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Wednesday 23 November 2022
Welcome!
We would like to warmly welcome you to the first edition of the new Torbay SEND Newsletter.
In this newsletter, we will be sharing with you the ways we are continuing to improve how we deliver as a partnership, services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and their families.
We hear from SEND Family Voice Chair, Rebecca Box, Torbay Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Cordelia Law, and take a look ahead to exciting new events.
By taking a partnership approach and working alongside families, we are in a stronger position to create positive and impactful change.
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To acknowledge and confirm the dedication of the partnership to drive forward improvements, Torbay Council, NHS Devon and SEND Family Voice Torbay have co-produced a Public Statement of Commitment to working with children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families. This statement clearly sets out how we will work together in the future to improve our services:
Public Statement of Commitment
We commit to working together, in partnership with you, to improve the support you receive. We want you to have the very best opportunities now and in the future.
We will make sure you are able to have your say in what happens to you, in a way that suits you.
We will value what you say.
We will use what you tell us to help us make plans and decisions, as well as in our day-to-day work.
We want to work with as many local people, groups, organisations and experts as possible to make our services the best they can be. We will do our best to not leave anyone out.
We know we might not get it right every time, but we will learn from our mistakes and improve as we go along.
Nancy Meehan - Torbay Council
Darryn Allcorn - NHS Devon
Rebecca Box - SEND Family Voice Torbay
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Our journey so far
As we continue to progress with improvements, we would like to take a moment to reflect on our journey so far. In November last year, a report from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) identified significant weaknesses in services for children with SEND and said that collectively the council, education and NHS partners must do better.
Collectively, we accepted the findings of the report and from this point on, together we took immediate action and most importantly – we listened.
Torbay Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Cordelia Law, said, “It was crucial that before we moved ahead with plans, we needed to pause to listen to the voices and experiences of the children, young people, parents, and carers to help co-create and co-produce the support and services they want and need.
"We appreciate whole-heartedly that nobody knows the individual needs of a child as well as their parents and carers.”
Alongside partners, we carried out an online survey to find out about the first-hand experiences of the parents, carers, children and young people using the service. We would like to thank you all for taking the time to share your lived experiences in the survey.
The outcomes of the survey informed the co-creation of a plan– known as a ‘Written Statement of Action’ – explaining how the partnership will improve services.
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Moving forward together
Since then, the council and NHS has been working with the newly established SEND Family Voice Torbay, led by local parents, to produce the plan.
The plan was submitted to Ofsted in April and was approved with no changes required. It has now been published, click here to read the plan.
The next steps
We are pleased to share that so far, the partnership has taken the following steps to improve how we deliver services for children and young people with SEND and their families:
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Creating a more child and family centric approach by putting them at the heart of everything we do.
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Improving how the council, health and education partners work together, make assessments, share information, and share best practice.
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Involving families in decision making and the creation of a clear strategy to drive forward improvements.
- Working with children, young people and their families to create a Pledge setting out how we will treat people using our services. This will help improve the culture across the services and will be the basis of our practice and training. Click here to read Our Pledge.
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Improving communications between families and service providers through our new SEND newsletter and sharing helpful information through our digital platforms.
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Listening to the views of parents, we are carrying out a full review of the way Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans are produced in partnership with Family Voice Torbay, to help young people achieve their personal goals.
- Creating a Co-production Charter, designed and tested with a group of children, young people, parents/carers and colleagues. The themes are care and ownership, communicate and listen, value and include and trust. The Charter clearly sets out our commitment to working together so that every child and young person has the very best opportunities now and in the future.
The measures we have put in place so far mark a positive step forward, but we know there is still much work to be done. With clear, measurable, and most importantly, co-produced strategies to guide next steps, we remain committed to driving forward the improvements required so that all children and young people have equal opportunities to thrive.
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Children and families' voices heard at every level
SEND Family Voice Torbay is a newly formed and independent Parent Carer Forum recognised by the Department for Education and supported by the National Network of Parent Carer Forums and Contact.
