 Inside this edition
1. Power of Words project (POW)
2. Update of the SEND & Inclusion Strategy and Self Evaluation Framework
3. Update of the Written Statement of Action
4. Health update
Power of Words project (POW)
Voice 4 Parents and Wolverhampton Outreach Service presented their POW project to SEND & Inclusion Partnership Board in October.
Power of words is a collaboration between Voice 4 Parents and Wolverhampton Outreach Service. It was developed with the aim to promote a culture of reflection upon the language that is used when interacting with young people who have support needs and their families. It comprises a short film, a booklet and training for a range of services across the city to access.
The video and further information can be found at
The Power of Words | Voice4Parents Wolves (voice4parents-wolves.co.uk)
https://Wolverhampton.gov.uk/pow-project
Key actions/ decisions:
The project was well received by the partnership board, and professionals are keen to sign up to the training going forward. They are also interested in sharing the video and further information to various services.
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Update of the SEND & Inclusion Strategy and Self Evaluation Framework
There are two pieces of work taking place currently to update the priorities for the SEND and Inclusion Partnership Board:
1) Self-Evaluation Framework
The Boards self-evaluation is currently being reviewed. The Self-Evaluation will demonstrate what SEND and inclusion looks like within our city; what we are doing well; where there may be gaps and what we need to do further to improve the services and support for children, young people and adults within Wolverhampton.
2) Have your say about Wolverhampton SEND and Inclusion Strategy
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People are being invited to have their say about Wolverhampton's new SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and Inclusion Strategy 2024.
The draft strategy sets out the vision and priorities of the SEND and Inclusion Partnership Board’s offer to children, young people and their families. It also recognises and builds on key strengths and what works well for families.
The strategy has been co-produced with stakeholders and will be delivered through a SEND and Inclusion Improvement Plan which will be published on the Local Offer to provide updates on progress. The priorities are adopted from the Department for Education's SEND & Alternative Provision Improvement Plan 2023 and the actions have been identified as priorities from within Wolverhampton SEND Self-Evaluation Framework.
To find out more, read the strategy and have your say, please visit https://consultation.wolverhampton.gov.uk/send/send-inclusion-strategy-2024. We are asking for feedback on the strategy by Friday 17 November 2023.
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Key actions/ decisions:
- Workshops will take place around Self Evaluation Framework so that stakeholders can contribute to the finalising of this document.
- It was agreed for the current draft SEND & Inclusion Strategy to go out to consultation for 4 weeks and for the consultation date to be extended to enable Voice 4 Parents and the Information, Advice and Support Service to engage parents in a consultation session on Tuesday 14th November 10am - 12pm at Low Hill Family Hub, 26-28 Fourth Avenue, Wolverhampton WV10 9LZ.
Date approved by board: Wednesday 11 October 2023
Update of the Written Statement of Action
Monitoring visits between the city's SEND and Inclusion Partnership Board, the Department for Education and the Care Quality Commission take place to ensure progress is being made to deliver the Written Statement of Action.
Progress is being made against each priority area to further improve services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Wolverhampton.
The key findings that have been highlighted during the monitoring visits are available at Wolverhampton's SEND Written Statement of Action (WSoA). | Wolverhampton Information Network
The monitoring visit will be taking place on 7 November and key findings will be shared following this meeting.
This feedback has supported the self-evaluation processes to look longer term at the SEND system in Wolverhampton.
Going forward, Ofsted and the CQC will invite local area partnerships to hold engagement meetings between inspections. These events are not inspections. They are intended to support local area partnerships as they work to improve the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.
These events will help keep a spotlight on SEND provision. Through these engagement meetings, Ofsted and the CQC will seek to:
- be assured that the local area partnership understands the needs of children and young people in its area, and is working to improve its services for children and young people with SEND and their families
- identify any issues of concern
- remain up to date with any changes to the local SEND system
Health update
Current highlights/work being progressed -
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- An ADHD task and finish group has been set up and work is progressing around the development an action plan. The ADHD nurse is well established at Royal Wolverhampton Trust (RWT), who is working on an information pack for children, young people, and their families to provide support and advice whilst they are waiting for their first appointment.
- A specialist nurse for continence at RWT is in post, developing a clear community continence pathway, for all children and young people with continence related issues, to help ensure the right support at the right time in the right place. A supporting information guide/pack is being developed currently, which focuses on the early help offer for children and young people.
- A SEND Mainstream Nurse is in post at RWT and is fully embedded within the school nursing service with support from team of Public Health associates.
- Health (SALT, OT/PHYSIO, Community Paediatrics) are outlining actions following the Voice for parents (V4P) annual survey, which will help inform the overall SEND health action plan.
- Wolverhampton continues to be part of a learning disability screening tool pilot. The evaluation of the pilot will take place in the next couple of months. We are awaiting the new Local Offer to be launched which will link into the screening tool.
- The RWT Transition nurse has scoped transition pathways for Penn Hall and Green Park, and nurse led transition clinics have restarted.
- Medication shortages – we are aware of some of the shortages of some of the medications for ADHD and are working with pharmacists and families to provide suitable alternatives.
Key actions/ decisions:
Speech and Language Therapy, Occupation Therapy/Physiotherapy, Community Paediatrics - actions following Voice 4 Parents annual survey are due to be discussed and agreed at the next SEND health steering group.
Date approved by board: Wednesday 11 October 2023
Related news
For information about ‘what’s on’, information, awareness raising, sessions, activities and local support please see news from the following trusted sources:
Wolverhampton Local Offer
Voice4Parents
WIASS E-Bulletins
Wolverhampton Voluntary and Community Action
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