
This newsletter is for champions of SEND across education, health and social care. Please share with colleagues and parent carers. If you know of anyone who would like to be added to the distribution list, please let us know.
The next edition will be on 13 November 2024, copy deadline 8 November 2024. We welcome your ideas for articles - please contact Kathryn Kellagher.
Welcome to the first edition of the SEND & Inclusion Newsletter for the new academic year!
This is all set to be another busy but exciting year. You may remember that back in May, we told you about a number of pilots that are starting this autumn. These are part of our SEND Improvement Journey and we're grateful to be working closely with schools as we trial and evaluate them.
One of these projects is the introduction of the Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce (APST) and we're delighted to welcome Connie Dunnill who will lead on this. You can find out more about the APST in the article below.
We're also refreshing our SEND & Inclusion Strategy this term and have arranged a number of stakeholder workshops across the county in mid-October. Thank you to the 40 schools who have signed up to contribute to these workshops, we very much appreciate your support. We will use the feedback from the workshops to produce a draft strategy which will be open to a public consultation in January, so there will be a further opportunity to feed into our vision then.
We know September can be a challenging time for our children and young people with SEND as they navigate their way in a new school year. We have a wealth of information on Tools for Schools around transition which is found in the Child's Journey section. Below we have information about our EBSA offer to schools for 2024/2025, and there are a number of other articles which offer support to families, including the refreshed Local Offer, West Sussex Mind, Reaching Families, Thriving in Education and the Anti Bullying Alliance.
Finally, we've repeated our article about the reconfiguration of the SEN Assessment team, to remind you of how this vital team is now structured.
Thank you for working with us on our improvement journey to better support our children and young people with SEND.
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Delivering Better Value (DBV)
The new academic year has seen an exciting start for the majority of our 15 pilot projects across West Sussex.
We have 5 linchpin projects that we believe will provide the biggest drive for change and improvements for children and young people across the County. We believe these will instill greater confidence in our system for parents and educators alike, whilst ensuring that the majority of our children and young people can have their needs met at a universal level across our mainstream schools.
Our Local Inclusion Solutions pilot (LIncS) is now up and running in the Lancing, Shoreham and East Grinstead areas. This is led by educational psychologists who are planning systems level engagement with individual schools. To compliment this work, we will also be delivering enhanced EBSA support, with the roll-out of a toolbox to support pupil focus and resilience. LIncS schools will receive bespoke support and intervention for the school or pupil as part of the systems approach. They are also exploring how to use AI robots.
In addition to this, the refreshed and coproduced version 3 of the Ordinarily Available Inclusive Practice guide (OAIP) has now been agreed and approved. A full launch is being planned for January to coincide with the SEND Outcomes Framework. These are both fundamental to support practice and will be the cornerstone of how we work in supporting children and young people across the County. We are developing a training programme for the OAIP with school SENCOs.
SEND & AP Change Programme Partnership (CPP)
We are now entering our second year of the SEND & AP Change Programme Partnership (CPP).
We have been busy testing and refining key areas of change for the DfE, as recommended in the SEND Green Paper, 2022. We work closely with DfE advisors and meet as a local partnership on a weekly basis.
To date, we have:
- created and embedded a well-attended and independently chaired SEND and AP Board
- tested out new EHCP templates
- written our Local Area Inclusion Plan (LAIP)
- held focus groups with our Parent Carer Forum to gain their views and feedback on Advisory Tailored Lists
- further strengthened our mediation process.
Our focus is now on ensuring that local mainstream schools feel supported in rolling out and delivering Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP), or OAIP as it is known in West Sussex.