All participating parents and carers are volunteers. The group is chaired by Rebecca Box, who works alongside the steering group.
Rebecca Box said, “By working with all our partners in health, education, and social care on a co-production basis, we want to help create change so that all children with SEND will have the very best life chances.
“Together we will build a future that truly values our children and young people and their uniqueness, creating for them a world of opportunities where they can follow their own pathways and thrive as adults.
“This can only be achieved if parents are seen as an integral part of the solution for addressing these challenges.
“We are delighted to have been central to the development of the Written Statement of Action as equal partners alongside other professionals in education, schools, social care and health.
“We feel this element of joint-working and valuing lived experiences and expertise will be the driving force in rebuilding trust in SEND services for our families and their children and young people in Torbay.
"We would like to thank all those who have joined us in our first face to face and virtual meetings. These are important moments for us to come together as a group of parents and carers and share our experiences. Please join our mailing list and we will keep you up to date with any events we are running."
Could you be a SEND Family Voice volunteer?
We are always looking for parents and carer to share their views and experiences and become part of the change we want to see.
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SENDIASS Torbay provides information and support on matters relating to children and young people with SEND between 0-25 years.
If you feel you need more in-depth support, if things are complicated, or if you feel like you need to talk things through with someone, you can talk to a SENDIASS officer.
Trained staff can give you legally-based information, advice and support on education, health and social care matters relating to SEND.
SENDIASS offers a ‘self-referral’ process, however, on occasions it may be considered appropriate for a professional to make contact with the service on behalf of the parents/carers or young person. The service will act upon such requests only when consent is given.
The SENDIASS telephone helpline is available Monday-Friday 10am-2pm. Outside these hours and answer phone is available to leave a message for a call back.
Call 01803 210 371
Upcoming Torbay SEND Events
 Monthly, virtual drop-in sessions with the Torbay SEND Team
We will be sharing with you the ways we are continuing to improve how we deliver as a partnership, services for children and young people with SEND, and their families.
These sessions are also a place to share your views with us. We welcome you to share information about this event with any parents or carers who you feel might find these informal drop-in sessions useful to know about.
These sessions will take place on the first Tuesday of each month between 6– 7pm.
Please be mindful that as this is a group event, we will be unable to discuss individual children/young people.
Torbay Hearing Support Service
The Hearing Support Team organise a variety of opportunities for deaf/hearing impaired children, young people and their families throughout the year.
We have recently run an after-school Forest School club for younger primary aged children and their parents. Our next groups on offer are:
Playgroup
For families with children aged 0-5, this group provides support for both the children and parents.
Where? - Paignton Baptist Church, Winner Street.
When? - Tuesdays 10-11.30am. Next dates: 6 December, 10 January, 7 February, 7 March.
Youth Club
For deaf/hearing impaired young people who use English or BSL, aged 14-21. Join us for skittles, pool, table tennis and socialising.
Where? - Torbay Deaf Club, Torquay.
When? - 5 December, 4 - 5:30pm.
Torbay Family Events
 An exciting new light trail is set to illuminate Torquay this Christmas, the Bay of Lights Illumination Trail.
From Saturday 19 November residents and visitors can enjoy the 1.5-mile route with glittering and unexpected surprises along the way.
Light installations will guide people along the route between Torre Abbey, Torquay seafront, Fleet Street and into the town centre.
There will also be a 12-metre-high pixel mappable Christmas Tree that will provide a spectacular digital sound and light show.
The first of its kind trail for Torquay will officially launch on Saturday 19 November and will run daily from 4:30pm, with sound elements until 9:30pm and the lighting until 11pm. The display will run until Sunday 8 January 2023, with a free online trial map available soon.
This event is suitable for children of all ages and fully accessible for wheelchair users. We really hope children and young people with SEND will enjoy this sensory and visual experience but please be mindful that there are flashing lights for those with photosensitive epilepsy.
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