Growing West Sussex - newsletter no 1

Introducing the Growing West Sussex Learning and Wellbeing Alliance

A message from Claire Hayes, Service Director for Education and Skills, West Sussex County Council

I am pleased to introduce you to and share an update on the Growing West Sussex Learning and Wellbeing Alliance.

The Alliance has been created to bring together our school communities, education partners and key colleagues from a growing number of agencies / services supporting our children and young people across West Sussex.

Within the Alliance we spend time sharing what works, finding practical solutions to challenging problems, champion inclusive practice and develop a culture where learning, belonging and wellbeing sits at the heart of what we do.

Now the Alliance is well established, the expertise within members has been well connected and strengthened you will start to hear more about the practical work we are doing. Our approach is simple, we work together to help all children and young people thrive in their education, we want them to feel supported in their wellbeing and experience the right help at the right time.

This termly newsletter is designed to ensure our school communities, childcare settings and colleges together with children's health and social care agencies are well informed about the work of the Alliance, its opportunities for collaboration and what we will be launching to make a real difference for children, young people, families and professionals in West Sussex.

Please feel free to share this newsletter in your professional communities and networks. Anyone who would like further information on the Alliance or would like to be included on the distribution list just needs to email sam.boulton@westsussex.gov.uk

Creating a Belonging Strategy for West Sussex

Over the course of the last 6 months the Alliance has done a lot of work around the theme of Belonging. This has involved engagement with partners and listening to the feedback and lived experience of our local children and young people.

We’ve also benefitted from colleagues in other Local Authorities who have been open around their work around Belonging and shared their learning with us.

Final work on the new Belonging strategy is taking place now, and we look forward to sharing more information in our next newsletter.

Supported Internships

One key focus of the Alliance has been around Supported Internships and the impact these can have on outcomes for young people. The Alliance has benefitted greatly from the experience of staff and young people at Woodlands Meed College in Burgess Hill, who already have an established programme in place.

Statistically there are less than 5% of adults with learning disabilities in paid employment and we know the majority of those not in work, want to work but face many significant barriers.

Working directly with the Alliance, Woodlands Meed will be delivering a new Supported Internship Programme which will launch in September 2026.

If you would like to find out more details about the programme, who can apply please click on the link here.