Welcome to the latest edition of Shropshire's SEND newsletter, co-produced by Shropshire Council's SEND Local Offer, Shropshire PACC (Parent Carer Council) and NHS Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin. 

The newsletter aims to provide easy access to key information for SEND families.

Please do continue to provide feedback on this newsletter, we want this to work for you and we are keen to hear what you think of it, and what articles you'd like to see in future editions. You can email us your thoughts at Local.Offer@Shropshire.gov.uk

There’s another school holiday just round the corner, and we know how some families can find the holidays a challenge with the juggle of work and keeping the children entertained.

If parent carers are looking for thinks to do and places to go, then the Shropshire Family Information Service Directory is the place to visit. Click here for fun during the school holidays.

There’s also the Actio activity offer for those children and young people who are registered for All In Programme  

The Kids Shropshire Autism Support Service have lots of places on their summer youth club for neurodiverse young people aged 12-17, to book a place please complete this form.

This free pack has been designed with parent carers in mind to keep young children busy during the summer holidays.

It includes 17 easy to follow activities, worksheets and stories relating to summer

Download your free pack from the Widgit Symbol resources website.

The informal Meet and Chat SEND drop ins are for parent carers to ask questions, get advice, and explore the support available to you within Shropshire. Speak to a range of professionals who can help with:

• Education, health, and Care Plans (EHCPs)
• School support and advocacy
• Health and Wellbeing for children with SEND
• Social care and family support
• Mental health and emotional wellbeing
• Advice for navigating SEND challenges

Each session will have different professionals available, so come along, have a chat, and find the help you need! The next session is on 22^nd July in Ludlow but all drop ins are listed on our Family Information Service Directory.

Planning a day out in Shrewsbury with your family this summer? If your child has special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), we know that getting into town can sometimes be a little tricky, that’s where Shrewsbury Park and Ride can help.

From 28 June, buses run every 12 minutes at peak times, giving you more flexibility to travel when it works best for your family — no long waits, less pressure.

There’s free parking at all three sites (Harlescott, Oxon & Meole Brace), and fares are low too – only £2 per standard return, £1 for concessionary pass holders, and children under 16 travel free (when accompanied by an adult).

All buses are fully accessible, with low floors, ramps, and space for buggies, wheelchairs, and mobility aids. Passenger assistance dogs, such as guide and hearing dogs, will always be carried free of charge.

So if you’re heading into Shrewsbury this summer, let Park and Ride take the stress out of the journey — and help make your family’s day out a little easier.

For more information visit www.shropshire.gov.uk/public-transport/park-and-ride

The Kids Shropshire Autism Support service replaces the Autism West Midlands service.   Parents and carers can find out more information and complete a self referral using this link: Shropshire Universal Autism Support Service - Kids  no diagnosis is needed for this service.

The Kids Shropshire Autism Support Service have lots of places on their summer youth club for neurodiverse young people aged 12-17, to book a place please complete this form https://forms.office.com/e/ekVCHcje80

We have a brand new Facebook page where we will be sharing all of our events and training along with other useful local information.

Dates for your diary:

Connect, share experience and gain insight in a supportive, safe space.

Come for advice, friendship or relaxation and build a community of understanding.

Shrewsbury – Coffee and Connect Monday 14^th July 10:30am to 11:30am

Shifnal - Coffee and Connect Tuesday 15^th July 10.30am -12 

Email: kids.shropshire@kids.org.uk

For some families, the end of the school summer term might also mean the end of primary school. Time really does go quickly! If your child is starting secondary school in September, there will be lots to think about.

There is a new free online course for parent carers of children and young people with SEND who are transitioning to secondary school.

You can find out more, and sign up to the course here, for families living in Shropshire, the code to access the course for free is DARWIN18

Navigating the SEND system can be challenging, especially when it comes to applying for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA). In Shropshire, this process is known as Touchpoint. Touchpoint is the gateway to requesting statutory assessments for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Families or professionals can submit a request, which is then considered by the local authority panel. If the request is accepted, an EHCNA is carried out to determine whether an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is needed. We know that many families have found this process confusing and sometimes overwhelming.

At Shropshire SENDIASS, we’ve developed new resources and guidance to help families better understand and navigate the Touchpoint process, these are available here https://www.shropshiresendiass.com/shropshiretouchpoint.

We are mindful that our service is under immense pressure due to the volume and complexity of enquiries we receive. We want to reassure families that we are doing our best to respond in a timely and supportive manner. Thank you for your patience and understanding during these challenging times.