An area of work under CPP that we are incredibly excited about is the creation of an Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce (APST). This will see us deliver a pilot project until December 2025 in the Crawley area of the County. A small group of multi-disciplinary professionals, co-located at the Alternative Provision College in Crawley, will deliver a range of support to local secondary schools, to support children and young people who have been identified at risk of exclusion, have been excluded or are receiving off site provision at the APC. The multi-disciplinary team will support in embedding the three-tier model for inclusion, by supporting children and young people at an earlier stage to improve educational outcomes. We are very pleased to have Connie Dunnill onboard as our APST Manager, and we are currently recruiting the multi-agency professionals for the specialist taskforce itself. We look forward to working closely with our colleagues and educators at APC Crawley and local Crawley secondary schools.
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Hello, my name is Connie Dunnill. I am new to West Sussex and will be managing the new Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce, in Crawley.
The Taskforce is an exciting new initiative, offering multi-disciplinary support to students in the Crawley area with the aim of helping more of our students who have experienced (or are at risk of) permanent exclusion to successfully access a mainstream education. We feel hopeful that this will be a successful model and that we can expand it in the future.
As Taskforce Manager, my job will be to work closely with the West Sussex APC and mainstream schools to set the direction of our work (including upskilling staff dependent on school needs), establish our working practices and manage these throughout the pilot, to report on our progress and outcomes, and to co-ordinate and manage our caseload.
I’m really excited to have moved from Bristol to be a part of this new project and that the Local Authority, Alternative Provision College, and local schools are so positive about this new offer of support we are launching!
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As part of our SEND Improvement Journey, we are planning a workshop to review the current PPGC process and engage with key stakeholders to understand common themes and challenges.
We would very much value input from SENCOs and headteachers.
The workshop will be on 3 December from 9.30 am to 12.30pm in the Goodwood Room, County Hall North, Horsham. If you would like to register interest in the workshop, please contact Kathryn Kellagher.
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Thank you to all the schools, parents and other key partners, for attending the stakeholder workshops on reviewing the OAIP which were held over the summer term.
Your views and knowledge have been incorporated in the new version of the OAIP, which will be published in January 2025.
In the meantime, copies of the current edition can be purchased for £2 via the Stores function on Services for Education. Or you can access a chunked web version on Tools for Schools.
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We are delighted that Kit Messenger will once again headline our SENCO Conference on 18 June 2025!
We're in the early stages of planning but the conference theme will be around relational practice and moving towards independence.
We are putting together a small planning team and would very much value input from schools. It would involve attending the initial on-line planning meeting on 7 November 10.00 - 11.00, when we will discuss ideas for workshops, plus a follow up meeting in early January. Please contact Kathryn Kellagher if you would like to join us!
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Before the end of the last academic year, we shared details relating to organisational changes in the SEN Assessment Team (SENAT). These changes have been introduced in recognition of the increase of Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNAs) and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs); the complexity of work and additional duties being carried out by the service.
Our summer update included reference to a new name for the service. However, having received and considered feedback relating to a potential name change, we have decided to remain with the service being called the SEN Assessment Team (SENAT) for now. Parents, carers, schools, and partners will continue to be supported by a service that provides children and young people with critical support in West Sussex.
These changes will support the service in meeting its statutory requirements, achieving parity with the current national standard in the delivery of SEND services, enhancing outcomes for children and young people and overall improve satisfaction with those using the service.
Should you require further information, or have any questions, please contact kim.clayton@westsussex.gov.uk, aaron.swain@westsussex.gov.uk or karen.spencer@westsussex.gov.uk.
As a reminder, the following organisational changes took effect from 1 September 2024:
EHC Needs Assessment Team
This team is responsible for:
- The requests and referrals process for all ages until the assessment is allocated to the appropriate team: EHCNA; Preparation for Adulthood (PfA); Education Other Than at School (EOTAS); or Elective Home Education (EHE). Further information on these teams can be found below
- Coordinating the EHC needs assessment process up to and including finalising an EHCP for children and young people up to the end of year 9
Review and Monitoring Team
This team is responsible for reviewing and monitoring functions for children and young people with an EHCP up to the end of year 9, including the age-phased transfer process and moves into West Sussex. The team has been split into three areas, instead of four:
- South 1 and South 2 have merged to become South-East
- West has become South-West (and includes Littlehampton)
- Mid and North have merged to become North
Key Stage 4 and Post-16 Support
Preparation for Adulthood Team
This team is responsible for the EHCNA and reviewing and monitoring functions for young people in years 10 and 11 attending mainstream schools and independent non-maintained special schools (INMSS), and post-16 attending sixth form and specialist colleges (not further education colleges).
