy by Devon County Council to enhance the inclusive capacity of mainstream schools.
There are two proposals to establish resources bases open right now. Both aim to support up to ten learners, and to open from September 2024.
Autism Central support in the south west
Autism Central is a new peer education programme, commissioned by NHS England, and free to access. It aims to build knowledge and understanding of autism and empower families and carers to advocate for autistic people they support to get the right understanding and adjustments in place across the services they use.
Bristol Autism Support is the Autism Central regional hub for the south west, including Devon. You can now book one to one support sessions on their website, as well as exploring other forms of support. Learn more about how Bristol Autism Support is delivering Autism Central on their website.
Support for Families with Disabled Children (SFDC)
Funded by the Department for Education and managed by Family Fund, the SFDC programme provides a wide range of grant items to families in England with a low-income, who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young person.
Learn more about Support for Families with Disabled Children on the Family Fund website
Sleep study seeks children with SEND aged 5 to 11 years
Regent's University London are looking for children aged 5 to 11 years to take part in a new study investigating sleep and executive functions in children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Poor sleep is linked with poorer executive skills like attention and problem solving, which are important for regulating behaviour and paying attention in the classroom.
Read more details about the study and how to take part.
Devon SEND governance
The governance changes for the whole system transformation are being implemented. See the revised governance structures on the SEND Local Offer website.
- The Devon SEND Transformation Programme Board met on 18 October 2023.
- The Devon SEND Strategic Partnership Board will meet on 15 November 2023.
The next meeting of Devon County Council’s Children’s Scrutiny Committee is on 14 November 2023.
Raising awareness of private fostering in Devon
Are you looking after someone else’s child, or do you know someone who is? If the arrangement is:
- for 28 days or more and
- the child is under 16 years old (or 18 if they have a disability) and
- the child is not living with a close relative
then this could be private fostering and you need to tell Devon County Council. Their Private Fostering Team will work with the child, parents or carer, and private foster carer to ensure the best possible arrangements are in place for the child.
Find out more about private fostering and how to contact Devon County Council’s Private Fostering Team.
|