From 15 July 2025, the SEND Tribunal will apply new rules about hearing bundles for appeals and disability discrimination claims. These rules aim to make the process more consistent and reduce paperwork; they also mean families need to be very careful when preparing evidence. The main case documents (your appeal, the council’s response, tribunal orders) must fit into 100 pages. Your child’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) plus all its supporting reports must fit into 150 pages. Expert reports, like an Educational Psychologist report, must be no longer than 15 pages, including a 2-page summary. The Working Document that shows the changes you want to the EHCP is limited to 25 pages.

It’s important to check your evidence early, make sure reports are clear and up to date, and only include what’s truly essential. Late evidence will be harder to submit, and older reports (more than 3 years old) can only be included if they’re absolutely necessary. If you think the page limits are unfair for your child’s complex needs, you can ask for extra pages—but you must apply formally. If you’re unsure, seek advice early—don’t leave it until just before your hearing.

Where Can Families Seek Support? If you’re unsure how to prepare your evidence within the new page limit or if you’re worried about how this change might affect your appeal there is help available. You can:

• Contact Shropshire SENDIASS for impartial advice and information about the new Tribunal rules. https://www.shropshiresendiass.com

• Access IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) for free, independent, and legally-based support on SEND Tribunal appeals, including helplines and online resources: www.ipsea.org.uk
• Connect with PACC (Parent and Carer Council) for peer support and parent-led insights on navigating the SEND system: www.paccshropshire.org.uk

Understanding ‘The Water Safety Code’ and learning to stay safe around bodies of water is of paramount importance for individuals of all ages – particularly young people who may struggle to communicate.

In partnership with Severndale Academy and Shropshire Fire & Rescue, these Water Safety resources from Widgit have been created to ensure children understand what to do in an emergency should they find themselves in difficulty, or see someone else who may need their help.

The water safety resources include a poster outlining ‘The Water Safety Code’ as a quick reminder, plus a longer version of the code. There’s also the fire service YouTube Makaton water safety video How to: Makaton water safety

A NSPCC guide for parents and carers of children and young people who have learning disabilities

Puberty can be a challenging time. For children and young people who have a learning disability, puberty may come with increased challenges, such as understanding the changes in their bodies, managing their emotions, and expressing their feelings.

Understanding privacy and the difference between public and private behaviours can also be difficult and, at times, confusing.

We know this can also be a tricky time for parent carers who want to support their children and young people through this new stage of growing up.

This guide, Navigating puberty created by Together for Childhood Stoke in collaboration with key local partners, helps to provide parent carers with advice, guidance, and practical tips.

The language and symbols used in this guide are intentionally simple and accessible. This is to support parent carers when they are exploring puberty with their child or young person.

Healios is a fully digital service with specialist clinicians that provides Autism assessments online.

All the clinicians have the qualifications, skills and experience required to undertake assessments and the assessment has the same elements as those completed by the BeeU neuro-developmental service.

If you have an assessment and diagnosis with Healios it will be recognised as an NHS assessment. 

Healios will offer you an appointment within 8 weeks of receiving your referral and the assessment process will be complete within a further 8 weeks.

If you remain on the waiting list with BeeU your waiting time is likely to be up to 24 months.  As an alternative, we will be contacting families in chronological order starting with families who have been waiting the longest to offer an assessment through Heolios. 

The benefits of Healios

• Healios can offer more flexibility around appointment times making it easier to arrange an appointment time to suit you.
• Your assessment will be completed via your computer/tablet by a specialist clinician. Healios uses a secure software that can be accessed via the internet and will use your webcam and microphone, similar to Zoom, MS Teams or FaceTime.
• You will be able to see and hear your clinician, and you will also be able to use some of the interactive features during the session. Following your assessment with Healios, you will receive a report with the outcome of your assessment, which will include recommendations and further signposting to resources and support in your local area.
• Your report from Healios will be shared with BeeU and your GP. You will be able to share a copy of your report with whomever you feel appropriate.

To access a Healios assessment you would need to confirm that you have access to the internet and have a suitable device (computer/tablet*) to use for your sessions.

*The assessment cannot be undertaken using a smartphone*.

For further information please contact BEEU.  The administrators will be able to direct the call to the appropriate Team/ staff. The BEEU number is 0300 124 0093 and select option 2 when prompted.

Supporting Timely and Effective EHCPs for Our Children and Young People

We’re pleased to share some encouraging updates on our journey to improve the timeliness and quality of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). We acknowledge how important getting the right support at the right time is for families, and our SEND Area partnership are committed to making progress.