College Team
This team is responsible for EHCNAs and reviewing and monitoring functions, including arranging and chairing the annual review for young people post-16 attending further education colleges.
Service Wide Teams
Operational Team
There is no change to the current team with responsibilities remaining the same as they do today. Special needs officers (SNOs) will also continue to support the requests and referrals process in relation to the EHCNA panel. They will also hold Inclusion Planning meetings with parents, carers and schools following a refusal to assess.
Dispute Resolution Team
This team is responsible for oversight and work relating to complaints, including Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) and Judicial Review (JR) mediation requests and appeals to the First Tier SEND Tribunal Service, in liaison with Operational Lead and Team Managers.
Education Other Than at School (EOTAS) and Elective Home Education (EHE) Team
This team is responsible for EHCNAs and reviewing and monitoring functions (including age phase transfers) for children and young people in receipt of EOTAS and EHE and those not on a school roll who are accessing alternative provision (AP) whilst awaiting school provision.
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Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) is a broad umbrella term used to describe a group of children and young people who have severe difficulty in attending school due to emotional factors, often resulting in prolonged absences from school.
The impact of EBSA on young people and schools is far reaching. Outcomes for young people who display EBSA include poor academic attainment, reduced social opportunities and limited employment opportunities. EBSA is also associated with poor adult mental health.
We know that the earlier difficulties are identified and support put in place, the more successful we are at developing children and young people’s ability to cope with their anxiety and develop their resilience to cope with life's challenges, resulting in improved attendance and ongoing life opportunities.
- A new process to support school staff and others working on EBSA is available here on the Thriving in Education web pages. The emphasis of the process is on identifying EBSA as soon as possible and in working with the child or young person and their parent or carer to understand their difficulties and to make a plan.
- The EBSA process links to the West Sussex Educational Psychology Service EBSA offer for 2024/2025, found on the Services to Education website along with the EBSA guidance, and a Return to School Planning tool.
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Schools and colleges play a key role in helping children and young people to thrive in terms of their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
This autumn, the Thriving in Education online guide has been launched on the WSCC website. The new guide has been co-produced with schools and others following feedback from school staff that they find it difficult to navigate content on mental health and emotional wellbeing available on other WSCC web pages and often resort to Google instead.
As with all West Sussex support for schools on mental health and wellbeing, the Thriving in Education online guide is underpinned by two national frameworks; the i-Thrive Framework for system change, and the 8 principles for developing a whole school approach to mental health. The guide is a rich source of information for school staff and others as to evidence based best practice in the development of whole school approaches to mental health. It also provides information on how to access targeted support for those that need it, and content to support children and young people experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance.
The Thriving in Education online Guide will continue to be updated and we are particularly keen to include examples of exciting practice from our West Sussex schools. Please contact vik.machin@westsussex.gov.uk to learn more about how you can contribute.
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We want all children, regardless of their ability, background or personal circumstances, to have the best start in life.
The Children, Young People and Learning directorate is pleased to launch the ‘Right From the Start: Early Years and Childcare Strategy’. The strategy has been produced following extensive consultation and research and will take us from now until the end of 2027. It sets the vision and strategic priorities for Early Years and Childcare in West Sussex and underpins how West Sussex County Council will work with our partners to ensure our services are fully coordinated.
The strategy outlines eight priorities aimed at improving the well-being of young children, reducing inequalities, and ensuring all children have the best start in life. It will also support families to access timely support, including them at the heart of planning so their needs are met.
