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Hello. My name is Keith Bennett. I’m the Executive Principal of Marland Special Schools in North Devon and currently chair the Devon Special School Heads (DSSH) group.
The group represent the county's Special Schools, Hospital School Service, Special Academies, Alternative Provisions and Secure Children’s Home. Our aim is to help every one of our pupils to thrive and achieve their full potential at every stage on their individual educational and developmental journeys towards adulthood.
We work hard to ensure that our pupil, parent carer and special school combined ‘voice’ is always considered and prioritised by our support partners in the Education, Health and Social Care sectors.
As part of the work to improve services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Devon, we are working with Devon County Council to develop ‘outreach and in-reach’ work with mainstream schools and academies to help share our specialist expertise to meet the needs of the increasing number of pupils with SEND within this sector.
It takes a lot of time, but it is an essential role to help ensure that Devon's most important children are never forgotten.
Best wishes,
Keith
 More Resource Bases from September
Increasing resource base provision in Devon is part of our strategy to meet growing demand for special educational needs provision and capacity in mainstream schools. Pupils who go to resource bases benefit from there being a more individually-tailored level of support. That might include include small group work or access to specialist resources, while still being part of their mainstream school community alongside their friends.
In the March edition of this newsletter, we talked about our ambition to increase the number of resource bases there are in Devon in order to help schools support local children whose needs can't be met entirely in mainstream school environments, but who with additional support, will thrive with their peers.
We said that there are currently too few resource places, and that we were planning additional places in areas with greatest need, to be operational this coming academic year. So, from September, there'll be nearly 50 new resource base places created. And we predict that within five years there will be an additional 200 places provided across Devon through a combination of expansion and new provision.
We think it will ensure a better offer for children and young people that is local and suitable to their needs, that facilitates better access to the curriculum and avoids the need for children to travel to an appropriate school further away from their local community.
Read the full story on the news page of the Devon SEND Local Offer website to find out more, including where the new resource bases will be.
 Your feedback could help us improve your child’s going to school experience
For some children and young people, attending school is difficult for many different reasons. In Devon, nearly one in three students at state-funded schools are persistently absent. That means they’re missing at least one day a fortnight of school. The absence figure for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities is higher.
Our Educational Psychologists are bringing together a range of information and advice for parents and carers, young people, and schools, to help individuals and families who are struggling with school attendance. Understanding more about what parents, carers and young people think about their school attendance, and what support they need to overcome any barriers to going to school or college, will help to shape the offer of support.
We would like parents with children in mainstream, special schools, college (post 16) or other educational settings, to tell us their experiences of going to school. Please take part in this short survey and include as much or as little information as you would like.
 Update from our Participation Team
Our SEND Network for Change aims to create opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to get involve and have their voice heard! It's run by our Participation Team.
This term they are busy running their Youth Voice Programme in seven schools. It's been developed to help children and young people learn about democratic decision making, build their confidence and support them to practice active participation in a relevant and safe context.
Through the sessions, which use activities and games to ensure they are accessible and fun for everyone, young people are supported to come up with ideas for change in their schools, and to explore their reasons for asking for this change. In the final session the team facilitate a session with the senior leaders in the school to enable young people to present their ideas and hear directly back from decision makers.
So far young people and their schools have made changes to make school councils more inclusive, school dinners, improve their classroom experience and clubs and activities.
If you know a school in Devon that would like to work with our Participation Team, please get in touch. Similarly, we are looking for young people who want to get their voices heard on the issues that matter to them. Contact the team by emailing amy.bickford@devon.gov.uk or visit our website to find out more.
 Educational Psychologists will be visiting more schools from September
Educational Psychologists provide targeted support to pupils in around schools, helping to deliver early intervention support, and ensure that young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) get the best of their education.
Since getting back into schools in January, after a period where they were focusing on education, health and care needs assessments, they've supported nearly 800 young people across 90 schools in Devon, with advice they've created in partnership with those young people, their parents and carers, and other professionals.
From September, they will be expanding their reach to up to 150 schools and settings across Devon. It means that more schools will have support from Educational Psychologists, so that more children and young people can benefit.
Parent feedback on their work has included comments such as “We are very happy that our son's needs have been understood and that strategies will be put in place to help him thrive in school” and “'I felt the meeting was very inclusive. Enabling all to be part in a vocal, written and visual way”.