A Stronger, More Stable Team

As of 1st May 2025, we now have a full team of permanent staff in place. This includes professionals from a wide range of educational backgrounds—Educational Psychologists, SENDCOs, teaching staff, experienced Case Officers, some of whom are parent carers of children with additional needs themselves. This diverse expertise brings valuable insight and empathy to our work.

You can now find the officer responsible for your child or young person here: Case Officer Allocations May 2025 (pdf) Further information and contact details are on the SEND Local Offer: EHCP Team | Shropshire Council

We are also investing in ongoing training and development to ensure our team continues to grow in confidence and capability. While we expect some short-term delays as the team settles in, we are already seeing signs of improvement and are optimistic and ambitious about recovering statutory timescales.

Smarter Processes, Better Oversight

We’ve introduced more rigorous case management and weekly performance reporting. This includes both data and narrative updates from Case Officers and their managers, which are reviewed by our Senior Leadership Team. These changes are helping us stay focused and responsive.

Annual Reviews – Making Steady Progress

We are also working hard to improve how we manage Annual Reviews. Our Annual Review Recovery Team are currently prioritising reviews received before 31st December 2024, with a particular focus on phase transfers—especially for Year 11 students.

Since January 2025, we have reduced the number of outstanding Annual Reviews from 2,005 to 1,695 meaning more families are now receiving timely amendments, particularly during key transition points. While we know there’s more to do, this is a meaningful step forward.

To support this progress, we are recruiting four additional EHCP Case Officers on a fixed-term basis, with a focus on Annual Reviews. We aim to have them in post by September 2025.

This added capacity will allow us to:

• Attend more reviews in person
• Build stronger relationships with schools and settings
• Improve communication with families
• Respond more quickly to review recommendations

By being more present and proactive, we can better plan for transitions, stay connected to communities, and create more opportunities for learning and development.

Our Commitment

The changes we are making are driven by your feedback and feedback raised by PACC and SENDIASS.  We remain fully committed to improving both the timeliness and quality of our EHCP processes—without losing sight of any part of our statutory responsibilities. Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we move forward together.

BeeU provides emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people (ages 0 to 25) in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.

The service provides:

• Emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people (0-25)
• Neurodevelopmental assessments for children – autism for 5–18-year-olds, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) for 6–18-year-olds
• Community Eating Disorder Services for 0–18-year-olds.

The service have developed some frequently asked questions about the service and support it provides. You can find them on the SEND Local Offer - BeeU Neuro Developmental Service | Shropshire Council

Shropshire Parent Carer Council (PACC) latest Mad, Sad, Glad report reflects on the feedback Parent Carers across Shropshire have provided.

This year's report is unsurprisingly hard to read. Many families are experiencing difficulties, and these are often not single isolated issues, but a complex collection of concerns and needs that are increasing the frustrations felt by families. 

You can read the report from the link below, which will give you an insight into how SEND families are feeling. Mad, Sad, Glad Report 2025

If you are feeling overwhelmed, there is support available. Have a look at this page Support for parent carers.

The “Start Well” commissioning team are currently leading on a number of recommissioning projects for new contracts for services for SEND children and young people and their families.

We will be providing regular updates to you all as to our progress and where there are opportunities for you to be involved.  However, PACC are already partners in our collaborative approach to developing services.

Short Breaks

Short breaks for children with SEND provide opportunities for young people to participate in activities and develop skills, while also offering parents and carers a break from their caring responsibilities. These breaks can take various forms, from after-school clubs to overnight stays, and can be accessed through different types of provision: Universal, Targeted, and Specialist. 

We want to work with providers who can help us to ensure that our short breaks service:

• Improves the wellbeing of children and young people with SEND
• Contributes to reducing stress and promoting independence for children, young people and their families
• Enable children and young people to develop new skills and build their confidence and resilience
• Offer parent carers a much-needed break from their caring responsibilities
• Provides “interest” groups and groups where we can support young people to prepare for adulthood
• Provide short break opportunities throughout the county and not limited to the major market towns.

We are currently looking at 5 separate short break areas and are about to go out to the provider market in July to look for providers to work with us for

• Overnight Short Breaks – Based at Bradbury House
• Community Based Short Breaks – after school clubs, Saturday club, outreach and under 5’s provision
• Targeted Community Based Short breaks – All-In
• Holiday Club – school holidays
• Family Based (foster) Care Short Breaks (tender will go out in September)

This is an exciting time for us, and we are keen to work with parent carers and children and young people as our services evolve and develop over the next couple of years. PACC are already heavily involved with supporting us on the development of services and making sure that services are co-produced as we move through this busy, but exciting time.