The Early Years and Childcare Strategy will also contribute to the four priorities of the Council Plan 2021 to 2025.
We know that for the strategy to make the biggest difference, we need to work in partnership with colleagues and families, and will share opportunities to get involved via upcoming communications. Please take the time to familiarise yourself with the strategy, which you can find here.
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Sibs exists to support people who grow up with or have grown up with a disabled brother or sister. It is the only UK charity representing the needs of over half a million young siblings and over one and a half million adult siblings.
Have you thought about running group support for young siblings? Our sibling group leader training session will give you all the information you need to plan, run and evaluate your own local siblings group. It is taking place online via Zoom on Wednesday, 13th November 2024, 9.15am - 1.15pm. For more information and how to book, please visit the section on workshops on our website.
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It's full of information for families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Find out more about:
- Early years, childcare and education
- Education, Health and Care assessments and plans
- Preparation for adulthood and work
- Health, social care and family support
- Discounts and benefits
You can also search a directory of SEND-focused groups, services and activities in and around West Sussex.
SENCOs, is your SEND information up to date on your school, academy or college website?
Families are now able to find SEND information for most education settings from the ‘Find a school, academy or college’ listing at westsussex.gov.uk. Each entry has a new bullet point with ‘Special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) information’ linking to the setting’s own website.
Please check that your setting’s SEND information and policies are current and that any SEND contacts are correct on your website.
If you would like the link to go to a different page on your website or notice that your setting’s SEND information is missing, please contact localoffer@westsussex.gov.uk.
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Did you know that West Sussex Mind have various training courses, webinars and resources to help you support young people’s mental health and wellbeing? Whether you are a parent or carer of a child struggling with their mental health, or you are working as a professional supporting young people, there are lots of training sessions and resources available to help.
For parents
Our parents and carers service aims to increase your knowledge and awareness of mental health and boost your confidence in coping with and addressing your child or young person’s mental health. The service includes online and in-person peer support meetings, where you can discuss your concerns, build strategies to help you support your child and meet other parents and carers.
Our parenting support team also offers a range of free training webinars to help parents and carers support their young person's mental health. Topics include attachment, aggressive behaviours and emotionally based school avoidance.
Self-harm Learning Webinars
Whether you're a professional or volunteer who supports a young person who self-harms, these free one-hour webinars are perfect for you. The aim of the webinars is to increase your confidence and reduce fear when it comes to the topic of self-harm, especially when working with children, young adults, and individuals. They will cover the basics of self-harm, what it means, and who it affects, and will also provide valuable strategies, resources, and signposts to support those who self-harm and the people around them.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA®) courses are for everyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18. They will teach you the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need. The course won't teach you to be a therapist, but it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis - and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.
Bespoke training
We can also create bespoke training courses for your staff team, on whatever area of mental health you would like to learn more about. These can be delivered in-person, at your place of work, or virtually. Get in touch with us today to discuss your needs.
If you would like to find out more about any of these services, or other support that is available from West Sussex Mind, please see our website: https://www.westsussexmind.org/. You can find all our upcoming courses on our Eventbrite listing: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/west-sussex-mind-8288439768. Or get in touch with us via email: training@westsussexmind.org.
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We offer 1-2-1 advice sessions for parent-carers making applications for Carers Allowance, DLA and PIP. Our advisor can answer questions around eligibility, the application process, evidence required or other concerns parents may have regarding a claim. We can also support parents via our claim checking service if they have completed a draft application. We will check the form against DWP criteria and provide feedback with suggested ways of strengthening the application.
Parent-carers can self-refer to the service and book an appointment via our website here: Reaching Families Benefits Advice Service
Information on benefits can also be accessed via our factsheets and our Making Sense of It All guidebook available on our website, along with details of our training workshops on DLA, PIP and Universal Credit.