 Devon Youth Council mental health survey
Young people in Devon have said that mental health is a top issue for them. NHS Devon want to understand this better so that resources can be allocated in the most appropriate way. They've enlisted the help of Devon Youth Council as part of their review of mental health support in schools.
They've created a survey for anyone of secondary school or college age (11 to 18 years old) to share how well they think that their schools and colleges are doing at understanding and supporting the mental and emotional health of their pupils. Even if you're currently not attending school/college or are now being educated at home, they would still like to hear about your previous school experience.
This survey is anonymous, and the results will be shared with those who make decisions about mental health services across Devon. The deadline for completion is Monday 30 September, but we would encourage as many responses in July as possible. This will help form a strong foundation for a Youth Voice event later this year on Mental Health in Devon.
 Ordinarily Available Inclusive Education framework coming soon!
We've been working with parents, children, young people and schools to develop a new resource to help school staff give consistent and inclusive support. It's called the Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision Framework.
It brings together in one place simple, every day and low-cost things that schools can do to support children. And that includes children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It has ideas for simple adjustments that teachers can make to their classrooms, to remove the barriers that make learning harder for some.
The key principles have come from children, parents and school staff. They told us what good inclusive support looks like, the impact this had on them and what some of the barriers were.
We're introducing the resource to schools through a series of workshops next month. We've invited headteachers, school leaders, SENDCos and governors. The workshops will explain to schools how to use the framework and how it can help them share good practice. After the workshops, schools will use it in their planning for the next school year.
The full framework will be available online next month, and we will share a link with you then.
 Supporting children with SEND to regulate during school holidays
School holidays can be a stressful experience for a child with an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) as they thrive on routine and familiarity. The start of the school holidays means lots of changes, and this can leave a child with ASC feeling anxious and stressed. Often this results in challenging behaviour as they may have difficulty articulating their feelings. Children with ASC can enjoy and benefit from the new experiences that school holidays bring. The key is to plan ahead.
Action for Children are running a free workshop called 'Supporting children with SEND to regulate during school holidays' where they will share and offer strategies to support your planning in readiness for the school holidays.
There will be two sessions, both with the same content, on Monday 1 July from 10am until 11am and again at 7.30pm until 8.30pm. To book a place, please visit the Action for Children's Eventbrite webpage.
 Enquiries to our SEN Statutory Team are being responded to quicker
Changes to the way we handle incoming enquiries for the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Statutory Team have led to more calls being answered, more quickly.
In April, we introduced a new way of managing dedicated phone lines for the SEN Statutory Team. The main change was to open lines from 9am to 5pm each weekday, with calls being answered by the Customer Service Centre team. We also introduced booking call backs with named case officers. The changes provided parents and carers with more flexibility. They have also freed up the SEND Statutory Team to focus on casework.
After the first month, we’ve seen some positive signs, with calls being answered more quickly. During May the average wait time was down by more than one quarter compared to May 2023. We’ve also seen the number of unanswered calls fall by almost one fifth. There have been a few occasions where call backs have been missed, due to staff illness and other factors. This is frustrating for parents and carers and we’re working on changes to prevent this happening.
We’re gathering more information on how the new service is working, including asking people who have used the dedicated lines for their feedback. Starting from Monday 24 June we’ll be sending out a text message to people after they have called inviting them to provide feedback. We'll let you know how its going soon!
 New system brings all communication about EHCP requests together
Parents and carers have told us that sometimes they feel frustrated with our communication systems, including occasions when a case officer is absent or is reassigned, and previous communication is stuck in personal email inboxes.
We've introduced a new system that brings all communication related to an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) request together in one place, and displays it alongside other case information. From Monday 1 July, our colleagues in our SEND Statutory Team are going to use this instead of their individual email mailboxes for communicating with parents and carers.
It means that they can automatically redirect your replies to the new system and add them to the case communication record. Your case officer will immediately be alerted and can respond appropriately. It means that all communication relating to your EHCP request will be accessible in one place, including to any colleagues providing cover.
After the change is introduced we’ll monitor how things are working. This will include speaking to parents and to our staff to understand the impact. We’ll update with initial feedback in August.