Assessment and Therapy for children and young people and their families who have experienced or present with harmful sexual behaviour

The current contract for this is coming to an end soon and the team is working with colleagues across the council and PACC to look at how this service should be delivered going forward.

• PACC's community support work has been recognised with a Shrewsbury Mayor's recognition award. The Healthy Lives holiday programme offers individual activity programmes through the school holidays for neurodiverse children and young people, and includes opportunities to build friendships, confidence and levels of physical activity. The programme already has 200 CYP registered for the summer programme.

• There is a new ‘support while waiting’ page on Healthier Together website (link: Support available while waiting for your appointment ). The short, animated videos have been produced with input from children and young people who use the services, to help explain what the services offer to children and young people who are diagnosed with a Learning Disability and/or Autism.

• Within BeeU, two new Assistant Psychologists have started and are getting involved in the Waiting Well work. The new Assistant Psychologists will contact those children/young people on waiting list. They also hope to link in with PINS (Partnerships in the Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools) project and will be working alongside the Shropshire NDPs (Neurodiversity Practitioners) on support offers for families and schools.

• The Shropshire Neuroinclusive Training Offer for schools / settings is expanding, and more training is being arranged. The delivery of the Autism Education Trust’s (AET) Good Autism Practice (GAP) training is increasing, and, within next few months, we will have trained approx.180 staff across variety of settings, including specialist, primary and post 16 settings. The Neuroinclusive Training Offer for the next academic year will be out soon!

• Children’s Development Centre (CDC) Achievements: 30% increase in specialist nursery nurse capacity; increased speech and language therapy capacity and productivity; and new roles are being developed with full staffing expected by June 2025.

Following a SEND inspection in Shropshire in 2020 and a revisit in 2022, a number of actions were identified to improve SEND services.  We have just had our 24-months review of our progress plan with the Department for Education (DfE) and NHS England on 12 May 2025 to review how our local area is improving SEND services. Below is a summary of their findings and recommendations.

What’s Going Well

• Strong Leadership & Teamwork: Local leaders and services are working closely together with a clear vision to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
• Better Systems: New ways of working are helping services be more accountable, transparent, and responsive.
• Early Support: There’s a strong focus on early support, with programmes like Talk Boost and ELSEC supporting speech and language from the early years.
• More Support Places: Planning is underway to increase specialist SEND provision and improve early identification through new roles and quality checks.
• Faster Access to Help: New funding routes like the Graduated Support Pathway and Early Years Inclusion Funding are helping children get the support they need more quickly.
• Support While Waiting: Families waiting for assessments (like SALT, ASD, ADHD) now have access to advice lines, triage systems, and helpful resources.
• Training for Staff: A wide range of training is being delivered to ensure staff across services are skilled and confident, with support from the Parent Carer Forum.
• Real Stories, Real Impact: Case studies show how joined-up support is making a real difference in children’s and families’ lives.
• Working Together: Co-production is growing stronger, with families helping shape services through projects like PINS and the new Co-production Framework.

What Still Needs Work

• Long Waits for Assessments: There are still delays for speech and language and neurodevelopmental assessments. More work is needed to understand and improve the support available while families wait.
• Low Take-Up of Extra Assessments: An offer for online Healios autism assessments, to support reducing long waits for assessments, hasn’t been widely taken up—only 19 out of 300 families accepted the offer and have opted in. We’re looking into why.
• EHCP Delays: Changes to the EHCP team have caused some delays. A recovery plan is in place, and communication with families is being improved.
• Better Joint Planning: Services are working on stronger joint commissioning to make SEND support more joined-up and sustainable.
• Consistent Co-Production: There’s a need to align strategies and make sure co-production is more consistent across all services, using family feedback to not only identify problems but more importantly to shape solutions together.  The Parent Carer (PACC) Forum’s “Mad, Sad, Glad” report is helping guide this work.
• Tracking Progress: A new SEND data dashboard is being developed to help monitor progress and outcomes more clearly.
• Leadership Changes: Plans are being made to ensure improvements continue even if there are changes in leadership.

Next Steps

Whilst we recognise that areas are working well in comparison to previous visits, we also know that there still improvements to be made.  We constantly review and evaluate our progress to continue to improve experiences for our children, young people and families.  

Over the next 6 months, the Shropshire SEND Area Partnership focus will be on continuing this progress, listening to families, and aligning the progress plan with the new SEND strategy and outcomes framework.

The SEND Local Offer is a place for all parent carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities to go to access information to support them and their families.

It contains information on education, health and social care as well as sections on the early years and preparing for adulthood.

Have a look at the website and tell us what you think by filling out this feedback form. You can also stay up to date by following the Local Offer on Facebook and Instagram.