We would advise parents to book their appointments well in advance of submission deadlines as demand for the service is very high. Statutory and voluntary agencies can also refer parent-carers to the service by emailing: benefits@reachingfamilies.org.uk
For information on all of our services please visit our website here: Reaching Families
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 School resources: everything you need to prepare for Anti Bullying week, 11-15 November
Parents and Carers Pack: A tool to help parents and carers have conversations with their children about bullying.
An autism alert card or passport is a document you can carry to help communicate your needs as an autistic/neurodivergent individual to police officers or other officials when you are away from home.
The card typically contains your details and advice for the officer you are speaking to. Alert card schemes are run in most police areas across the UK.
Alert Card Schemes | National Police Autism Association (npaa.org.uk)
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Have you discovered the Disability Register?
The West Sussex Disability Register is a database that collects information on those living with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25 in West Sussex and is managed by West Sussex Library Service. This information is used by West Sussex County Council and its partners to help plan and deliver services now and into the future.
Anyone aged 0-25 with a disability living in West Sussex can sign up and you do not need to have a diagnosis to sign up.
You can sign up online or the Disability Register team can speak to you over the phone to help complete the form. Those aged 13+ can self-register on their own or with the help of a parent or carer.
Sign up now: https://yourvoice.westsussex.gov.uk/disability-register-0-25
By joining the Register, you will:
- Help West Sussex County Council and our partners to plan and deliver services for now and in the future.
- Receive a monthly newsletter via email with local information and details of upcoming events and activities, including being the first to know about free SEND friendly activities in your local library.
- Have access to a Library card with additional concessions, such as free reservations and free audiobook loans, as well as access to a range of free sensory resources.
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Resources include free sensory stories, communication devices and switch adapted toys.
- Access to a Max Card – a discount card with local and national offers
Get in touch with the Disability Register team if you have any questions:
Email: disabilityregister@westsussex.gov.uk
Phone: 0330 222 7725
We are also on socials! Follow us for up-to-date information and to be in the know about events and activities taking place in libraries across West Sussex.
Facebook: WestSussexLibraries Instagram: @westsussexlibraries X (Twitter): @WSCCLibraries
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We hope you are well and have had a positive start to the 2024/2025 academic year!
Do you know about the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum (WSPCF)?
Click here to have a look at our website to find out more.
“Parent Carer Forums are representative local groups of parents and carers of children and young people with disabilities who work alongside local authorities, education, health and other service providers to ensure the services they plan, commission, deliver and monitor meet the needs of children and families”.
Para 1.13 SEND Code of Practice 2015
Join us
You can sign up to WSPCF as a professional member - Complete our short sign-up form HERE.
We will keep you updated both for your professional development and also regarding what we can offer the families you work with.
We often get enquiries from professionals seeking information and signposting on behalf of the families they work with, so please feel free to get in touch with us by emailing office@wspcf.org.uk.
Meet the team
- Our Participation Officers make sure parent carers' voices are heard. They do many things including: collecting feedback from parent carers, organising all our events, building strong community relationships with professionals and attending SENAT panels.
- Our Coordinators play a vital role in shaping the services that impact our community. They do many things including: supporting all our projects, running workshops and attending meetings from a solution focused perspective to improve local services based on our parent carer feedback.
- Our Board of Trustees and CEO play a crucial role in guiding our charity. They do many things including: ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, managing and protect the charity’s resources, strategic planning and goal setting, safeguarding the organisation’s values and attending meetings to bring strategic oversight to commissioning and service development.
Head over to our WEBSITE, FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM for more information, including how we started, what we do and our current events.
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 Some of the services listed in this newsletter or on the Local Offer site are provided by private service providers and not by West Sussex County Council. These do not have a recommendation or endorsement from the local authority. If you decide to use a service / provision, you should be aware that you are responsible for doing your own checks to ensure they are suitable and fit for purpose. West Sussex County Council will not be liable for any damages or losses suffered by anyone who relies on the information in this newsletter.
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