Please read the full story on the Devon SEND Local Offer website for more details, including what you need to look out for when using the new system to communicate with the SEND Statutory Team.
 Get involved in improving the way we communicate with you
As part of our work to improve our services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families, we want to make sure that you can find information when you need it.
We’re currently user testing changes to our website content and email templates with parents and carers.
We’re also carrying out user research to see if we can improve people’s experience with Egress.
If you’d like to get involved in our user research please register your interest with us and one of the team will be in touch.
 Inspirational Devon teacher wins prestigious national teaching award
SPACE Youth Services, which provides youth services to young people on our behalf, is celebrating after teacher, Matt Buck, from Chances Alternative Education School in Dawlish, was selected from thousands of nominees across the UK and announced the Silver winner for the Pearson National Teaching's 'Unsung Hero' Award.
Chances is an OFSTED registered 'Good' school. They provide short-term alternative education provision for students who, for a range of reasons, are struggling in their mainstream school. After time at the provision, with the support of great teachers and skilled youth workers, most students reintegrate back into their mainstream school successfully.
Gary Hayes, Head Teacher of Chances Alternative Education, says:
"It is with great pride that we celebrate Matt's well-deserved recognition as an 'Unsung Hero.' Matt always puts the children first, consistently going above and beyond to ensure their success and well-being. He embodies everything that is good about teaching and is a true pleasure to work with here at Chances School. His dedication and passion make him an invaluable member of our team, and this award is a testament to his unwavering commitment to our students and community."
You can read more about Mr Buck on the news page of SPACE's website.
 Quids for Kids
We know the benefits system can be complicated and confusing and this can put busy families off claiming.
Quids for Kids is a free benefits information service that we offer through Citizen’s Advice for families with children or young people up to the age of 21 years old with additional needs, a long term-illness or disability. It's also open to care leavers, young homeless people, foster parents and people looking after a child with a special guardianship order.
You can help with finding our whether you are able to claim benefits, and also help with challenging benefit decisions if you think you have not been treated fairly.
The project has already helped hundreds of families with children who have special education needs and disabilities (SEND) and as a result millions of pounds of unclaimed benefits are now helping families manage the extra financial demands they experience.
However, we know that many families still do not claim the benefits they are entitled to. If this is you, please get in touch with Citizen's Advice using their Quid for Kids referral form.
 Help me! I'm a Parent!
Action For Children have two free webinars coming up in their 'Help Me! I'm a Parent' series, offering support to parents and carers with children who have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The first is about Sensory and Physical needs, and will cover things like senses and sensory differences; sensory meltdowns and helping cope with sensory and physical difficulties.
There's also a webinar about Communication and Learning needs that will discuss things like attention and listening, understanding and problems understanding how relationships with other people work.
The webinars provide a safe, friendly and informal space for parents and carers to come together and listen to two Family Hub Navigators, ask questions and share thoughts and ideas.
For the dates and times of these webinars and to book a place, please visit the Action for Children's Eventbrite webpage.
 Book your place on DiAS parent training sessions this term
Devon Information, Advice and Support (DiAS) run free parent training session on various subjects and there are a couple of dates left for the summer term which are now available to book now. Each one lasts an hour, plus 30 minutes afterwards for questions and discussion, and are online, using Microsoft Teams. The sessions include:
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Education Health and Care (EHC) plan reviews - find out about the the process of an EHC review and what each part means; what happens at review meetings and how to make sure your views and your child’s are heard and what happens after an EHC plan is reviewed
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Listening to your child’s views - lots of practical tips and strategies to guide you to gather and share your child’s views; help your child express themselves and tools to help your child focus on what’s working and what isn’t
Please visit the DiAS website for more information, included dates and times of the sessions and how to book.
 When the penny dropped
One of our colleagues recently shared their story with us about being diagnosed with autism as an adult. We found it very moving and thought you would be interested to read it too...
"I always knew I was weird – not at all like the other kids. I hated sports. Lunchtime for me was standing alone in the corner of the playground watching the others play football. I had no friends. My interests were solitary and obsessive. Birthday parties filled me with dread. Our family has a long list of stories about my ‘strangeness’ such as the beach holiday where I spent the entire time sitting on the sand covered with a towel. “He’ll grow out of it,” they said. I didn’t."
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